THE Two Moors Festival returns to Okehampton, Hatherleigh and Chagford this week with a series of concerts across the area.

The event, Classic FM's festival in the South West, was launched in 2001 to regenerate the area following the devastation caused by foot and mouth disease. Now a festival of international standing, it brings world-class musical talent to venues across Dartmoor and Exmoor.

Now in its eleventh year, the festival begins in Dulverton today (Thursday), with concerts at Widecombe on the Moor, Ashburton and Dunster in the following days.

Performances in the Okehampton area start in Hatherleigh on Monday, October 15, with two concerts at St John the Baptist's Church in Hatherleigh.

At 1.30pm, celebrated flautist Kathryn Thomas will play the piper as she leads children from Hatherleigh Primary into the church for a concert based on Robert Browning's famous poem the Pied Piper of Hamlyn. Accompanied by Ashley Wass on piano, pieces composed by Beethoven, Debussy and Janácek will feature.

Works by composer Johann Sebastian Bach will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 from the church at 7.30pm as part of Radio 3 and Radio 4's Piano Season.

'Gilded Goldbergs' is a two-piano piece by composer Robin Holloway. It is a recomposition of Bach's famous Goldberg Variations, and Holloway has written it for two pianos. A Steinway piano is to be brought all the way from London for the performance. Eminent pianists Ashley Wass and Huw Watkins will be tackling the challenging piece.

The music comes to Okehampton's All Saints Church on Tuesday, October 16, at 1.30pm with a poignant song recital in memory of the Titanic disaster. Soprano Caroline MacPhie and Anna Tilbrook will perform a moving programme including pieces by Haydn, Schubert and Handel.

A musical tribute to Beethoven's famous letter 'Immortal Beloved' takes place in the church that evening from 7.30pm.

Violinist Tai Murray and cellist Jing Zhao will join Ashley Wass and Kathryn Thomas to perform pieces by Chopin, Schubert and Beethoven himself. Ashley Wass will give a free pre-concert talk on the letter, and its possible intended recipient.

Chagford's St Michael the Archangel's Church will host a daytime workshop in the art of singing psalms from noon on Thursday, October 18.

Led by Martin Ford, the assistant organist at Westminster Abbey, and David Davies, assistant organist at Exeter Cathedral, the workshop gives singers the chance to brush up their skills before a choral evensong at 4.30pm.

Ticket prices vary for each event. To book tickets call the box office on 01643 831006.

To find out the festival's full programme across Dartmoor and Exmoor, visit http://www.thetwomoorsfestival.com">www.thetwomoorsfestival.com