This winter Bella Hardy will be performing her new festive tour, Bright Morning Star, with special guests Anna Massie and Chris Sherburn.

In Bella’s north Derbyshire home, Christmas songs have long been the local speciality. People flock from far and wide to sing the Peak District’s local carols, and in these dark months, the villages are lit up with song to celebrate the time of hope and community. This year, Bella takes this seasonal cheer on the road!

The Bright Morning Star tour features a repertoire of seasonal treats, from her local Castleton carols ‘Down In Yon Forest’ and ‘All in the Morning’, to well known favourites ‘O, Come All Ye Faithful’ and ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’! She will be singing her arrangement of ‘The Coventry Carol’, which was shown on BBC Two on Christmas day 2008 as part of Howard Goodall’s show The Truth About Carols, along with popular songs from Bella’s critically acclaimed albums Night Visiting and In The Shadow of Mountains, including her own night visiting song ‘Three Black Feathers’ (nominated best original song BBC Folk Awards 2008).

As well as a rich and true voice, Bella’s song-writing is also garnering acclaim, and this winter she will be performing some of her own Christmas songs for the first time. She will be joined by guitarist Anna Massie, winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2003 who now tours with Blazin’ Fiddles and The Unusual Suspects, and concertina genius Chris Sherburn of Last Night’s Fun.

More information at www.musicallymonstrous.co.uk/2013-12-21-BellaHardy.html