CONWY will be filled with the sounds of classical music this month when the popular Conwy Classical Music Festival returns.
Choral and orchestral concerts have been a feature of the summer programme at St Mary’s Church in the historic town since 1981, but it was in 2005 the first week-long festival to mark the 25 year anniversary was organised.
Since then the festival has become an eagerly awaited annual event, attracting acclaimed musicians to descend on Conwy for a week of world-class music.
This year’s festival runs between July 24-30 and opens at 3.30pm on Sunday, July 24 with Choral Evensong sung by the church choir, supported by visiting performers, who will be tackling works by TA Walmisley and Charles Wood.
Daily lunchtime concerts will be held at 1pm from Monday, beginning with acclaimed cellist Tim Lowe accompanied at the piano by Elizabeth Rossiter.
On Tuesday the Manchester-based Fitzsimmon Ensemble will perform an exhilarating Russian programme with Prokofiev’s Overture on Hebrew Themes, with Wednesday welcoming two of the best up-and-coming musical talents from the area when tenor Elgan Thomas, winner of the prestigious 2010 Bryn Terfel Scholarship, and mezzo soprano, Michaela Parry, present a programme of well-known songs and duets accompanied by Catherine Barnett.
Other esteemed performers will include violinist Lorraine McAslan, mezzo soprano Sioned Gwen Davies, baritone Osian Gwynn, the Amici del Canto, ladies choir Genod y Gân, Oxford-based ensemble The Marian Consort and many more.
There will also be a special concert designed for children by Key Strings at the Royal Cambrian Academy at 10:30am on Wednesday, July 27, and a lecture by Dr David Evans and Leila Salisbury from Bangor University on the history of Welsh music at 3pm on Friday, July 29 at St Mary's Church Hall.
What makes Conwy Classical Music Festival unique is a lack of admission charge, with audiences instead invited to contribute to a collection taken at the end of each performance.
Festival Director, Chris Roberts - who has been involved in running concerts in St. Mary’s since they began more 30 years ago - said: "I am confident that this year’s Festival will live up to expectations, with something to appeal to everyone somewhere in the line-up.
"The Festival has built up a loyal and enthusiastic following over the years, but I still come across people in the area who have not heard of it. If you have not already sampled the festival, please come and join us. You will be most welcome."
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Conwy Classical Music Festival will be held at St Mary's Church in Conwy between July 24-31. For more information contact Chris Roberts 01492 592166.