CULTURE EDITION
RENOWNED FEEL-GOOD FESTIVAL BRANCHES OUT INTO CAMBRIDGESHIRE For the first time ever, The Big Retreat will take place at Abbots Ripton Estate, bringing its unique blend of wellbeing, live music, inspiring speakers, great food and feel-good experiences to Cambridgeshire from 11 to 13 September. Founded in Pembrokeshire in 2020, it’s a weekend that’s all about helping people switch off, try something new and simply enjoy themselves. During the day, guests can enjoy yoga, Pilates, fitness, meditation, breathwork, gong baths, wild swimming, arts and crafts, singing, dancing and creative workshops, as well as live cookery demonstrations and talks covering everything from mental wellbeing and resilience to relationships, nutrition and living well (speakers include Ruby Wax and Gail Porter!). Performances will include Youngr, ABBA Revival, DJ Mother Pukka, Hang Massive, Modern Biology, Blaine and Namiri. For more information on the full programme and tickets, visit www.bigretreatcambridgeshire.com
Violin-making students take a bow Earlier this summer, the Rowan Armour-Brown (RAB) Memorial Delaney – the RAB Trust Bow Course had been two years in the making and aims to plug a gap in education and
Trust Fund launched a new initiative to train violin-making students in the fine skill of bow re-hairing. Eight students were chosen to attend the course hosted by Chris Beament at Cambridge Violin Makers, with their places fully funded and bow hair supplied by Sowdens. The brainchild of RAB Trust chair Libby Summers, supported by the other trustees – Mark Robinson, Judith Blackwell, Adam Winskill, Sheena Laurie, Lauri Tanner, Thomas Padday-Muir and Luke Lindforth-
skills. It forms part of RAB Trust’s wider work to support students of violin making in the UK with financial grants, specialised additional training and work experience placements. With training from two of the country’s best bow re-hairers, Jutta Walcher and Gilbert Cox, the eight students who attended have graduated with skills in re-hairing and revitalising worn out bows. Find out more about the charity at rabtrust.org
GRAMMY-WINNING SOPRANO COMES TO CAMBRIDGE Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) and Laurence Cummings welcome award- winning American soprano Amanda Forsythe to West Road Concert Hall on 30 September, for the grand opening of the 2026/27 season. Forsythe is a regular soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic, among others, and returns for her first performance with AAM since Handel’s Messiah in the 2022/23 season. Forsythe won the 2026 Grammy Award for best classical solo vocal album for her recording Telemann: Ino – Opera Arias for Soprano (CPO), which audiences in Cambridge will be able to hear as part of the programme. Tickets and further information can be found at aam.co.uk
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