FOLLOWING a very successful inaugural mini summer festival, not to forget the concerts by Tasmin Little and Sergio Tiempo at the Mercury Theatre earlier in the year, the Roman River Music Festival starts in earnest this weekend.

It all begins on Friday, September 16, at Dedham Parish Church in the High Street from 8pm when the festival's artistic director Orlando Jopling brings together some of his favourite musicians to play two virtuoso masterpieces of the string orchestra repertoire by Bartók and Tchaikovsky, plus a little-known piece by Janácek.

Running until October 2, some of the other highlights this weekend include acclaimed pianist Tom Poster, who appeared at the summer festival, and the Piatti Quartet playing St Peter ad Vincula Church in Coggeshall tomorrow, while on Sunday tenor James Gilchrist, accompanied by Anna Tilbrook, will be singing Songs of the Sea in All Saints Church, Brightlingsea, from 6pm.

As in previous years the festival has tried to spread its musical arms into other genres and this year they have scored a huge hit with one of British folks bright young things, Jon Boden.

Well known for his duo with John Spiers, as well as being the founder of folk supergroup, Bellowhead, he will be at St Martin's Church, West Stockwell Street, Colchester, on September 22 from 6pm.

Alongside the Sacconi Quartet, who also have concerts at the Mercury Studio Theatre and the Waiting Room during the festival, they will be performing The Juliet Letters, composed by Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet.

The following weekend there's a real treat in store for both music and theatre lovers with Breaking the Rules, a dramatisation of the eventful and turbulent life of 16th-century composer Gesualdo.

Starring actor Gerald Kyd alongside the vocal talents of the Marian Consort, after the concert there will be a chance to take part in a discussion with writer Clare Norburn and Rory McCleery, director of The Marian Consort.

That also takes place at St Martin's Church on Saturday, September 24, at 6pm.

For another turn of musical genres there's the sounds of musical visionary Steve Reich who the Dr K Sextet will be performing at a concert at the Colchester Arts Centre on Sunday, September 25.

The festival finally rounds off with a whirlwind of concerts, choirs and classical music to stir the soul all centred on St Mary's Church in Stoke by Nayland.

It starts on the Friday, September 30, with the festival's first Mahler Symphony in a new version for 15 players, and then rounds off on the Sunday, October 2, when the Festival Finale Concert showcases much of the education and outreach work that has been taking place through the festival and in the months leading up to it.

For more information on this year's event go on-line at www.romanrivermusic.org.uk