Ripon International Festival has secured a grant of £11,000 from Yorkshire Arts Regional Lottery towards this year's event in September - its fifth anniversary.

Booking is under way for the ten-day festival which opens at Ripon College on Friday, September 6, with the Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers (pictured, left).

Symphony, choral, chamber music and jazz concerts follow, plus stage celebrities, poetry, puppet shows, guided tours and art exhibitions.

The hottest ticket in the festival is the finale on Sunday, September 15, when the Northern Sinfonia is joined by Leeds Philharmonic Chorus making its first visit to Ripon Cathedral for performance's of Mozart's Requiem and Linz Symphony.

Demand is also high for the first visit to the festival of the Orchestra of Opera North which will perform an epic programme of symphonics by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky.

Both these concerts will be conducted by the festival's artistic director, Janusz.

Brochures containing details of all events may be obtained by ringing the festival office on 01765 605508.