Artists

RSVP Bhangra - co-creators and performers

A high-energy, interactive and fun Bhangra music experience that really rocks the crowd and keeps them dancing all night. From legendary UK festivals including Glastonbury, WOMAD and The Secret Garden Party to Feest in 't Park over in Belgium, Pennabilli down in Italy and Kulturekosmos in Germany, RSVP have rocked them all, leaving delighted audiences screaming for more.

Performing everywhere from countryside village halls to large theatres in the UK and at massive festivals in Europe, RSVP Bhangra's unique blending of Punjabi Indian music with dance beats and mainstream pop has created a new and irresistible sound that audiences everywhere love and keep on coming back for - music that is immediately involving, compulsive and extremely addictive! www.rsvpmusic.co.uk

Liz Lane - co-creator and composer

Liz Lane is a British composer who has been described as 'the fine composer who's got such a gift for melody' [Ian McMillan, BBC Radio 3]. Her music has been broadcast on BBC 1, ITV and BBC Radio 3. Liz's many diverse works range from music celebrating aerospace engineering for 280 musicians aged 7-70 performed under the wings of Concorde to a co-creative event with older people choirs and dancers facilitated by Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and of course Surtaal Symphony.

Performers include the world's no. 1 ranked brass band The Cory Band, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, Carducci Quartet, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, Grimethorpe Band, Foden's Band, Brighouse and Rastrick Band, Symphonic Brass of the RAF, Steven Mead, David Thornton, Anne Howarth (USA), Marlene Ford (USA), Eastern Virginia Brass (USA), Norfolk Chamber Consort (USA), San Domenico Virtuoso Program Orchestra (USA), Manger Musikklag (Norway), and the Almost Orthogonal Quartet (Israel). Festival commissions have included Cheltenham, Presteigne and Three Choirs Festivals. She is Composer in Association with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band and Composer in Residence with Lydbrook Band. www.lizlane.co.uk

Lydbrook Band - performer

Lydbrook Band play in the Championship Section of British banding. Established in 1923 in the Royal Forest of Dean, the band have played all over the world including South Africa and, most recently, Spain. They enthusiastically embrace unique and unusual performing opportunities and are as happy with new writing as they are with a traditional brass band march. With several world premieres under their collective belt recently, Lydbrook Band match power with grace in this, their newest collaboration with RSVP Bhangra and Liz Lane. www.lydbrookband.co.uk

Belinda Evans - soprano

Lyric coloratura soprano Belinda Evans obtained a Vocal Diploma at the Welsh College of Music and Drama following a BA(Hons) Music Degree from Bath Spa University College. Belinda enjoys a varied career in opera and on the concert platform, and is currently Artist in Residence on several education projects. Her versatile voice has led her from singing at The Rugby World Cup in Australia, to film & TV appearances, and London’s West End, including ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ following participation in the BBC TV Series ‘How do you solve a problem like Maria?’ Belinda is currently touring Europe with André Rieu.

Expect high-octane vocal gymnastics alongside RSVP’s lead singer Dildar in an explosion of vocal colour! www.belindaevans.co.uk

Ian Holmes - conductor

Ian Holmes studied at the University of York, Banff Center of Fine Arts and the Royal College of Music, and has conducted and curated many successful and diverse large scale events including Bristol Beacon and Bristol Cathedral. As a brass band conductor, he has worked with Cory Band and Aldbourne Band, and has been Principal Conductor of Lydbrook Band for twelve years, leading them in a number of high profile concerts including with Robert Hardy CBE and Henry Goodman. He has worked with RSVP Bhangra in two prestigious collaborations and was thrilled to premiere Surtaal Suite No. 1 with Lydbrook Band in 2018 at their Proms in the Park. www.ianholmes.co.uk

Andy Rashleigh - lyricist

Andy Rashleigh has been a playwright for the past 35 years. Most of his work has been for theatre and radio. Seven plays for Contact Theatre in Manchester before joining the writing team for ‘The Archers’ in the 1980s, he then became Writer in Residence at Unicorn Theatre for Children. For the past few years he has continued to write regularly for Radio 4 as well as the occasional circus show and several opera libretti. His afternoon plays include ‘Kind Hearts’ with Anton Lesser and ‘Be Prepared’ with Ian McKellen as Baden Powell.