A classical international music festival is coming to Wimbledon next week for the first time, featuring everything from Beethoven to a musical biography on a harpsichord pioneer.

Taking place at six venues throughout the town as well as moving across into Putney and Wandsworth, the festival features many familiar names, including Rivka Golani, Piers Lane, Andrew Marriner and Raphael Wallfisch.

It is the brainchild of film and theatre director Anthony Wilkinson, a Wimbledon resident who at one point considered a career as an oboist.

He said: “Whilst a great deal of music goes on in Wimbledon, these are not just more local concerts but a true festival of inspirational music making of international class intended to put south west London on the map not only for its tennis but its culture.

"We have already been approached by an established Canadian festival with the idea of twinning, and its potential has been acknowledged with funding from the Arts Council England Lottery Fund and Merton’s Arts Development Fund."

Legendary viola player Lionel Tertis lived in Wimbledon and the foundation named after him is supporting the Opening Gala and the recital of Russian music on November 25.

The world's first harpsichord recordings were recently discovered in a house in Wimbledon and on November 29 the festival will close with actors Harriet Walter and Henry Goodman joining American harpsichordist Maggie Cole for a musical biography of the life of the woman who pioneered the 20th century revival of the instrument, Violet Gordon Woodhouse.

Festival Highlights:

  • Gala Opening Concert, November 20, Sacred Heart Church, 7.30pm.

Raphael Wallfisch (cello), Rivka Golani (viola), David Gammie (organ) and the Dante Quartet perform Haydn's The Joke, Rachmaninov's Vocalese, Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei, Beethoven's Duo and Brahms Sextet No 1.

  • An Evening of Klezmer, November 23, Wimbledon Synagogue, 7.30pm.

Singer and violinist Lucie Skeaping performs with Burning Bush.

  • Rivka Golani and Piers Lane, November 25, St John's Spencer Hill, 8pm.

Violinist Golani and pianist Lane perform Prokofiev's Suite from Romeo and Juliet, Rachmaninov's Sonata and Shostakovitch's Sonata for viola and piano.

  • Masterworks for the French Horn, November 26, St John's Spencer Hill, 8pm.

Richard Watkins (horn), Jack Glatzer (violin) and Piers Lane (piano) perform Beethoven's Sonata for horn and piano and Sonata No 10 for violin and piano, Schumann's Adagio and Allegro and Brahms' Trio for violin, horn and piano.

  • The Magic of the Bow, November 28, Southside House, 3.30pm.

Jack Glatzer (violin) and Maggie Cole (harpsichord) play Bach's Sonata No 4 and Fugue for solo violin, Tartini's Didone Abandonata, Locatelli's Three Caprices, Mozart's Sonata for violin and fortepiano, Paganini's Three Caprices and Schubert's Duo for violin and fortepiano.

  • Gala Finale, November 28, Sacred Heart Church, 8pm.

The Dante Quartet, Andrew Marriner (clarinet) and Richard Watkins (horn) perform Mozart's Horn Quintet in E flat and Schubert's Octet.

  • Festival Coda, Harpsichord Special Event, November 29, Southside House, 6pm.

Part One: Maggie Cole (harpsichord) performs Bach's The Goldberg Variations.

Part Two: Cole and actors Harriet Walter and Henry Goodman present Violet, a dramatic telling of the life of harpsichordist Violet Gordon Woodhouse.

Wimbledon Music Festival, November 20 to 29. Call 020 8946 5078 or visit wimbledonmusicfestival.co.uk.