Pearl of the dales

AS A classical jazz musician and artistic director of the Swaledale Festival, Malcolm Creese has his finger on the button when it comes to music.

Not only is he accomplished at spotting new talent, but he knows what it is like to perform – having lugged his double bass around the world and been stopped by customs, suspicious at what was in it.

“It is getting harder and harder,”

he says. “I should have played the flute if I’d thought about it.”

He was stopped, searched and forced to hand over his double bass at an airport in Hong Kong. “I think they thought there was a body inside and I was some sort of people smuggler,” he says. “They stuck a great big screwdriver in the case and made several holes, convinced there was going to be a yelp from inside, I was almost in tears.” After several hours, Creese was allowed to go, armed with a battered double bass and a bill for a couple of thousand pounds for the damages.

Fortunately, things are expected to run a little more smoothly at the Swaledale Festival, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

He may live 300 miles away, on the south coast near Southampton, but Creese has been closely involved with the planning from the start. He travels back and forth to Yorkshire every month and will stay for the duration of the festival, which has taken the best part of a year to organise.

Creese “fell in love with the place” after performing here himself. He was chairman of Romsey Arts Festival for three years and a frequent face at Swaledale, before one of the board members took him aside and said: “You are just the sort of chap we need.”

He is now in his third year as artistic director at Swaledale, organising 51 events as well as educational projects and performances behind the scenes at local schools and care homes.

“It has traditionally been known as a classical music festival, but one thing I have tried to do is broaden it out and make it a little more eclectic with visual arts, drama and poetry,” he says.

“We’ve never been out of Yorkshire before and for the first time this year we are venturing into County Durham and doing a big visual arts project at the Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle. It is such an extraordinary place, it’s a great thrill to be up there.”

The Northern Light exhibition (May 22 to June 20) will exhibit pictures by local contemporary artists as well as young people, who have been mentored by professional artists, celebrating the scenery of the Northern Dales.

Creese also draws attention to the internationally-acclaimed pianist Peter Donohoe, who’ll be performing at St Andrew’s Church, Grinton.

“We’ve never been able to fit a full-size grand piano into any of the venues before because there have been pews, pulpits and choir stalls in the way, but we’ve managed to build a special stage to hold it in the church this year,” he says.

This year’s line-up sees musicians coming from as far away as Sri Lanka, Cuba and the US, as well as Norway, Holland, Ireland and France. Riverdance star Niamh Ni Charra, known for her fiery performances, is a big attraction, as is the award-winning Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band. Pianist Emma Kirkby, the Northern Sinfonia and saxophone greats Iain Bellamy and Snake Davis are also on the programme.

One of the acts Creese is most looking forward to is a rare appearance by Dutch quintet Calefax, which he describes as “breathtaking”.

“They are very unusual and visually very exciting,” he says.

“They may not be everyone’s first choice, but I suspect those who don’t go will hear about it after and wish they had.”

One event likely to prompt a lively debate is the Reeth Lecture which features a talk on art history by controversial art critic Brian Sewell. Creese believes there will be a good turnout, despite disparaging remarks Sewell has made about the North-East in the past. “He does come up with some statements, but you don’t have to agree with everything he says,”

observes Creese. “People are fascinated to hear him. There will be a Q&A afterwards. I can’t predict what questions people will ask, or what answers they will get.

I think it’s great he is taking part.”

■ Box office: 01748-880019; swaledalefestival.

org.uk

Swaledale listings

Saturday, May 29

Ringing the Festival Changes, 7pm-7.30pm, St Andrews Church, Grinton

Red Priest: Johann, Im Only Dancing! 8pm, St Andrew’s, Grinton

Sunday, May 30

Keld Walk, 11am. Meet Keld car park

Niamh Ni Charra Duo, 5pm, Keld United Reformed Church

Special Festival Service 6pm, Arkengarthdale Methodist Church

Roger Myerscough and Friends, 8pm, The CB Inn, Arkengarthdale

The Swale Singers, 8pm, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

Monday, May 31

Reeth and Grinton day Guided walk with musical interludes, 10am. Meet Reeth Green bus shelter

