THE 2003 Cheltenham International Festival of Music, which runs from July 4-20, has the usual marvellous mix of music makers.

From classical to pop, the event will feature singing, dancing and a variety of instruments, from the piano to the whistle, and will bring together many thousands of artists and people from across the region, the nation and abroad.

Both the look and sound of the 2003 Festival are influenced by the vibrant musical colours of Debussy, performed by artists and ensembles such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra with Yan-Pascal Tortelier, and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with Marin Alsop.

The crafted perfection of Handel's music, from small-scale works and concert arias to operas and oratorios, is brought to life by the Early Opera Company, Sonnerie and the Academy of Ancient Music.

The chamber music programme is underpinned by the pairing of Haydn's Opus 33 quartets and Mozart's Haydn quartets, written in musical response to Haydn's innovation and played here by an international line up of ensembles.

The music of Lennox Berkeley, born 100 years ago this year, is celebrated with chamber music, instrumental works, a study afternoon and a photographic exhibition, culminating in a double-bill of semi-stagings of the biblical opera Ruth, and his comedy of cuisine and class, A Dinner Engagement.

The 2003 Festival boasts 20 premieres and these include a score by Peter Maxwell Davies, once a well known figure in Cirencester.

There is also a new artist and composer in residence. Brett Dean is Australia's leading viola soloist and composer and has invited guests from both Australia and Europe to join him in a series of chamber concerts.

Two special events mark the Festival's opening weekend.

Martyn Brabbins leads a Beethoven-athon, conducting the Salomon Orchestra in all nine Beethoven symphonies during a single day.

And a charity gala performance by Jose Carreras and Bryn Terfel in aid of Cheltenham's Leukaemia and Intensive Chemotherapy Fund, takes place at Cheltenham Racecourse.

The opera programme features a new staging of Handel's oratorio Susanna, alongside a semi-staging of the comedy drama Xerxes.

Lynne Plowman's magical family opera, Gwyneth and the Green Knight, transports its audience to Camelot, while the five-star fireworks of George Piper Dances, aka Channel 4's Ballet Boyz, light up the Everyman stage.

The Festival journeys through the sounds of Africa, with contributions from John Williams and Ensemble Bash. Cheltenham College Chapel resounds to the beautiful harmonies of the Seven Saints Choir of Sofia, Bulgaria, and Tenebrae brings candlelit choral music, ancient and modern, to Tewkesbury Abbey.

The Festival's late-night series, @22h, explores African riffs, music for laptops and an audiovisual installation in a town nightclub, while the Young Artists series travels to Cotswold venues on most afternoons.

The programme is complemented by visual arts, a film programme and a Fringe Festival which includes free street entertainment and three weekends of outdoor celebrations for all the family. BBC Radio 3 spreads the festive message further still, with a wide range of events broadcast across the UK and the world beyond.

The popular education and outreach programme, Music Scores, offers opportunities for adults and children alike to get involved through innovative hands-on projects, continuing a commitment to ensuring equal Festival access to all areas of the community.

Brochure and tickets from 01242 227979.