Thaxted Festival is inviting musicians to take part in a music-making workshop to celebrate Holst's 150th birthday.

The workshops will take place between 11am and 1.30pm on Friday, July 5 and Saturday, July 6.

Classical, jazz or folk musicians are invited to take part for about 20 to 25 minutes at the event, which is free and open to the public.

Gustav Holst, who is most famous for The Planets, and was a great supporter of non-professional musicians, and the organisers hope to recreate that spirit at this year's festival.

Artistic director Andrew Jenkins said: "We are delighted to open up this year’s festival to amateur musicians, giving them the chance to perform on the main stage.

"This is very much in keeping with Holst’s original Whitsun Festivals, on which ours is loosely based, and should be a great occasion for performers and audience alike."

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Pianists are also invited to join festival artist-in-residence, Iyad Sughayer, for a piano workshop at midday on Sunday, June 22.

To register interest for either event, email the festival office at music@thaxtedfestival.co.uk.

Thaxted Festival opens on June 21 with a concert from the London Mozart Players, with a pre-concert discussion taking place earlier in the evening.