Various venues, Cardiff and Vale Of Glamorgan
Wed 9-Wed 16 May
Sure, there’s always been innovative and exciting music coming from the usual genres, but when’s the last time you thought “What’s going on in the world of contemporary classical?” Forget the usual litany of Bach, Beethoven and Mozart. This annual celebration is “unique in the UK as the only classical music festival dedicated to the music of living composers.”
Featured Welsh composer John Metcalf is the founder and Artistic Director to this day, and both he and the Vale Of Glamorgan Festival are award winners. It started out in 1969 offering just classical music, but in 1992 switched keys and began showcasing more modern works. Composers from/based in Britain such as Ian Clarke, Matthew Jones, John Metcalf, Steph Power, Peter Reynolds, David Roche and Helen Woods are well-represented along with their contemporaries worldwide.
In addition to Cardiff-hosting venues, there’s also Bridgend church Ewenny Priory and that art deco gem the Penarth Pier Pavilion. These all have fabulous acoustics where you’ll hear divertimentos, concertos, nocturnes, preludes, sonatas, suites, variations and more. A huge bonus is that there’s only one event each day so you don’t have to choose between seeing Ivan Ilic, Matthew Jones, Alice Neary, Jan Willem Nelleke, Jose Zalba Smith, Annabel Thwaite, Ensemble MidtVest, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and BBC National Chorus of Wales over the other!
Tickets: £12-£16.50 per event (free-£3 NUS). Info: 0333 666 3366 (RLR)