Student to travel 5,000 miles to Holst's birthplace

Bruno Lima is "a great cheerleader" for Gustav Holst and the composer's international fanbase

A student from Brazil who is studying Gustav Holst says visiting his birthplace will allow him to "be close" to the famous composer.

Bruno Lima has been raising money for a trip to Holst's hometown of Cheltenham in celebration of the 150th anniversary of his birth.

The Holst Society has supported Mr Lima, who says is excited to meet his fellow members and conduct research during his trip.

Mr Lima said he became "immediately passionate" about Holst upon listening to his work for the first time.

Mr Lima has even delivered presentations on Holst at Brazilian universities

Holst was born in Cheltenham on 21 September 1874, growing up there before moving to London to study at the Royal College of Music.

He died on 25 May 1934, but his legacy lives on through his notable works, which include The Planets and, subsequently, Thaxted - the piece composed for Jupiter - to which the words of I Vow to Thee, My Country were later put.

Mr Lima said he came across Holst's music online.

"When I started using the internet, I was able to get to know better about not only [Holst's] music, but his life," Mr Lima said.

The 150th anniversary of Gustav Holst's birth will be celebrated next month

"Holst, in Brazil, appears on TV programmes and some films use The Planets in the soundtrack."

Mr Lima will arrive in Cheltenham in October and attend a concert in the town in celebration of Holst's birthday, whom he is "truly inspired" by.

The trip will be his first time out of Brazil and "truly important" to his studies.

"It will be a unique opportunity not only to share my research and perspectives, but to be close to the place that was part of Gustav Holst’s life," he said.

Marina Moore told BBC Radio Gloucestershire Mr Lima had helped grow The Holst Society's international membership

Marina Moore, secretary of The Holst Society, said Bruno is a "wonderful cheerleader" for Holst.

"Unfortunately, he wasn't able to make it for the actual September anniversary," Ms Moore said.

"It was just a pipe dream to start with a couple of years ago, we were just laughing about it and then we thought 'Why not?'."