Budleigh Music Festival to include tribute concert for Matthew Upham
Commemorative event to raise vital funds for the RNLI
Budleigh Music Festival will honour Matthew Upham with a special tribute concert on Thursday, 25th June 2026, highlighting his contributions as a friend and supporter of the festival.
Matthew tragically drowned at sea on Christmas Day in 2025, prompting festival organisers to dedicate a commemorative concert in his memory.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), acknowledging their essential services to coastal communities.
The concert will feature musicians who shared a personal connection with Matthew, including soprano Sky Ingram, saxophonist Huw Wiggin, Emmy award-winning composer and pianist Mark Chait, and a trio from the Rebecca Smith orchestra.
The programme promises an eclectic mix, with the nostalgia of composers like Ivor Novello and Irving Berlin, operatic favourites such as Puccini’s "O mio babbino caro" and Dvořák’s "Song to the Moon," as well as works by Debussy, Purcell, Bernstein, and Arvo Pärt.
Festival chair pays tribute to Matthew Upham
Kate Somerby, chair of Budleigh Music Festival, reflected on the impact of Matthew's passing, noting that the town deeply felt the tragedy of Christmas Day 2025, when Matthew and another man perished at sea.
Kate said: “Our town was deeply affected by the tragic events of Christmas Day 2025... The Festival itself lost a dear friend in Matthew Upham, a patron of the arts, generous host, passionate music lover and ardent Festival supporter.”
She continued, explaining the homage in conjunction with RNLI: “To honour Matthew’s memory... we have partnered with the RNLI to add a fundraising concert to open this year’s festival.”
The tribute concert will showcase a blend of uplifting and introspective music by talented musicians, supporting RNLI's crucial work in seaside communities like Budleigh.