FOLLOWING last year's celebratory 300th anniversary Three Choirs Festival in Hereford, the event moves to Gloucester, where it runs from July 23 to July 30.

From the single ethereal lines of medieval plainchant to the vast forces that will assemble for Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand, the festival encompasses the spectrum of classical choral and instrumental music.

At the heart of the event are the The Three Choirs Festival Chorus, Three Cathedral Choirs of Gloucester, Worcester and Hereford and resident orchestra the Philharmonia performing in various permutations each evening in Gloucester Cathedral.

Edward Gardner OBE, a former chorister of Gloucester Cathedral who attributes his love of orchestral music to the experience of taking part in the Three Choirs Festival as a boy,

will conduct the Grande messe des morts by Berlioz (27 July).

The Philharmonia’s solo programme of Orchestral Classics by Sibelius, Tchaikovsky and Dvorak features violinist Jack Liebeck and the much talked-about young Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali (24 July).

Simon Halsey CBE, choral director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and London Symphony Orchestra, will conduct theThree Cathedral Choirs and the Philharmonia in Mozart’s

Te Deum and Requiem

((28 July). Adrian Partington, Artistic Director of Gloucester Three Choirs Festival, conducts Elgar’s The Kingdom, often considered to be the finest of Elgar’s great trilogy of oratorios, on the opening night; Orff’s Carmina Burana with works by Elgar and Walton and the premiere of orchestral fantasy Memento Musica by Joseph Phibbs on 29 July; and Mahler’s Symphony No 8 on the closing night. Mendelssohn’s Elijah, a favourite of festival audiences since its first appearance at Gloucester in 1847 just a year after its premiere, will be conducted by Peter Nardone, Artistic Director of Worcester Three Choirs Festival, with Sir Willard White making his festival debut in the title role.

The Three Choirs Festival's 300 year heritage is celebrated in performances of works by English composers closely associated with the festiva, including Parry - whose original versional of Jerusalem with the first verse set for solo soprano opens the first evening cathedral concert.

Vaughan Williams is the focus of the evening concert on July 26, conducted by Geraint Bowen, artistic director of Hereford Three Choirs Festival. The concert includes perhaps the most famous Three Choirs Festival commission, his Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.

Choral Evensong in sung in the cathedral most days - on July 25 it will be devoted entirely to the music of Howells. Cathedral services during hte week also include a new setting of the Evening Canticles by Ian King, which will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 on July 27.

BBC Radio 3 on 27 July.

A song recital on July 23 by tenor James Gilchrist with pianist Anna Tilbrook will explore links between music and mental health, reflecting the therapeutic work of festival charity Mindsong, of which Gilchrist is president.

There will also be young artists lunchtime recitals each weekday, given by recipients of the Philharmonia's Martin Musical Scholarship and by performers chosen by the Royal College of Organists.

The programme also includes family friendly and participatory events, such as a Family Come and Sing on July 24 and an entertaining introduction to classical chamber music for children aged five to 12 presented by the Carducci Quartet on July 30.

In Shakespeare's 400th anniversary year, the all-male Festival Players present two performances of Hamlet in the Old Bishop's Palace Garden on July 26 and 27.

For full programme details and online booking go to 3choirs.org orcall the ticket office on 01452