EXCITEMENT is never far away from York's Late Music Festival even in the final stages.

Only weeks before this week's festival was being planned, a violinist with The Fitzwilliam String Quartet damaged his hand and caused the group to pull out.

Administrator Steve Crowther was left to find a solution and quickly.

Enter award-winning Carducci String Quartet to bridge the gap on Sunday, June 11.

"Unfortunately, the Fitzwilliam's second violinist Jonathan Sparey damaged his hand and we had to find a replacement quartet," said Steve.

"We have tried very hard to keep the spirit of the Fitzwilliam programme with a concert which includes Mozart's String Quartet K 499 (Hoffmeister), and Shostakovich String Quartet.

"In addition, the lead violinist of the Fitzwilliams, Alan George, will give a pre-concert talk."

Hitches aside, Steve anticipates big things.

The 12th festival kicks off tonight with a recital from soprano Rosemary Hardy.

On Saturday, Michael Finnissy will give a pre-concert talk before pianist Ian Pace performs a piece commissioned by the festival to celebrate Finnissy's 60th birthday.

"This is avant-garde music, and should be quite challenging," said Steve. "It's definitely something to look forward to."

Up-and-coming baritone Mike Solomon Williams will be joined by pianist Tom Gibbs for a lunchtime recital of music with an American connection on Sunday, which features the first performance of Five Songs, a piece by the festival director David Power.

The Ensemble Bash will follow at 7.30pm, performing contemporary, theatrical, jazz and traditional African music.

On Thursday, Okeanos Plus will mix Western and Japanese instruments, with works written for them.

Piano Circus will perform the night after, featuring music by popular living composers including Steve Reich and Philip Glass.

Ian Pace will return on Saturday at 1pm, with the first performance of one of Steve Crowther's own compositions, entitled New Work.

Virtuoso violinist Madeleine Mitchell and pianist Andrew Ball will perform Prokofiev, Janacek and Michael Nyman on Saturday, June 10, followed by The Bridge Duo playing viola and piano on the Sunday lunchtime.

The Carducci String Quartet will replace the Fitzwilliams on Sunday, June 11.

The week after, baritone Mike Solomon Williams will return with soprano Angelica Cathariou and pianist Panos Demopoulos for a lunchtime recital on Saturday, June 17.

Black Hair featuring Anna Myatt will close the festivities that evening.

This year, the festival is marking the birthdays of York composers David Blake and David Lumsdaine, who will be 70 and 75 respectively.

It will also be the 250th anniversary of Mozart's birth and the centenary of Shostakvich's.

Steve expects the festival to be thoroughly enjoyed by ticket holders. He said: "There are a number of new performances, exciting performers and a programme full of vitality."

All concerts will be performed at the National Centre For Early Music, Walmgate, York. Evening concerts will begin at 7.30 pm; lunchtime recitals at 1pm. For tickets phone 01904 658338 Festival website: www.latemusicfestival.org.uk