Dominic Doutney on the piano with singer Norbert Meyn

THIS year’s Islington Festival of Music and Art will kick off tonight with an opening concert at St Mary’s Church.

The festival, which runs until July 20, follows the theme “From the Homeland” in an effort to celebrate roots by showcasing music and composers that took inspiration from their homeland.

Events include concerts, sound baths, yoga and contemporary classes with live music at nine venues across the borough.

Joana Ly, a violinist who first had the idea for a festival four years ago, explained how it got started.

She said: “Back in the pandemic I had this string quartet, and we had all our work cancelled, so in June we started thinking of outdoor concerts, and trying to find nice gardens where we could make that happen.

“We had 15 concerts in people’s back gardens that summer.”

The festival will feature performances from international musicians who are based in the UK.

Violinist Kati Debretzeni

Ms Ly arrived in London from Portugal 12 years ago, and moved to Islington in 2019.

“This year, there happens to be a singer who is Australian and lives in Islington. So that’s a nice coincidence”, she said.

Performances will take audiences on a journey through the musical landscapes of Hungary, Denmark and the Czech Republic, as well as India, Scotland, Australia and America.

Ms Ly said: “The idea of the festival is that it is super local, and has a feeling of a village within Islington, but also with an international aspect.”

The violinist continued: “One of the unexpected highlights is to really get to know the neighbourhood, and know the people who work and live here. You have to reach out to local businesses and venues, and get their support.”

She added that the support from local businesses was “key” to its success.

“With most venues, we do a ticket split. Some venues are really nice and let us use them for free. It’s a very different approach than renting a place, and that is key. If you’re partnering with them, then the venue feels a bit more involved.”

Free tickets are also available for those under 25.

• More information about the festival can be found at https://www.islingtonfestival.com/