CORSHAM Festival will round off the year with a distinctively festive feel, with a family concert starring the Emerald Ensemble on December 22.

One of the region's leading professional ensembles, the Emerald Ensemble played to a packed audience in Corsham last year.

This time round they have many Baroque favourites on the programme, including Manfredini's Christmas Concerto, Bach's Air of the G String, and Christmas Medley by Bristol composer John Marsh.

The Emerald Ensemble will also perform three pieces by Vivaldi Guitar Concerto in D Major, Concerto for Two Trumpets and Winter from the Four Seasons.

"With just three days before Christmas, this concert will get everyone into the festive spirit and will appeal to all the family," said festival director Nicholas Keyworth.

The Emerald Ensemble, led by Bristol-based violinist Roger Huckle, has received critical acclaim for performance throughout the UK as well as BBC productions.

The concert in the Town Hall is part of a series of one-off arts events being organised in the town by the Corsham Festival, following the huge success of the week-long festival in June.

Tickets cost £8 in advance and £10 on the door. Upto two children under 16 acompanied by an adult are entitled to free tickets.

Tickets are available from the town hall, and the tourist information centre in Corsham.

For information contact Corsham Festival on (01249) 713509 or email boxoffice@corshamfestival.co.uk

Musicians of all ages and abilities are needed to star in the world premier of a chamber opera, called Dance to the End of Time. Corsham Festival has teamed up with COMA South following the success of the Taking pARTS contemporary music weekend in June last year.

A series of music workshops will be held over the year to generate interest in the project, culminating in an action-packed weekend at Corsham Festival 2002.

This will include a concert featuring a premiere by Michael Zev Gordon and performances of work by Jennifer Fowler and Karen Wimhurst.

But the headline piece will be the new chamber opera by COMA South director Martin Read.

Dance To The End of Time will involve both community musicians and dancers and professional musicians.

Visit the website dancetotime.co.uk for further information.

The workshops entitled 'Don't just sit there do it' kicked off on October 6 when music fans from all over the region played David Bedford's Fun for all the Family and Paul Burnell's Musical Squares.

The workshops are led by Martin Read and musicians at all levels and every age are welcome to take part in contemporary music making.

The next workshop will be held on January 19, with others on March 16, and May 18.

For further details contact Festival director Nicholas Keyworth on (01249) 713509 or email boxoffice@corshamfestival.co.uk

Corsham's Red Forge will open its doors to the public from Saturday December 8 for an exhibition of textile creations.

Some of the region's finest textile artists will feature in the exhibition, in Station Road, which runs until December 22.

Following the success of the Festival Gallery which opened during the week of Corsham Festival 2001, organisers teamed up with Bath Textile Artists and Red Forge.

Bath Textile Artists is a selected group of professionals with years of experience in the fields of embroidery, felting, quilting, costuming, dyeing and stitching.

"More than a thousand people visited the Festival Gallery and we were keen to build on that success," festival director Nicholas Keyworth.

"The opportunity to work with Bath Textile Artists and the Red Forge means Corsham will have a gallery selling great Christmas gifts."

The gallery will open daily between 11am and 4.30pm.