VENETIAN musical splendour is coming to Bradford.

On Saturday, March 17 at 7.30pm Bradford Grammar School’s Price Hall will resound with music from the Venice and London as the acclaimed voices of Bradford Festival Choral Society join an ensemble of rare17th Century instruments.

Baroque violins will be joined by virtuosi Cornetti players - a brass instrument that dates from before the invention of the trumpet - in a programme of masterpieces by Henry Purcell, Giovanni Gabrieli and Claudio Monteverdi.

Previews of the programme, with extracts from the pieces being performed, can be found on the choir’s website and facebook page (www.bradfordfestivalchoralsociety.org.uk).

The choir are joined by up and coming soloists, including soprano Aoife O’Connell and bass Sam Gilleat, a current member of Genesis Sixteen, one of the country’s most esteemed training programmes for professional singers.

Musical director Thomas Leech is passionate about bringing high quality choral music to the city, working with both BFCS and the internationally-acclaimed Bradford Catholic Youth Choir.

Leech, who is now in his tenth year with the Choral Society said: “The choir is sounding better than ever and this is a great opportunity to hear some fabulous instruments - close your eyes and let the warmth and splendour of Venice fill your imagination.

“The concert is tremendously varied, full of every kind of emotion and vocal colour - I hope the audience will enjoy it as much as I know we will.”

An added attraction will be a free pre-concert talk at 6.45pm by the choir’s musical director Tom Leech who will explain the background to the performance

Tickets are £16, £14 and £60 for groups of 5. Under 18s are free as part of the choir’s commitment to offering new musical experiences to younger people. You can book tickets at

www.bradfordfestivalchoralsociety.org.uk or on the door before the performance.