LEADING Russian organist Ekaterina Melnikova returns to St Gregory's Church, Bedale, next weekend to accompany Bedale Festival Choir in an uncut performance of Handel's oratorio, The Messiah.

Trumpets and timpani will be played by members of Orichalcum Classic Brass. More than 100 voices are signed up, but anyone else keen to take part can attend a rehearsal at 1pm on the day, taking a score if they have one, and a £5 fee.

The concert takes place on Saturday, November 22, 7pm, with proceeds going to the £25,000 appeal to update the organ at St Gregory's. Tickets are £8, available at the door, with wine and cheese in the interval for £1.

Melnikova, rated as one of the best of the young generation of Russian organists, now lives in North Yorkshire. She appeared at St Gregory's last month in the first of a series of concerts by leading musicians.

Her career began in 1996 when she won an international piano competition in Prague while still in her teens. She graduated from the Moscow Conservatoire and went on to win major prizes for her organ playing. She has given recitals throughout the former Soviet Union and Europe, and also teaches.

The four soloists at the Bedale concert are Emily Smith (soprano), Neil Jenkins (counter tenor), David Pisaro (tenor) and Simon Deller (bass). Solo trumpet will be played by James Stretton. The director is St Gregory's organist, Richard Boyton, a former chorister at York Minster.