OVER four hundred professional musicians playing everything from classical and jazz to folk and pop are set to play Lighthouse in Poole during the coming season.

Concerts include some particularly spectacular folk events with performances by award-winning singer-songwriter Kate Rusby on October 13 and ,just a month later on November 14, a concert by folk supergroup The Imagined Village featuring, among others, Billy Bragg and Martin and Eliza Carthy.

There are also performances by X Factor star Ray Quinn, 70s maverick Gilbert O' Sullivan, The Bootleg Beatles and a series of one-off concerts, specially created for Poole by local programmer Graham Stansfield bringing together themes and collaborations which are totally unique to the area.

Stompin' at The Savoy on Thursday, October 4 unites three early jazz-style groups, Elgar 150 on Thursday October 11 explores the music and words of one of our greatest composers, Great Big Band Arrangers on Friday October 12 combines three jazz groups and Classical Jazz Crossover on Friday November 9 brings a triple bill of every type of jazz and classical music convergence.

There are also special gigs examining French music, UK and US jazz and early music maestro Monteverdi.

"What we try to do at Lighthouse is to lead people along a road and say look at the view from here," says Stansfield.

"As you go along that road you get a different view all the time and you can keep on turning round to admire something new."