About

Established over 40 years ago in the former county town of Radnorshire, the Presteigne Festival has become a focal-point for those seeking musical innovation and artistic discovery amidst the beauty of the Welsh Marches.

Internationally renowned for its commissioning of new work, support of living composers and with a long tradition for the encouragement of talented young artists, the organisation works closely with composers and performers to create and curate inspiring events for an ever-widening Festival audience and brings experience-broadening opportunities to its host community.

The 2024 Presteigne Festival programme offers an opportunity to hear some of Benjamin Britten’s less familiar work, contrasted with music from his contemporaries, his influences and those who, in turn, were influenced by him.

The Festival’s advocacy for new music is greatly in evidence – we will welcome award-winning British composer Richard Blackford as composer-in-residence and include mini-features of music by William Mathias and Joseph Phibbs.

The music programme includes 12 premieres of new work from an exceptionally diverse cohort of composers – Michael Berkeley, Richard Blackford, Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade, Nathan James Dearden, Michael Zev Gordon, James Albany Hoyle,
Sarah Frances Jenkins, Tayla-Leigh Payne, Joseph Phibbs, Lynne Plowman, Lara Poe and James B Wilson.

Extant music from other living composers – Sally Beamish, Matthew Coleridge, Mared Emlyn, Ola Gjeilo, Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Gabriel Jackson, David Matthews, Cecilia McDowall, Adrian Sutton, Huw Watkins, Judith Weir and Raymond Yiu – is programmed alongside pieces by J S Bach, Beethoven, Lennox Berkeley, Nadia Boulanger, Lili Boulanger, Bridge, Debussy, Dowland, Martinů, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Sibelius and Walton.

Apart from concert and opera performances, the programme will also include a variety of other events – exhibitions, film, talks and poetry and, in partnership with many local artists and makers, the popular Presteigne ‘Open Studios’ weekend.

The Festival will feature a truly outstanding artist line-up, with performances from the Piatti Quartet, Nova Music Opera, pianists Huw Watkins, Annie Yim and Joseph Tong, Alice Neary (cello), Anne Denholm (harp), Rebecca Bottone (soprano), Rebecca Afonwy-Jones (mezzo-soprano), Daniel Shao (flute), Paul Galbraith (guitar), the Choir of Royal Holloway under
Rupert Gough and the fabulous Presteigne Festival Orchestra conducted by artistic director, George Vass.