Three Choirs Festival

One of the features of the Three Choirs Festival is the commissioning of new works by British composers. Several new chamber works of Ian Venables were given their first hearing at the 1995 Festival, including a song performed by Ian and Jennifer Partridge. Ian Venables began formal composition lessons with Professor Richard Arnell at Trinity College, London and with Andrew Downes at the Birmingham Conservatoire.

His songs perhaps epitomise the language in which he writes: a highly tonal and melodic style in which he is able to compose music of emotional and spiritual intensity.