The 50th Little Missenden Festival kicks off in October, with the St Petersburg Quartet returning to the popular arts event.

The quartet open the festival on October 9 with masterworks by Beethoven, Shostakovich, Lassus and Schnittke.

Jazz and European folk musicians also feature on the programme, while poet Ruth Padel will read from her much-lauded new lyric biography of her great-great-grandfather, Charles Darwin, A Life in Poems.

Most performances take place in the intimate Saxon-cum-Norman church of St John the Baptist, with its celebrated medieval wall-paintings.

Festival chairman John Buston said: "We've weaved the unfamiliar together with established classics - delivered by the best of established artists and by young talents making a name for themselves."

The Festival will continue its tradition of increasing opportunities for local children to make music.

Janet Davey and Richard Benjafield will again run interactive workshops in three local primary schools. With their support the children develop their own music which they will perform on October 10.

It runs until October 18. Further information is available from festival chairman John Buston on 01494-864686, Email: j.buston@btinternet.com See the full programme on the festival website: www.little-missenden.org