CHORISTERS from far and wide can unite under a festival banner for a rare vocal treat.

A choral weekend, staged as part of the restructured Mary Wakefield Westmorland Music Festival, runs on Saturday and Sunday, July 11/12, and opens with a Come and Sing, which provides a wonderful opportunity for singers from community choirs to join forces with choral singers under the direction of one of the country’s most inspirational leaders - Hilary Davies.

Hilary will be teaching a variety of songs from England and across the world, from South African Rhythms to the beauty of Maori harmonies. All the music will be taught aurally making them accessible to all. Hilary has been leading workshops for more than 15 years and organises the annual Community Choirs Festival at Stratford-on-Avon.

Hilary's sessions run from 10am-5pm on the Saturday, at Kendal's St Thomas’s Church. Details and tickets from 01539-725055, rosemaryhowell@talktalk.net or www.mwwf.org.uk.

This year's Mary Wakefield Westmorland Music Festival saw major changes to the usual events programme. The adjudicated festival was staged in March. The two-day choral gathering next week with the schools events coming later in October.

Also on Saturday, July 11 (7.30pm), The Herdwyck Consort performs Sheppard and his Sheep at St Anne’s Church, Ings.

Founded in 2010, the Herdwycks are thrilled to be celebrating their fifth birthday as part of the Mary Wakefield Festival. The name - originally a Norse word meaning ‘sheep pastures’ - reflects the group’s strong connections with the area. The consort has quickly gained a reputation for emotive and exciting performances with a wide ranging repertoire but specialising in music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The programme will include music by Lambe, Mouton, Sheppard and Parsley. Tickets available on 01539-733944/821524 or at the door.

The weekend's grand finale is a choral and orchestral concert on Sunday, July 12 (7.30pm) at Kendal Parish Church. The centrepiece is Dvorak's Stabat Mater.

First performed in Prague in 1880, apparently the Czech composer's religious cantata didn’t gain real popularity until its London performance in 1883 when it was greeted with rapturous applause. As a result, it became the work Dvorak conducted most frequently. Setting the 13th Century Latin text describing the sufferings of the Mother of Jesus at the foot of the cross it was, for Dvorak, an opportunity for him to express his grief at the loss of three of his children.

For the parish church performance the festival has brought together a distinguished cast of soloists - soprano, Laurie Ashworth; alto, Joyce Tindsley, tenor, Robert Thompson; and bass, Jolyon Dodgson - and one of the finest chamber orchestras in the north, the Northern Chamber Orchestra, all conducted by Ian Jones.

The deeply felt and melodious music, will form a magnificent and fitting conclusion to the fabulous festival weekend.

Tickets for Stabat Mater from Made in Cumbria Stramongate, Kendal, 01539-733944 or at the door.