Puppetcraft, from 10am, Reeth Memorial Hall

Quoits challenge on Reeth Green

Make and Fly a Kite with the Kiteman, 2pm-4.30pm, Reeth Green

The Reeth Players, 5pm, Fremington Sunday School

Niamh Ni Charra Band, 8pm, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

Tuesday, June 1

Rapscallion, 5pm, CB Inn, Arkengarthdale

Peter Donohoe, 8pm, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

Leyburn Band, 8pm, St Matthew’s Church, Leyburn

Wednesday, June 2

Arkengarthdale lead mining walk, 11am. Meet at Langthwaite

Mandhira de Saram (violin) and Chris Hopkins (piano), 5pm, St Mary’s Church, Arkengarthdale

The Fitzwilliam Quartet, 8pm, St Oswald’s Church, Askrigg

Muker Silver Band, 8pm, Muker Public Hall

Thursday, June 3

Poetry Reading, Jenny Joseph, 11am, Gunnerside Methodist Church

Emma Kirkby Masterclass with Simon Passmore (piano), 3.30pm-6.pm, St Mary’s Church, Arkengarthdale

The Fitzwilliam Quartet, 8pm, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

Folk at The Bridge, 9pm, The Bridge Inn, Grinton

Friday, June 4

Arkengarthdale walk, 2pm. Meet at Langthwaite

Richard Uttley (piano), 5pm, St Marys Church, Arkengarthdale

Emma Kirkby with James Lisney (piano), 8pm, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

Muker Silver Band, 8pm, Muker Public Hall

Saturday, June 5

Muker walk, 11am. Meet at Pay and Display car park in Muker

Kudos Percussion Duo, 5pm, St Mary’s Church, Muker

Mooncalf Theatre: A Troubling of Finches, 7pm, St Michaels Church, Downholme

Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band, 8pm, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

Sunday, June 6

The Reeth Lecture: Brian Sewell What is the Point of Art History?

2pm, Reeth Methodist Church

Aimara Maga (oboe) and David Keefe (piano), 5pm, St Mary’s Church, Arkengarthdale

The St Cecilia Players, 8pm, St Andrew’s Church, Aysgarth

Monday, June 7

Upper Wensleydale history walk, 11am. Meet at Askrigg Market Cross

Yorkshire Film Archive screening, 5pm, Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes

SYM Resonating Strings, 8pm, St Oswald’s Church, Askrigg

Tuesday, June 8

Chethams School of Music Showcase, 7pm, St Mary’s Church, Arkengarthdale

Reeth Brass, 8pm, St Andrews Church, Grinton

Wednesday, June 9 Richmond Day

Temple Grounds Walk, 10.30am.

Meet at Yorke Square car park

Jacob Heringman: The Art of the Lute, 3pm, St Agatha’s Church, Easby

The Little Radio, 5pm, Georgian Theatre

Bells at St Mary’s, 7pm-7.45pm

Northern Sinfonia, 8pm, St Marys Church

Jonathan Bloxham (cello), 5pm, Holy Trinity Church, Wensley

Folk, 9pm, The Bridge Inn, Grinton

Fifth Quadrant String Quartet, 8pm, St Oswald’s Church, Askrigg

Friday, June 11

Swaledale archaeology walk, 11am.

Meet at Reeth Green bus shelter

The Hut People, 5pm, Holy Trinity Church, Low Row

Calefax Reed Quintet, 8pm, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

Saturday, June 12

Exploring Plainsong workshop, 10.30am-1pm, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

The Hut People, 5pm, St Oswalds Church, Askrigg

Hawes Silver Prize Brass Band, 7.30pm, St Margaret’s Church, Hawes

Plainchant and Minimalism, 8pm, St Andrew’s Church, Grinton

Sunday, June 13

Storytelling: Local Legends, 11am, Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle

Barnard Castle walk, 10am, Meet at The Bowes Museum’s car park

Barnard Castle Band, 4pm. Outside St Mary’s Church, Barnard Castle

Natalie Clein (cello), 5pm, St Mary’s Church, Barnard Castle

Snake Davis Band in Concert, 7.30pm, Teesdale School, Barnard Castle