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Friday 6 January 2012

Cheltenham Festivals Membership: Directors' Picks - Preview 2012 Festivals

Festival organisers have today announced the first names confirmed for Cheltenham's famous Jazz, Science and Music Festivals in 2012

The early line-ups for the three summer festivals have been revealed in Directors' Picks, a magazine sent to Cheltenham Festivals Members to mark the start of a new Festival year. As well as exclusive programme previews, Cheltenham Festivals Members also enjoy priority booking for all Festivals

The Festival season kicks of with the Jazz Festival over the May Bank Holiday, followed by the Science Festival in June and the Music Festival in July. A superstar songstress, a virtuoso violinist and the star of the 2011 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures are among the many performers already confirmed in the 2012 line-up. Here are just a few of the highlights to look out for in Cheltenham this Summer...

Cheltenham Jazz Festival - 2-7 May 2012
Members book exclusively from13-19 February

Popular starlet Paloma Faith returns to Cheltenham as the Festival Artist in Residence. As well as headlining the Festival Finale with a one-off performance with Guy Barker, she will also be inviting some of her favourite artists to perform in Cheltenham and introducing a series of film noir films

Festival favourite Jamie Cullum will be bringing his BBC Radio 2 show and some of his favourite artists to the Festival

BBC Radio 2's Friday Night is Music Night will come live from Cheltenham with a special celebration of the life and works of jazz legend Ray Charles

Outstanding performances from some of the jazz world's greats: world-class guitar playing by Bill Frisell; top New York jazz from Jeff Williams; a night of funk, jazz and soul with electric bass player Marcus Miller; award-winning composition and master piano playing courtesy of John Taylor; and a collaboration between US saxophonist Chris Potter and the Birmingham Conservatoire

The Times Cheltenham Science Festival - 12-17 June 2012
Members book exclusively from 26 March - 1 April

Over 300 of the world's greatest thinkers, comedians, writers and scientists will come together to celebrate and explore all; things scientific. TV favourite Alice Roberts and star of the 2011 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures Bruce Hood are already confirmed, with many more names to be revealed soon

The programme will feature a mix of cutting edge discoveries, cabaret, comedy, family fun, hands on experiments and workshops. It will also welcome the Famelab International final, which is on a quest to find the world's next big scientific stars

The Festival theme of Re:Generation will be at the heart of the programme. From medicine to technology, economic recovery to energy, the Festival will look at the role of science in our ever regenerating society. It will also look at the world which younger generations might one day inhabit

Cheltenham Music Festival - 4-15 July 2012
Members book exclusively from 27 February - 4 March

Superstar violinist Nigel Kennedy joins cellist Steven Isserlis and friends to perform Elgar's Piano Quintet

A focus on Debussy featuring 'The essential Debussy' courtesy of outstanding French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet

Chart-topping guitarist Milos will play in a special performance with the Carducci Quartet

Brahms and Ravel from prodigy pianist Benjamin Grosvenor and the Escher Quartet

A celebration of all things British to mark the Diamond Jubilee - featuring coronation pomp and majesty from Handel,Elgar, Parry and Walton

A salute to London in 2012, featuring Vaughan Williams’ London Symphony, Elgar’s Cockaigne Overture, Holst’s Hammersmith and Elgar’s Cello Concerto. With Steven Isserlis, Martyn Brabbins and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

This is just a taste of the programme details confirmed inDirectors' Picks. To read the full details, access exclusive interviews with guests and Festival Directors, and find out more about Cheltenham Festivals Membership please visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/directorspicks

For any further details or to arrange interviews with Festival Directors please contact amy.hulyer@cheltenhamfestivals.com or call 07740 336977