Cheltenham Music Festival Set For Record Numbers With Two Weeks of Concerts

Online, June 30, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Continuing the long tradition of music festivals that started in 1945, just before the end of World War II, the 2010 Cheltenham Music Festival is set to attract record numbers of people. The festival is featured at venues all over the regency town of Cheltenham and also features family workshops and projects for young artists.

The music at the festival is as varied as the venues that hold the event. For instance, there is an opening performance of a Rodgers and Hammerstein Gala performed by the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and featuring favourites from many of the artists' classics such as Oklahoma! and the Sound of Music.

The festival attracts a wide audience which means that hotel accommodation in Cheltenham is booked well in advance of the event. Rooms are at a premium but it is still possible to find somewhere to stay either in Cheltenham itself or in one of the nearby towns.

As well as concerts, the festival has music lectures such as Sound Mind 1 which investigates whether the therapeutic effects of music can actually help with reducing the effects of illnesses such as depression.

The Cheltenham Chamber Orchestra will be performing at the Pittville Pump Room venue. This magnificent grade I listed building overlooks Pittville Park and was built in the early 1800's. It has excellent acoustics, which make it a fitting venue for the orchestra's concerts which this year include Beethoven's Symphony No 7.

The middle weekend of the festival sees a Fiesta in Montpellier with free entertainment for the family, food stalls and live performances from choirs and bands. There are plenty of places to stay in Cheltenham that are close to Montpellier ranging from the prestigious Queens Hotel to smaller, family run establishments. You can find a range of affordable accommodation in Cheltenham at http://www.4hotels.co.uk/uk/cheltenham.html