THE music of Colchester will be sounding out all over the town this weekend.

The event, Music of Place, forms part of Gift and will be bringing Colchester’s historic buildings alive with a series of specially-commissioned compositions performed by the internationally acclaimed Britten Sinfonia.

Three Colchester-based composers, Nigel Hildreth, Michael Spearman and Alan Bullard, alongside John Woolrich, have written a piece of music in response to the history and architecture of a specific building.

Musicians will also be performing a number of other works by Britten, Handel and Bach in a series of 15-minute mini concerts.

From the balcony of Colchester’s Town Hall brass duo, Paul Archibald and John Kenny will be playing a repertoire including the new work by John Woolrich, while Nigel Hildreth’s piece will get its first outing at Tymperleys, courtesy of harpist Lucy Wakeford. At Colchester Castle Museum the Britten Sinfonia’s Jacqueline Shave on violin and Kuljit Bhamra on tabla, will play a mix of classical and modern music, while just across the park at Hollytrees Museum, bassoonist Sarah Burnett will be performing a programme including the piece by Alan Bullard.

Finally, Bourne Mill will see percussionists, Owen Gunnell and Oliver Cox, entertaining visitors with their performance of Michael Spearman’s new work.

On Saturday evening at the Colchester Arts Centre there will be a chance to meet the composers and hear their music again during a concert.