West Kensington’s arts and music festival returns for second year

West Kensington’s popular music and arts festival is set to return to the stage for a second year in October with a week of cultural delights.

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Award-winning male a cappella group All the King’s Men, from King’s College London

West Kensington’s popular music and arts festival is set to return to the stage for a second year in October with a week of cultural delights.

The Kensington Olympia Festival of Music and the Arts – otherwise known as KOFMA – will run from Sunday 9 October to Saturday 15 October at St Matthew’s Church, on the corner of Sinclair, Masbro and Fielding roads.

The festival will open with a sparkling performance from the Oxford Spezzati chorus and orchestra on the Sunday evening, featuring Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang and English choral classics.

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The Oxford Spezzati chorus and orchestra

Award-winning male a cappella group All the King’s Men, from King’s College London, will also provide glorious harmonies and entertaining choreography seasoned with humour and mischief on the Thursday evening.

And contemporary English poet Wendy Cope, who has attracted a dedicated following with her light-hearted verse and keen eye for the comical aspects of everyday life, will provide an evening of mirth on Friday.

A come-and-sing day on the Saturday will give everyone the opportunity to take part in a gala concert, A Night in Italy, under the direction of choral conductor and broadcaster Jeremy Summerly. 

The festival will also see the return of its successful gala dinner on the Tuesday evening with dancing to a jazz trio and trumpeter, which attracted 150 people last autumn. This year the gala’s theme will be ‘under the sea’, with St Matthew’s Church transforming into an underwater paradise and guests encouraged to wear blue and green.

Other events will include a concert by KOFMA’s own young musicians alongside international violinist Louise Williams and pianist William Howard, a lecture on Elgar by festival director Denis Moriarty and architectural walks with local historian Caroline MacMillan.

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