Programme & Events

We are excited to welcome you to our first festival, held over three days in the historic and picturesque village of Abbotsbury in Dorset. We bring together talented young musicians and established stars of classical, jazz and folk music, from 3 to 5 July.

The programme is designed for ‘total immersion', with different flavours over 14 events, in and around the stunning Tithe Barn. We have kept the cost of tickets as low as we can and recommend discounted single and three-day passes as excellent value. You can find information on how to book them at the end of the programme below, along with other answers to practical questions. See you in July!

Abbotsbury Festival 2026

Elmore Quartet each with their instruments lined up against a wooden wall

Stars of Tomorrow

Fri 3 Jul 2026

2:30 pm

This is your first chance to hear dynamic young talents the Elmore Quartet and cellist Hugo Svedberg.
Gareth Lubbe with his chin on the violin with a tree behind

Audience workshop: Voice and Improvisation

Fri 3 Jul 2026

4:00 pm

World-famous overtone singer Gareth Lubbe holds a workshop for people to discover this ability for themselves.
Adriano Adewale playing percussion smiling on stage

Audience workshop: Rhythm

Fri 3 Jul 2026

4:00 pm

Join acclaimed Brazilian percussionist and educator Adriano Adewale for an exhilarating rhythm session for all comers.
Khanh Nhi Luong with leaves moving around her

Khanh Nhi Luong: Solo Portrait

Fri 3 Jul 2026

5:30 pm

A captivating programme including Brahms and Beethoven from this exciting young pianist, and Bronze Medallist at the 2024 Leeds international competition.
adriano adewele and jo macgreggor

Tango Nuevo and Jazz-Infused Samba: Music from Argentina and Brazil

Fri 3 Jul 2026

7:30 pm

Pre-eminent pianist Joanna MacGregor teams up with two sensational musicians, Adriano Adewale and Adrian Brendel.
Abigel Kralik smliling in blue dress with her violin

Dances of Galanta

Sat 4 Jul 2026

11:30 am

Dive into the extraordinary music of Hungarian folk tradition.
Joseph Havlat

Drifters

Sat 4 Jul 2026

2:00 pm

Multi-talented pianist Joseph Havlat plays his own music to this famous silent film of 1929 about the British fishing industry.
tima laycock and violinist

Tim Laycock: A Dorset Garland

Sat 4 Jul 2026

4:00 pm

Folk songs and tales from Wessex by well-known local musician and historian Tim Laycock.
Adriano Adewele and Gareth Lubbe

Encounters

Sat 4 Jul 2026

5:45 pm

Creative forces Gareth Lubbe and Adriano Adewale converge at Abbotsbury’s hilltop chapel.
Musician Adrian Brendel with Cello

Musical Miracles

Sat 4 Jul 2026

7:30 pm

Join our festival artists for Mendelssohn’s thrilling Octet for Strings and Beethoven’s pioneering Cello Sonata in G Minor.
Trio Miré

Trio Miré

Sat 4 Jul 2026

9:15 pm

Kit Downes, Heloise Werner and Colin Alexander close the night with a groundbreaking set blending classical, jazz and folk music.
Abigel Kralik smliling in blue dress with her violin

Chapel Early Morning Performance

Sun 5 Jul 2026

10:00 am

A spontaneous morning gathering with three festival artists playing string trio music in St Catherine’s Chapel.
Festoon lights inside an old barn

Invisible Waves

Sun 5 Jul 2026

12:00 pm

Our festival artists perform a unique programme that weaves a musical line across seven centuries.
abbotsbury on a hill with a farm house in front of it

Finale

Sun 5 Jul 2026

3:00 pm

We end the festival with Schubert’s String Quintet, one of the greatest pieces of music ever written.
Cross of green lines

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Day Passes On Sale Now!

Friday, Saturday, Sunday day passes and full festival passes available.

FAQs

We are using Eventbrite to sell tickets. To buy individual tickets: please click on the button that says ‘Book Now’ on our Programme & Events listings page or ‘Buy Tickets’ on our individual event pages.

To purchase single or three-day passes, please click on the buttons at the bottom of the Programme & Events listings page and individual event pages.

If you have any issues or questions, please get in touch.

The single and three-day passes include all paid, ticketed concerts in the Tithe Barn and St Nicholas’ Church. They offer excellent value, with a discount of 20% for day passes and 30% for a festival ticket. 
 
The day and festival passes do not include the two free workshops on Friday or the two free events in St Catherine’s Chapel on Saturday and Sunday. The workshops are open, with limited capacity, and the chapel events are ticketed because of very limited capacity. If you would like to attend the chapel events, please book these separately. 

We will refund the cost of the ticket (excluding Eventbrite’s booking fees) up to seven days before the event. We are a small charitable project, and most of our costs are not covered by ticket sales, so we will consider cancellations closer to the date individually. Please get in touch if you need to cancel within this window and would like a refund.

Tree of Strings welcomes everyone, and access and inclusion are at the heart of our planning. This guide contains information about accessing our events and the facilities available to our audiences. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or requirements. 

Anything goes. We want you to feel comfortable and relaxed. We advise an extra layer for evening concerts in the Tithe Barn, and bring walking shoes if you want to walk up to the magical hilltop chapel.

Explore our work

We bring together three branches of musical life. Explore Education and Development

Young Boy Playing Saxophone

Education

We work with schools and local partners to offer creative projects and opportunities with professional musicians. These sessions are designed to spark curiosity and confidence. We want pupils to feel that music can be playful, absorbing and part of everyday life.

Women Playing Violin Outside with the Sun Setting

Development

We provide performance platforms for exceptional soloists and ensembles at the start of their careers. Tree of Strings wants to be a place where young musicians can take artistic risks, develop new projects and build lasting relationships with audiences, mentors and fellow performers.