BBC Radio Cumbria have a current station strap-line declaring themselves to be  'the soundtrack to your life'. I'm not sure I want any radio station to programme the musical coaxial cable running either in my head or in my life. In any one day, I will hear Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead, Jonie Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Bryn Terfel, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Watersons, the sublime Westminster Cathedral Choir singing Victoria, Sonny Rollins, and late night anything weird and wonderful on Radio 3's 'Late Junction', or last of all lasts, Brian Eno's Ambient 2 or One Day on Earth or Jocelyn Pook. But is there a single radio station that could or would handle that variety of output? No chance. Would I want there to be? No chance. The soundtrack to my life is mine, evolved and evolving over years of listening experience. Because I listen to some jazz does not mean I don't like folk or Chris Martin or string quartets. They each have a place. And each makes me think differently and respond differently at any one point in space and time.
  Take the Sedbergh Music Festival. Most is 'classical' - whatever that means - it takes just a little bit extra  getting into, but it stays with you and haunts you with new languages and ideas. No, whether you know it or not, actually, it has stayed with everyone. Most of the best bands around these days have their roots very firmly in musical education at schools and colleges in Mozart, Mahler, Beethoven and Wagner. So when you hear the amazing solo flute piece 'Syrinx' by Debussy, or the Bach Cello Suites ( both of which are programmed for this festival), you are tapping into a deep, and serious river that informs all musicians of whatever genre. One of the great jazz pianists of our day is Bradley Meldau, and on radio he gave a summary of his influences - Bach, Beethoven, Stravinsky, as well as the jazz giants Bill Evans and Thelonius Monk. Outside rock and blues music, who did Eric Clapton revere? Bach. These guys are into saying this NOT because it brings them some kind of spurious cred, but because it's true. At some point in their lives, they were either made to, OR were brave enough to say 'hey, what is it that these 'old guys' have? Why is it that for literally hundreds of years this music has changed lives, led nations, made marriages?' And you can add goes on doing it? What is it in that music to be heard at St Andrew's in mid-late June that stirs and feeds and makes people wonder. In exactly the same year that I first heard and raved to the Beatles, I was totally gobsmacked by Beethoven's Fifth symphony. I knew nothing about its structure, or its revolutionary orchestration or whatever. All I knew was that it shouted something in my head that has stayed with me since.
  For school students, this Festival is FREE, so you don't have to stay for everything to get your money's worth, just try something. Dip in and out. Bring a book, bring your homework and sit there and do it, but dip into it. Don't bring your MP3 player - this time let something brand new engage you. And if you want to know why it's on the programme, then ask someone there who may know. If you want a quick recommendation, then look out for the Bach Cello suites, Faure's Requiem's and its famous big tunes, and finally the 'total theatre' of Britten's 'St Nicholas'.  Maybe you'll be baffled - well, that's OK, and a pretty good place to start from. After all, some times it's what you know that stops you exploring!                        Stuart Manger

  The final concert of the Festival will be given by Sedbergh Summer Singers, soloists and orchestra.  The performance lasts about an hour and will be a fitting end to two weeks of music making.  The work tells the story of St. Nicolas.
  Saint Nicolas was given its first performance on the opening day of the Aldeburgh Festival in June 1948, though its official premiere was to take place six weeks later at Lancing College. Britten had been commissioned to write a work for Lancing centenary, and the Sixth Form Master, Basil Handford, knew the Hymn to St Cecilia, and suggested "Hymn to St Nicolas", patron saint of children.  Handford writes:
  "Tell me about St Nicolas," said Ben.  So I told him about the legends.  Almost immediately he saw it as a series of episodes:  "It will have to be a cantata, I think."  Esther (Neville-Smith) suggested that I should write the libretto.  That would have been a great honour, but rather, I fancy, to the relief of Ben I demurred.  "Never mind, Eric Crozier will do it."
  By December 1947, Crozier had finished the libretto for which he had read volumes of history and legends of the early church.  On December 18th Britten wrote: "I am beginning St Nicolas and enjoying it hugely.  It'll be difficult to write, because that mixture of subtlety and simplicity is most extending, but very interesting."  It was his first big work for performance chiefly by amateurs; "   there is something very fresh and unrestrained in the quality of the music provided by amateurs" he commented.
  The cantata opens with Nicolas addressing the audience "Across the tremendous bridge", but the real time-travelling in the work has been done by Britten, who has journeyed back to childhood.  The saint's life story begins with a waltz song depicting his birth and infancy and this ends with a vivid depiction of Nicolas reaching puberty.  The words "God be glorified!" until now sung by a treble, are suddenly heard from the tenor soloist.  However, the cantata reverts to its childlike manner with an account of Nicolas miraculously quietening a storm, with solo reflections of regret for the corruption of man.  All the dramatic weight lies in the children's contributions, supported by two hymns.  As performers and audience join together the cantata allows its participants to re-experience childhood church-going.  The climax of St Nicolas comes in the seventh number "Nicolas and the Pickled Boys" in which a group of exhausted travellers mourns three boys who have gone missing in a time of famine.  They sit down t eat at an inn, but Nicolas warns them not to touch the food; it is the flesh of the boys.  He sings an invocation, whereupon the boys, restored to life, walk in, singing Alleluias.
  E. M. Forster had nothing but praise for St Nicolas.  "It was one of those triumphs outside the rules of art which only the great artist can achieve" he wrote after the first performance.                                                                       Extracts from the Biography of Benjamin Britten by Humphrey Carpenter.

  Exam time again!  I remember it well, the arguments and tantrums and that was just from the parents!  The long hour of revising out in the sunshine and spent on the phone comparing notes, of delivering anxious child for an exam or collection afterwards.
  Life is like an exam, but we only have one shot at it, cannot go back and try again, no re-sit in the autumn!  However our mistakes can be erased, not by a bendy rubber but by Jesus, by our coming to Him in repentance asking to be forgiven.                                                                                         L. D.

  After 25 years of collecting Dales memorabilia and 4 years of planning and designing, the Heritage Centre finally opened on Saturday 13th May.
  Thank you to Tim Farron, our local M.P. for cutting our ribbon and declaring us open.
  Although it was a wild day, we were very happy to see so many people.  How pleasantly surprised they were with the layout of the centre and how far we had progressed for opening day.
  A big thank you to everyone who helped us.  Without the team it would not have been possible;- in the early days, with endless paperwork;- to the professional craftsmen, researchers, filming person and the willing volunteers who kept morale high.  And to all who helped so willingly over the last 2 years, releasing treasures, photographs, memories and their time to make the Centre so special for Dent.
  We have been very touched by all the good wishes, cards, flowers and present.                                                                                      Jim and Margaret

Dear Editors
  We have been privileged in recent months to have high quality entertainment performed here, in Sedbergh, through the Highlights Rural Touring Scheme.  Highlights is a network of 50 village halls, schools and community centres who are committed to offering professional events in their community.
  Sedbergh CDC are part of the Highlights network and through their efforts we have been provided with first-class drama, folk music, cello music and Appalachian step-dancing.  What a treat not to have to drive to Kendal, Lancaster or further afield, but to have the entertainment right here in the People's Hall. What is more the ticket prices are subsidised and therefore amazingly good value.
  Many thanks to Rosie and Chris at Sedbergh CDC for organising Highlights in Sedbergh.  I look forward to the next season.               Judith Bush