For the past three years, there has been an Evening of Ethnic Diversity, bringing together Northern-based performers from all continents to the Pennine village.

In collaboration with South Asia Arts, there has been an amazing combination of European, African and Indian music.

In the same tradition, the Tuesday concert this year (on May 27) will be of World Music, featuring Eastern European Klezmer works developed by Yiddish communities over the centuries.

The Klezmer group performing at the festival is based in West Yorkshire, but its members have experience across Britain and the continent.

Steven Shulman, who plays the violin, is expert in a range of Eastern European music in addition to Klezmer and has performed as a soloist and leader a variety of groups in Holland as well as the UK. Nigel Waterhouse, on accordion, writes music for the theatre in which he performs as both musician and actor, as well as working with several UK orchestras. Lawrence Levin, on guitar and bass, is a seasoned Klezmer player and enjoys bringing the tradition of this type of music to an ever widening audience. And finally, Phil Cammerman, on piano, clarinet and saxophone, feels that Klezmer music is raw and uplifting stuff transporting him out of the everyday chores of a busy profession into something with much greater meaning.

Complementing the Klezmer group in this evening of World Music will be the Jill Fielding Band, playing both traditional and contemporary American, Irish and English folk music.

The three members of the band are Jill Fielding, on guitar, concertina, bohdran and whistles, Nigel Fielding, on keyboard and vocal harmonies, and Neil Speers, on guitar, flute, banjos, saxophone and mandolin.

As individuals and a group, they are passionate about music and passionate about entertaining.

All three are accomplished solo musicians in their own right but the success of the band is due to the friendships within it which is evident in their playing.

Pennine Spring Music brings together instrumentalists and singers from all over Britain for a week of making and playing music. This year, the Pennine Spring Orchestra and Chorus will be giving four concerts, all of which take place in the 150 year old St Thomas' church.

Both instrumentalists and singers stay with village people, who for the past twenty three years have opened their houses for the week. Regular performers who return every year include a builder from Hampshire and an undertaker from Glasgow.

This year they are joined by a chemical engineer from South Wales and alumni of the Glamorgan and Welsh National Youth Orchestras, as well as numerous performers based in the Calder Valley and surrounding areas.

An important aim of the festival is to bring people into the village and maintain several days of bustling activity.