Festival Events
JAM on the Marsh · 4-14 July 2024
4 July · Thursday · 1:30pm
Cinemarsh · New Romney
Celebrating Edith Nesbit
Edith Nesbit, one of the UK’s favourite authors and former resident of Romney Marsh, died in May 1924. 100 years on, we celebrate her with a unique talk by those who know her lifetime the best, The Edith Nesbit Society. This event provides a unique insight into the writer, slanted towards The Railway Children, and is a preview for the film showing after the talk.
4 July · Thursday · 3:00pm
Cinemarsh · New Romney
The Railway Children
Watch this iconic 1970’s family film. After the enforced absence of their father, three children move with their mother from London to Yorkshire where, during their adventures, they attempt to discover the reason for his disappearance. Starring Jenny Agutter, the film received three nominations for the 24th British Academy Film Awards.
The Assembly Rooms · New Romney
Festival Launch
Hear Nicholas Cleobury’s vision for JAM on the Marsh 2024. In his second year as Festival Curator, Nicholas has created another wonderful and varied programme of art, music and theatre. Come and learn about this festival and the inspiration behind the programming. Nicholas will be joined by JAM President Paul Mealor and Artistic Director Edward Armitage.
4 July · Thursday · 7:00pm
Old School Garden · New Romney
Present Laughter
Changeling Theatre returns to the festival with a light-hearted farce that celebrates Noel Coward. Self-important matinee idol Garry Essendine is suave, hedonistic and too old to be having numerous affairs, says his wife. All of Coward’s wit is on display in this new, flamboyant and funny production. Bring a picnic and a chair and enjoy outdoor theatre at its best!
5 July · Friday · 6:00pm
The Assembly Rooms · New Romney
Meet the Composers
Composers John Frederick Hudson and Jago Thornton talk with JAM’s President, Paul Mealor, about their two JAM commissions to be premiered following this pre-concert talk.
5 July · Friday · 7:00pm
St Nicholas Church · New Romney
From Holst to Hudson
Ben Goldscheider (horn) returns and Mark Padmore (tenor) makes his festival debut with the London Mozart Players and Nicholas Cleobury. This concert pairs favourite British works by Elgar, Delius and Holst with world premieres by John Frederick Hudson and Jago Thornton, both Festival Commissions.
6 July · Saturday · 11:00am
St Clement Church · Old Romney
12 Dragonetti Waltzes
This is an extraordinary opportunity to hear Dragonetti’s miniature masterpieces performed by Rosie Moon on a 1732, 3-string Gagliano double bass, for the first time in over 100 years. Sounding melodic, vibrant and lively, these pieces take you on an aural world tour. The late, great Rinat Ibragimov recorded on this instrument receiving 3.5million views on YouTube.
6 July · Saturday · 3:00pm
St Dunstan · Snargate
1934:
A Changing Sound World
1934 was an extraordinary year for British music, as several iconic composers died that year – Delius, Elgar and Holst – and two enfants terrible were born – Peter Maxwell Davies and Harrison Birtwistle. In this concert we hear music for violin, clarinet and piano from these five giants of British music, introduced by Nicholas Cleobury.
6 July · Saturday · 7:00pm
St Leonard · Hythe
A Choral Feast
“A leading chorus on the international stage” (BBC), The Holst Singers return to the festival, but this time with their acclaimed musical director, Stephen Layton. Choral masterpieces by Britten, Howells and Walton are paired alongside a Festival Commission from award-winning Joseph Phibbs. Onyx Brass, the choir and organ will raise the roof of St Leonard’s.
7 July · Sunday · 3:00pm
St Leonard · Hythe
An Afternoon in Vienna
Vienna is at the heart of this concert featuring a Haydn symphony and waltzes by Johann Strauss. The JAM Sinfonia will dive into this vibrant repertoire, arranged by members of the Second Viennese School: Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg and Anton Webern. This will be a joyous afternoon in the Austrian capital.
