A CHOIR will be commemorating the birthday of a famous poet with a special concert.

Cumbria Rural Choirs was originally going to do this two years ago, which was William Wordsworth's 250th birthday, however they had to postpone to this year because of the Covid pandemic.

William Wordsworth spent most of his life in Cumbria.

His love of the Cumbrian landscape inspired some of his most memorable poems.

William’s sister Dorothy was born on Christmas Day 1771, so her 250th anniversary can also now be commemorated.

William and Dorothy came to stay with their maternal grandparents in Penrith in 1776-77.

St Andrew’s Church is a particularly suitable venue in which to hold this concert because during their time in Penrith, they attended Dame Birkett’s infant school in St Andrew’s Place.

The programme will include: choral settings of William’s poems which were commissioned to celebrate his 250th anniversary; extracts from Dorothy’s diaries read by Alex Jakob-Whitworth who has portrayed Dorothy in several documentary programmes; music performed by Eden Baroque on their period instruments; an organ prelude played by Ian Hare and; a choral setting of a poem about William, sung by Blue Jam Arts members.

‘Celebrating Wordsworth’ has been a project which prior to the pandemic took over three years to bring to fruition.

Grants provided by several charitable trusts enabled Cumbria Rural Choirs to commission new choral works by two Cumbrian composers: Tamsin Jones, has created a symphony in three movements ‘The Daffodils’ and; Ian Hare who has written a choral cantata about Wordsworth’s experiences of ‘Springtime in Lakeland’.

Will Todd, a north eastern composer, well known for his jazz inspired compositions, invited Cumbria Rural Choirs to premier his composition ‘We Are Laid Asleep‘ which is based on extracts from Wordsworth’s poem ‘Tintern Abbey’.

Cumbria Rural Choirs will hold its concert on March 26 to celebrate both these anniversaries in St. Andrews Church, Penrith at 7:30 pm.

Tickets cost £12, £5 for under 16s, and are available from Beckside Brooks in Penrith

Tickets £12 under-16s £5 available from Beckside Books, Penrith or e-mail: mr4cnr@gmail.com/ Tel: 01768 894404