CELLIST and one-time York Minster chorister Tim Lowe is launching a new festival in his home city next month.

The York-born musician will present York Chamber Music Festival, four days of recitals by prominent British musicians such as Jennifer Pike and Martin Roscoe, free masterclasses for young talents and a national competition.

“I’ve inaugurated this festival to help bring more world-class instrumental music to York and to inspire the young people of Yorkshire – and beyond – with a desire to make music together,” says Tim. “Do come along and support them.”

The 28-year-old festival artistic director studied the cello with his mother, nationally acclaimed teacher Sue Lowe. He is now guest principal of the English Chamber Orchestra and a teaching professor at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

As a soloist, Tim has played in all London’s premier concert halls, such as Wigmore Hall, the Purcell Room, Cadogan Hall and St John’s, Smith Square.

His inaugural festival will open on February 13, with a free recital and masterclass afternoon featuring Lowe and pianist Paul Feehan, director of music at Bootham School, where many of the events will take place.

Feehan’s lunchtime programme of Mozart, Debussy, Chopin and Rachmaninoff in the arts centre will be followed by Feehan and Lowe’s masterclasses from 2.30pm to 4pm for the school’s ensembles.

Friday, February 14, will follow the same format in the same location, this time with Matthew Jones, viola, and Annabel Thwaite, piano, performing works by Schubert, Britten, Prokofiev and York Bowen. They will then hold individual masterclasses for string players from York schools.

Violinist Jennifer Pike, winner of the 2002 BBC Young Musicians competition at the age of 12, will perform Mozart, Janacek, Dvorak and Vaughan Williams works at 7.30pm that night at the Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York, accompanied by pianist Martin Roscoe.

He will give a solo recital the next day, February 15, at 1pm in the arts centre featuring Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Chopin, and will host masterclasses for pianists from York schools from 2.30pm.

Lowe and pianist James Baillieu will give a 7.30pm recital in the school hall on February 15, and will be joined by Matthew Jones and violinist Bartosz Woroch for the Festival Artists Concert, the finale of Mozart, Schumann and Faure pieces in the hall on February 16 at 7.30pm. Earlier that day, Lowe and Baillieu will run individual classes for young cellists in the arts centre from 2.30pm.

All the masterclasses will end with a short concert and will be open to the public, as will the national chamber music competition, in which junior ensembles of musicians aged up to 18 and senior groups will compete for prizes. The Saturday semi-final in the arts centre will start at 10am; the Sunday final at 10.30am.

Many events will be free, although tickets for Jennifer Pike’s recital are £15 and other recitals cost £12, with concessions available, on 01904 658338 or by emailing boxoffice@ncem.co.uk. Alternatively, buy from the NCEM box office in Walmgate, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. For more festival details, visit yorkchambermusicfestival.co.uk

• Did you know? Cellist Steven Isserlis is the York Chamber Music Festival patron.