9 July · Tuesday · 2:00pm
St Nicholas · New Romney
Community Singing
Children from St Nicholas and Brenzett Primary Schools unite with the Sunflower Singers from the Romney Marsh Community Hub having been working on their first performance together since April. They will perform Bob Chilcott’s lively A Sporting Chance accompanied by the stunning Onyx Brass, conducted by Rebecca Lodge Birkebaek.
9 July · Tuesday · 7:00pm
St George · Ivychurch
The Goldberg Variations
Stephen Farr is one of the UK’s finest keyboard players having been Assistant Master of Music at Winchester Cathedral and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedral. He has a busy, vibrant freelance career, and tonight presents one of Bach’s greatest keyboard works ever written, on the harpsichord.
10 July · Wednesday · 9:30am – 4pm
Prospect Cottage · Romney Marsh
10 July · Wednesday · 3:00pm
Cinemarsh · New Romney
War Requiem
War Requiem, directed by Derek Jarman and starring Tilda Swinton, is a film with no spoken dialogue that sets Benjamin Britten’s masterpiece of the same name. The sung text juxtaposes WWI poetry by Wilfred Owen and the Requiem Mass, reflecting the horrors of war. This is a unique opportunity to see Jarman’s masterpiece in a cinema.
10 July · Wednesday · 7:00pm
The Marsh Academy Theatre · New Romney
Jarman
Jarman is a vibrant solo play by Mark Farrelly bringing Derek Jarman back into being for a passionate, daring reminder of the courage it takes to truly live while you’re alive. A journey from Dungeness to deepest, brightest Soho and into the heart of one of our most iconoclastic artists.
11 July · Thursday · 7:00pm
Old School Garden · New Romney
Henry V
One of Shakespeare’s great plays is given the ‘Changeling treatment’. After an insult from the Dauphin, heir to the French throne, Henry V of England invades France to claim the throne he believes should be his. An assassination plot, powerful speeches, battles against the odds and a wedding … Bring a picnic and a chair and enjoy outdoor theatre at its best!
12 July · Friday · 7:00pm
St Nicholas · New Romney
JAM Festival Orchestra
Our new orchestra unites musicians from our community and the London Mozart Players takes on a wonderful and audacious programme of Gershwin, Vaughan Williams and Warlock, including the iconic Rhapsody in Blue and The Lark Ascending. Aki Blendis, Category Finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year, makes his festival debut.
13 July · Saturday · 11:00am
St Leonard · Hythe
The Blendis Trio
Last year Simon and Saoko Blendis (violin and piano) presented one of the highlights of the festival: Max Jaffa’s Violin. This year they are joined by their son, straight from performing The Lark Ascending with JAM’s Festival Orchestra, for a concert from Mozart to Britten and Gershwin. Jaffa might make an appearance too!
13 July · Saturday · 3:00pm
St Nicholas · New Romney
Four Short Operas
Derek Jarman has been a major influence on this year’s Composers’ Residency; Writing for Opera. 4 composers spent 2 weeks writing 15-minute operas to new libretti by Grahame Davies, based on Jarman’s life and films. Part of this included spending a day writing at Prospect Cottage, Jarman’s famous Dungeness home. Come and hear these new works, commemorating the great film director’s life.
13 July · Saturday · 7:00pm
St Leonard · Hythe
Fauré Requiem
Canterbury Cathedral Choir join the London Mozart Players in this choral masterpiece. In 2020 JAM commissioned Grahame Davies to write poems interwoven with the movements of Fauré’s Requiem. Hear them live for the first time. This eclectic programme includes music by Stanford, Gabriel Jackson, Janet Wheeler and Jack Oades.
14 July · Sunday · 3:00pm
St Nicholas · New Romney
Mahler 4
Nicholas Cleobury brings a symphony to the Marsh for the first time in his final concert as Festival Curator. The 4th Symphony is one of Mahler’s finest, combining 3 movements of lush orchestral writing with one augmented by soprano solo. Cameron Biles-Liddell returns to the Marsh after last year’s Opera Residency when we perform his wonderful Flute Concerto, premiered last year.
Exhibitions announced soon.