SRP 2026 Annual Festival
Friday 10 April to Sunday 12 April 2026
Hosted jointly by
Society of Recorder Players Somerset and Dorset Branches
Dear Festival Attendee
The SRP 2026 Festival is fast approaching and we’re looking forward to seeing you in Taunton on 10-12 April for a really exciting weekend of recorder playing, with celebrity conductors and tutors, two fine recitals and an evening of Morris dancing. The timetable for the weekend (subject to last-minute revisions) is attached as a PDF file so you can see all the wonderful playing sessions available to you.
The address of Taunton School is:
Staplegrove Road
Taunton
TA2 6AD
Parking is available on-site. Taunton Station is about ¾ mile from the school and is a 20-25 minute walk. There are generally taxis outside Taunton Station.
For those of you staying on-site at Taunton School, please remember that the rooms are not en-suite. You will need to bring your own towels and toiletries. There are kitchenettes in the accommodation blocks with kettles so you can make your own tea and coffee, but please remember to bring this with you, as it’s not provided on site. You can arrive any time from 1630 on Friday afternoon to register and collect a key card to your accommodation block and your room key. If you’re attending the SRP Annual Conference, you can register earlier, from 1500.
On Sunday morning, you will need to vacate the accommodation blocks by 0900 and return the accommodation block key card and room key to a committee member (wearing a yellow sash) in the Theatre Foyer. If you are using public transport, there is a small storage room available for luggage at your own risk; for those with vehicles, please store your luggage there.
For everyone, please remember to bring your instruments and a music stand, labelled with your name. Large instruments can be left securely in the Centenary Hall for the duration of the Festival. You may also like the bring along a mug for tea or coffee, and a water bottle to fill up at the water stations in the dining room and accommodation blocks.
There will be large screens in the dining room showing the menu and detailed information for those with food allergies. The school recommends that anyone with an allergy speak to the chef to make the catering staff aware.
Tea and coffee will be available throughout the day in the Theatre Foyer.
Meal times are: breakfast at 0745-0815 (for those staying on-site); lunch at 1200-1300 and dinner at 1800-1900.
There are qualified First Aiders on-site for the whole weekend. If you need their services, they can be contacted on 07341 895591 (this number will only be active on the Festival dates). If you have any particular medical issues of which the First Aiders should be aware, please ask to see one of them at registration.
There are two concerts/events included in your registration fee. On Friday evening, we are delighted to welcome Follia 4, an up-and-coming young recorder ensemble who will be performing in the Chapel at 1930. On Saturday, the Flanders Recorder Duo (Tom Beets and Joris Van Goethem) will be giving a short recital in the Old Library at 1930, followed by Morris dancing at 2030.
In the Old Library on Saturday, you are welcome to listen to the Fringe Festival, where various groups of local recorder players will be performing. The Fringe Festival runs from 1315 to 1745 and you can drop in and out at your leisure.
There will be various shops and technicians on site during the Festival: Recorder Music Mail (including Peacock Press), Willobie Press, Hawthorns Music, Early Music Shop (who will also have a technician available), Julie Dean and Anthony Barrett (recorder repairers). There will also be recorders, music and other recorder-related items for sale by the Walter Bergmann Fund.
Dorset and Somerset SRPs look forward to welcoming you to Taunton School on 10-12 April.
The timetable for the Festival is on the link below.
Kind regards
Stuart Miller, Joyce Rudall, Cheryl Sibson, James Stringer, Sarah Stringer and Sue Tipping
Organising Committee, SRP 2026 Festival
SRP Festival 2026 Timetable