For Immediate Release Fishguard International Music Festival Announces 2017 Programme Taking place at a variety of venues across north Pembrokeshire, the 2017 Fishguard International Music Festival will take place from 24 July 4 August. Highlights of this year s festival include a performance of the complete Bach Brandenburg Concertos by Welsh National Opera Orchestra; a recital by 2015 Leeds International Piano Competition winner, Anna Tsybelva; a welcome return by the Gould Piano Trio performing a new work by Mark Simpson and the first visit to Wales by The Hermes Experiment. This year s festival includes two visits by Welsh National Opera Orchestra. In addition to the performance of the complete Bach Brandenburg Concertos at Neaudd y Dderwen, Rhosygilwen (28 July), the orchestra will give a concert at St Davids Cathedral (26 July) with Peter Donohoe as soloist for Tchaikovsky s Piano Concerto No 1. Further orchestral concerts will be given by the European Union Chamber Orchestra at St Mary s Church, Haverfordwest (24 July) and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales under the baton of Carlo Rizzi at St Davids Cathedral (4 August). Since its creation in 1963, many winners of the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition have gone on to establish themselves among some of the finest pianists on the international circuit today. The Russian pianist Anna Tsybuleva is one of only two female winners of the competition and she comes to west Wales with a programme of works by CPE Bach, Brahms and Tchaikovsky on Saturday 29 July. Celebrating their 25 th year together, the renowned Gould Piano Trio has marked the occasion with a new commission from composer and clarinettist Mark Simpson, the first winner of both BBC Young Musician and BBC Proms/Guardian Young Composer of the Year. His new work, After Avedon will be performed by the trio at their concert at St Mary s Church, Newport (31 July) where they will be joined by Mark on clarinet for a performance of Messiaen s Quartet for the End of Time. Since its formation just over three years ago, The Hermes Experiment has quickly established itself as one of the most exciting chamber music ensembles working in the UK today. Sporting a line-up of harp, clarinet, voice and double bass, the group has capitalised on its unusual combination of instruments and passion for contemporary music by commissioning new works from some 36 composers. Their concert at St Mary s Church, Fishguard (29 July) includes works by Gareth Wood, Prokofiev, Debussy and Richard Rodney-Bennett. The Festival s programme also includes concerts by mezzo soprano Rebecca Afonwy Jones (25 July) and violinist Elenid Owen (27 July) with pianist Evgenia Startseva at Holy Name Church, Fishguard. Royal Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales, Anne Denholm will give a solo harp recital at Tabor Chapel, Dinas Cross ((27 July) and the Welsh folk band Calan-ish will be giving special concerts for
families and young toddlers on 25 July. The beautiful setting of Gellifawr Woodland Retreat provides a fitting backdrop for a talk exploring the ancient tales of the Mabinogi by poet and writer Meredith Hopwood (30 July) and once again the Festival will be offering audiences the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the ancient pilgrims to Pembrokeshire on a guided Saints and Stones tour to four ancient places of worship with live music performed by members of The Hermes Experiment at each site. Full details of the festival programme can be found at www.fishguardmusicfestival.co.uk. For further information contact Cathy Morris morris.c@ntlbusiness.com Tel: 029 2019 0176 Notes to Editors The Fishguard International Music Festival is a recipient of lottery funding from Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh Government. Further financial support has been received from: Colwinston Charitable Trust Conygar The Leche Trust Tŷ Cerdd Stena Line Western Solar Holywell Music Ltd Melin Tregwynt The Dyfrig and Heather John Charitable Trust Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council Dinas Cross Community Council The full programme is as follows: MONDAY 24 JULY St Mary s Church, Haverfordwest European Union Chamber Orchestra Hans-Peter Hofmann director Fiona Slominska flute Handel Mozart Bach Haydn Concerto Grosso Op.6 No.7 Flute Concerto in G Concerto for Two Violins Symphony No. 42 in D Page 2 of 6
TUESDAY 25 JULY 10.30am Fishguard Library Tiny Tots Concert with Calan-ish TUESDAY 25 JULY Theatr Gwaun, Fishguard Family Concert with Calan-ish TUESDAY 25 JULY Holy Name Catholic Church, Fishguard Elenid Owen Evgenia Startseva violin Debussy Violin Sonata Peter Reynolds So soft this morning, ours Prokofiev 10 pieces from Vision Fugitives Brahms Violin Sonata No. 3 WEDNESDAY 26 JULY Ebenezer Chapel, Newport Newport Music Society Showcase WEDNESDAY 26 JULY St Davids Cathedral Welsh National Opera Orchestra Tuomas Hannikainen conductor Peter Donohoe Sibelius The Swan of Tuonela Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 Sibelius Symphony No. 2 THURSDAY 27 JULY Page 3 of 6
Tabor Chapel, Dinas Cross Anne Denholm harp Grandjany Rhapsodie John Parry Harp Sonata No. 3 Luke Goss Sonatine Mchedelov Variations on a Theme of Paganini Britten Suite for Harp Scarlatti Harp Sonata in E major K.380 Scarlatti Harp Sonata in E major K.531 H Renié Légende THURSDAY 27 JULY Holy Name Catholic Church, Fishguard Rebecca Afonwy Jones Evgenia Startseva mezzo soprano Ravel Shéhérazade Falla Andaluza 7 Canciones Populares Españolas Medtner 4 Fairy Tales Nos 1 & 3 8 Mood Pictures Nos 6 & 8 Morfydd Owen Spring The Lamb Gweddi y Pechadur Tchaikovsky Ni Slova, o drug moj Op 6 N et tolka tot kto znal Op 6 Sred shumnnovo bala Op 38 D en li tsarit? Op 47 FRIDAY 28 JULY 10am Town Hall, Fishguard Saints and Stones FRIDAY 28 JULY 5pm Neuadd y Dderwen, Rhosgilwen SA43 2TW Welsh National Opera Orchestra Page 4 of 6
David Adams Bach director The Brandenburg Concertos SATURDAY 29 JULY 2pm St Mary s Church, Fishguard The Hermes Experiment Gareth Wood Debussy Emily Hall Prokofiev Giles Swayne Misha Mullov-Abbado Rodney-Bennett Meredith Monk Blake Canticles Voiles & Reverie I am living simply We ve reached the end of the ending Four pieces from Vision Fugitives Chansons Devotes et poissonneuses The Linden Tree Slow Foxtrot Double Fiesta SATURDAY 29 JULY Neuadd y Dderwen, Rhosygilwen Anna Tsybuleva CPE Bach Sonata in G minor, H47 Brahms Piano Sonata No. 2 Tchaikovsky The Seasons SUNDAY 30 JULY Gellifawr Woodland Retreat Mererid Hopwood Mapping the Mabinogi MONDAY 31 JULY St Mary s Church, Newport Page 5 of 6
Gould Piano Trio Mark Simpson clarinet Beethoven Trio in B flat major, Op 11 Mark Simpson After Avedon Messiaen Quatuor pour la fin du temps TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 7pm Theatr Gwaun, Fishguard Film Screening from Salzburg Easter Festival Mascagni Leoncavallo Cavalleria Rusticana Pagliacci 16 Friends of/frindiau Theatr Gwaun: 15 Child/Plentyn: 5 FRIDAY 4 AUGUST St Davids Cathedral National Youth Orchestra of Wales Carlo Rizzi conductor R. Strauss Till Eulenspiegel Britten Four Sea Interludes Debussy La Mer Page 6 of 6