SOME of the UK's top musicians are in the line-up for this year's Ulverston International Music Festival.

Violinist Tasmin Little takes to the Coronation Hall stage with distinguished pianist Martin Roscoe opening the nine-day festival on Friday, June 12 (7.30pm).

Among her many accolades, Tasmin’s recording of the Elgar Violin Concerto with Sir Andrew Davis and the Royal National Scottish Orchestra won the Critic's Choice Award in the 2011 Classic Brit Awards.

And pianist and composer Will Todd - whose music is sung and loved all over the world; his anthem The Call of Wisdom featured in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service - brings the 2015 festival to a tremendous close on June 20.

Will brings his trio to the popular Ulverston festival performing a programme that includes classic jazz and his acclaimed jazz setting, Mass in Blue, joined by Ulverston Festival Chorus with Will himself on piano and John Gibbons conducting.

A stunning opening weekend features folk quintet Project Jam Sandwich delivering exuberant improvisations, scorching rhythms and beautiful melodies from around the world at the Coro on Sunday evening, June 14 (7.30pm). Made up of five award-winning musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music, PJS use their wide and varied musical backgrounds to full advantage with an innovative mix of musical styles driven by a unique and exciting raw energy.

The band have also been invited to perform their own concert alongside a poet in the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms, to be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 as part of the BBC Proms Extra Late Series.

Now in its 12th year, artistic director and founder Anthony Hewitt has designed this year's festival to offer a dynamic ‘crossover’ appeal: “The modern classical scene is a world away from the outdated concept of stuffy, formal concerts," explained Anthony, "and combining that with some of the best folk, jazz and comic musical performers gives a hugely entertaining choice for our audiences across Cumbria and beyond.”

O Duo is another eclectic headliner on Saturday afternoon, June 13 (2pm) at Ulverston Parish Church featuring percussion stars Oliver Cox and Owen Gunnell, bringing their own uniquely humorous style coupled with technical mastery of the vast array of instruments they play. O Duo have drawn crowds from the Edinburgh Fringe to Last Night of the Proms in Hyde Park, and their performance includes a mix of popular classics, world music, contemporary works and lots of audience participation to make it a perfect family favourite. Local schools have the opportunity to take part in interactive workshops in advance of the concert, for five-eight year olds and eight-11 year olds, playing a variety of percussion instruments from around the world to create a piece of music from simple African and Brazilian Samba rhythms.

Chamber music has long been a favourite feature of the Ulverston Festival and 2015 is no exception with a quintet of the country’s top instrumentalists combining for the French Connection evening at the Coronation Hall on Tuesday, June 16 (7.30pm), with Ravel, Boulanger, Debussy and Korngold providing the inspirational scores.

Other standout dates during the festival include Ulverston’s rising star saxophone star Jess Gillam in concert at the Coronation Hall on Wednesday, June 17 (7.30pm), and a tour de force in classic comedy with Rainer Hersch recalling the brilliant Victor Borge’s piano antics, again at the Coronation Hall, on Thursday, June 18 (7.30pm) .

Box office 01229-587140 or www.ulverstonmusicfestival.co.uk and www.corohall.co.uk/ulverstonmusicfestival.