Meet the musical couple behind the De Mowbray Music Festival in Thirsk

It culminates in the De Mowbray Music festival from Thursday August 14 until Sunday 17 at venues across the town from a marquee in the grounds of Thirsk Hall and Sculpture Park to St Mary’s Church and the Ritz Cinema.

The Festival’s mission is to provide opportunities to all; bringing together seemingly disparate members of the community and uniting all in live music events and performances open to the widest possible audiences.

Ben and Emily founded the festival in lockdown to bring a high-quality music event to this part of North Yorkshire.

“Thirsk already had a vast array of visual arts in this thriving hard working area, and we want to ensure music is at the forefront of the local conscience,” says Ben.

"Growing up in Thirsk there was a fair amount of music for me to get involved in but we want more. Because its the town I’m from I have this real want to make sure the generation who are coming up have plenty to do and we can help them get into music. We want everyone to have the opportunities we had with music no matter what their background,” adds Emily. There are plans for an academy to help more young people follow a career in music. “We want to make sure that those who want to do it can do it. Not eveyrone can afford music lessons and instruments.”

Ben, is an award-winning and critically acclaimed composer and conductor. He is currently Music Director of Thursford Christmas Spectacular, co-founder, conductor and composer of contemporary-fusion ensemble Tafahum, Principal Conductor of the Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra, Music Director of Focus Opera and President of Pembroke Academy of Music, London.

But he says it was his music teacher at a comprehensive school that made playing and listening to instruments ‘normal’.

Emily, who is originally from Thirsk, has taught Music in several secondary schools in Lancashire and North Yorkshire. She plays oboe and cor anglais with the Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra. Emily is currently a flute and oboe teacher as well as regional manager for a company supporting young people chronically disengaged from education, although she is currently on maternity leave having recently given birth to the couple’s daughter.

They met when they were both joined the Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra and moved to Emily’s home town of Thirsk five years ago and were passionate about making a contribution to the local community.

"When we did the first festival the UK was in the potential of being locked down again,” says Ben. “We didn’t even know if it was going to go ahead which is why we formed De Mowbray Music we wanted it to be more than just an annual music festival although we do view the festival as the jewel in De Mowbray Music's crown.

"As a professional musician I wanted to bring my experience and put on events that were the best they could possibly be and celebrate the local and regional professional talent rather than just shipping people from other cities – we want a relationship with the local people. Then in and around the festival throughout the rest of the year we want community participatory events which we are still developing.

"We wanted the whole cycle of something that can be the best we can make it on the one hand and on the other hand the participation events that people could take part in. We are still developing this side of things and hope to help people learn instruments. We’ve done come and sing days, orchestral days and all sorts of community based projects. And wherever possible we feed them into the festival.

"A couple of the opera productions we’ve done we’ve had members of the community formed in to choruses and performed alongside the professional musicians. We also have Poets Corner which is an open mic slot which puts the spotlight on other members of the community.”

He said the inaugural festival was incredibly moving as it was the first time people had really been allowed to mingle without social distancing.

“It was the first time a lot of people had been to a public event,” recalls Emily. “We didn’t have to wear masks or socially distance but some people chose to, especially in the church. But we didn’t now in the run up to it whether the Government would reimpose lockdown restrictions – it was a bit touch an go.”

“There were people in the audience in tears – a real outpouring of genuine emotion, it was a really cathartic experience,” says Ben.

Ben's older two children (both young musicians themselves) having been heavily involved in leaflet dropping over the years and inspiring the charitable side of the festival, which encourages young musical talent from all backgrounds.

This year the event will take place in the much bigger venue of the Marquee at Thirsk Hall and Sculpture Park, to increase the capacity by 200 per cent on last year. Events over the four days, which aims to attract all generations include a Night at the Musicals, Verdi's Requiem, Poet's Corner, Don Giovanni

The final event of the De Mowbray Music Festival 2025 is perfect for all ages. The Festival Orchestra will accompany a screening of Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers in The Ritz Cinema. This beautiful cinema, opened in 1912, will enchant audience members, while the film itself will be enjoyable for young and old alike.

For more details and tickets visit www.demowbraymusic.com.