THE 2015 Ageas Salisbury International Festival will be launched in May with Market Songs, a large-scale musical theatre commission which will take over the city’s Market Place and the surrounding streets for one summer evening.

Ancient streets such as Butcher Row, Silver Street and Fish Row are forming the inspiration for the musical extravaganza which will tell the story of the shopping area like it’s never been heard before.But now, singers are needed to make it happen – 400 singers!

Composer Michael Betteridge is composing a new collection of market songs, rounds, choruses and cries that will explore the mediaeval trades around which the city’s early life flourished.

The singers, working with Mr Betteridge and musical director Howard Moody, will animate streets which retain their trade names to this day, before coming together in the Market Place for the evening’s spectacular finale.

Mr Betteridge said: “We're actually going to split those 400 singers into choirs of around 100 people and dot them around the Market Place and surrounding streets.

“The audience will have to choose who they go to hear. But the most magical part for me is that they're going to come into the Market Place at the end and sing, all 400 voices together, in a massive finale.”

Anyone wishing to take part can get involved at workshops starting in the New Year. The first one will take place on Saturday, January 10, between 10am and 1pm at Sarum Academy in Westwood Road, Salisbury.

“The great thing about this first workshop in January is that I'm going to meet all these people who will have great ideas about where I can source research texts and it can really contribute to the process. That's so important because it's a piece about Salisbury, performed by Salisbury people, so they should have that contribution as well,” added Mr Betteridge.

The opening event of the festival will take place on May 22.

To register interest in the choir, email Sue Kent at the Ageas Salisbury International Arts Festival at or call 01722 332241.