News

In this short video John Metcalf, Artistic Director of the Festival, introduces some of the principal themes and venues of the 2012 Festival.

(Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iac0xHnjcyU )

Also check out Susan Scheid’s blog entry which talks about her visit to the Festival, and contains video interviews with John Metcalf and a link to Edo de Waart speaking about Qigang Chen.

The Festival recently unveiled a new scheme for supporting the commissioning of work to be premiered in future festival programmes.  The Commissioning Support Circles are designed to encourage supporters to contribute towards enabling the creation of exciting new repertoire and in its first year will focus on three new  pieces  by composers  Gavin Bryars, Craig Vear and Tom Green.  Full details of the schemes are now available on the “Support Us” page .

This website now has the full programme for the 2012 Festival, including concerts, venue information and directions, and more.

Noteworthy news and last-minute changes for performances will also be shown here, so please check back for the latest news on the Festival.

Great news from Juice Vocal Ensemble.  The shortlist for the 2011 British Composer Awards has just been announced and Dai Fujikura’s away we play which received its world premiere during the 2010 Festival performed by Juice has made the shortlist in the vocal category.  http://www.britishcomposerawards.com/

The Festival may now be over, however, there is still the opportunity to enjoy the concert featuring the BBC National Orchestra of Wales with Jean-Michael Lavoie (conductor) and soloists Gerard McChrystal (saxophone) and Oliver Coates (Cello).  Follow the link for details of the BBC Radio 3 Broadcast this Saturday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014m38q

The Festival looks forward to welcoming His Excellency, Mr Eduards Stiprais, Latvian Ambassador to the UK, Irena Hamilton, Cultural Attaché, Embassy of Latvia and Mr Andy Taurins, Latvian Honorary Consul to Wales to the performance on Tuesday 6th September at St Augustine’s Church by the Latvian Radio Choir.    The festival is very grateful to the Latvian Embassy for supporting the Choir’s visit and we are sure that once again, this astounding choir’s perofrmance will be as dazzling as ever.   Previous performances by the LRC  have sold out so please book in advance and don’t rely on getting your ticket on the door!

Joining Paul Mealor, composer Gareth Glyn will also be with us for the sold-out Gala Concert at Fonmon Castle on Wednesday 7th September when extracts from his works Songs of the Marches and Chwarae Plant/Child’s Play will be performed by Jeremy Huw Williams and Elinor Bennett.

We are delighted to confirm that Dr Paul Mealor will be joining Festival audiences at Fonmon Castle on Wednesday 7th September to hear the world premiere of his new arrangement of Twilight commissioned by Jeremy Huw Williams and performed by Elinor Bennett, Matthew Jones and Jeremy.