A WELL-KNOWN musical conductor will kick off a 10-week course of art and music evening classes in Great Bardfield. Professor Chris Green OBE will start the Art and Music course on Monday January 11 at the Friends Meeting House in Brook Street. Professor

A WELL-KNOWN musical conductor will kick off a 10-week course of art and music evening classes in Great Bardfield.

Professor Chris Green OBE will start the Art and Music course on Monday January 11 at the Friends' Meeting House in Brook Street.

Professor Green said: "Composers have long been fascinated and, sometimes, inspired by works of art. We will be exploring the relationship between artists and music of the same period."

The syllabus covers an eclectic range of composers from Wagner to Cage and Lennon, and artists such as Watteau and favourites from the National Gallery.

Branch chairman Ros Gourgey said "We are looking forward to stimulating evenings with an expert guide opening our eyes and ears to historical and contemporary artistic and musical influences.

"New members will be very welcome. We are a friendly branch and our historic venue has easy parking. We generally organise a visit to a gallery or art collection associated with the course."

Courses are fun and interesting rather than academic, and no previous knowledge or experience is required. There are no essays or assignments, but the tutor is happy to give suggestions for further study.

The course fee for all 10 lectures is �45, which includes tea or coffee, but new members are welcome to sample the first evening for just �5.

The course is run by the Workers Education Association (WEA), the UK's largest voluntary provider of adult education (www.wea.org.uk).

For further information contact Ros Gourgey on 01371 810832, secretary Annette Joyce on 01371 811233 or Professor Green on 01376 324079.

- Professor Green is a co-founder of the Trianon Music Group and has been involved in its development into one of the largest non-professional performing groups in the region.

He also conducts the Anglia Singers (based at Anglia Ruskin University in Essex) which he formed 14 years ago.

He was appointed Emeritus Professor on his retirement from the University, and now works for a range of national educational organisations. He is chairman of Ipswich Arts Association and has been involved in arts journalism for over 30 years.

He is widely in demand as a lecturer and guest speaker and is one of the few regional music critics who has been elected a Member of the Critics Circle.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and was awarded the OBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to local communities in 1995.