The Tetbury Music Festival has been running for almost 17 years, bringing classical music to the Cotswold town every autumn.

This month however, the festival will be making an earlier appearance, as it presents the ‘Big Chamber Weekend’ in partnership with BBC Radio 3.

Festival Director Caz Weller Knight explains how the weekend came about.

She said: “The festival is classically an autumn event, with the nights drawing in early it’s something to look forward to in October.

“We’ve had a number of performances recorded by BBC Radio 3 in the past, as the venue is perfect for both performing and recording classical music.

“They wanted to record a series of hour-long recitals and so they came to us as we’re well known to them.”

Caz, a former professional singer who trained at the Royal Academy of Music, works alongside Chairman Christopher Rose, Artistic Director Jonathan Cohen, and a number of other committee members to organise the festival each year.

“I joined the board three years ago,” she explained. “We’re all volunteers and do this as a pastime.

“The founder Elise Smith – who is now the president of the festival – moved to the area and thought it was the ideal place for a music festival, and it’s grown from there.”

The weekend will feature two world renowned solo classical artists and one of the leading string quartets performing a range of works from the likes of Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Schumann.

Caz continued: “The Calidore String Quartet are co-curating the weekend and will be performing at all three concerts over the weekend.

“They’re an American string quartet who are internationally renowned and are the leading chamber ensemble of their generation.

“They’ll be performing on the Friday, and also on Saturday with the Chinese pianist Zhang Zao for a two-hour concert.

“Then on Sunday they’ll be joined by violinist Jennifer Pike for a notoriously difficult to play concerto that really shouldn’t be missed.”

The Big Chamber Weekend takes place from Friday 22nd March to Sunday 24th March at St Mary’s Church in Tetbury.

“As a venue the church is spectacular,” added Caz.

“It’s Georgian gothic architecture with beautiful skinny columns, illuminated by two chandeliers – it’s a very beautiful experience.”

For more information visit www.tetburymusicfestival.org