Dart Music Festival is starting its musical journey with an a capella fundraising performance next month.

On Saturday, March 2, many of the best-loved choirs in the area are coming together for a grand performance of some of their favourite and most popular pieces to raise part of the £70,000 required to put on the 2019 festival in May.

British conductor Sir Thomas Beecham is quoted as saying: “The function of music is to release us from the tyranny of conscious thought.”

So to help you avoid such a fate, the Dart Music Festival presents a night of masterful musicality to soothe even the most savage of beasts, and may even get your toes a-tapping.

This unique night, which will be held at St Saviour’s Church, will give you the opportunity to not only enjoy a superlative performance from the town’s very own Dartmouth Rock choir, but also the vocal delights of Kingsbridge-based barbershop titans The Kingsmen and the much-loved Devonly Voices Community Choir from Totnes along with sister choir The Singers Upstairs.

Most Dartmothians will know Dartmouth Rock from the choir’s previous outings in and around the town, but its repertoire is forever expanding to include new arrangements of modern and classic tracks for audiences to enjoy.

Since founding the choir in 2013, Jean Judge has taken Dartmouth Rock from strength to strength, and its members’ love of singing shines through in their performances. Come along in March to hear for yourself.

The Kingsmen are an award-winning barbershop choir based in Kingsbridge, but its members come from all across south Devon, from Plymouth to Torquay.

These guys really know how to bring the music, so if you enjoy barbershop harmonies performed by highly skilled singers, then The Kingsmen will knock your socks off – in fact, best to bring a spare pair with you just in case.

The final choirs performing are the much-loved Devonly Voices and The Singers Upstairs, both of which are led by the exceptional Vicki Hadland.

Their melodic arrangements have been described as “captivating” and their breathtaking harmonies never fail to move the audience.

Saturday, March 2, will be a night like no other, bringing together the best of a capella for your enjoyment while at the same time raising funds for a good cause.

The organisers predict that tickets for this event are going to be highly sought-after, and so recommend getting in ahead of the rush and buying yours now.

Usually it would cost a pretty penny to see just one of these groups, but for one night only you can see all three for the reasonable sum of £10 per adult and £5 for those who are under 18.

Tickets can be bought by calling 01803 833281, or by popping in to either No.11 Clothing in Victoria Road, or the Compass Office Shop on Higher Street.

More fundraising will be going ahead on Wednesday, March 6, when Dart Music Festival will be putting on its own music quiz. Platform One will host teams of up to six people, with nibbles and drinks available and, of course, prizes to be won.

Get your tickets from the Compass Office Shop or No.11 Clothing soon, as they are going fast and spaces are limited.

If you want to get ahead of the curve and have a listen to some of the bands featuring in this year’s festival, then why not subscribe to the Dart Music Festival YouTube channel, or follow the Dart Music Festival 2019 Spotify playlist.

That way you can decide which are your must-see acts before you get there and you can sing along to your favourite songs when you hear them performed live in May.

Visit the Dart Music Festival website to learn more about the upcoming festival.