MusicFest Aberystwyth is a fusion of an international

music festival A music festival is a festival, community event with music, performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme such as musical genre (e.g., rock music, rock, blues, folk music, folk, jazz, classical music), nation ...

and

summer school Summer school (or summer university) is a school, or a program generally sponsored by a school or a school district, or provided by a private company, that provides lessons and activities during the summer vacation. Participation in summer school ...

held in

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

Ceredigion Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the West Wales, west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the River Dyfi, Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire t ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. Founded in 1987 by the cellist Nicholas Jones, MusicFest initially started as a small series of concerts. In 1988 a small Summer School was run alongside the concerts which provided

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

coaching for

pianists A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...

and string players. MusicFest has since evolved into an international Festival and Summer School.bbc.co.uk/wales
Throughout the Festival there are daily evening and lunchtime festival

concerts A concert, often known informally as a gig or show, is a live performance of music in front of an audience. The performance may be carried by a single musician, in which case it is sometimes called a recital, or by a musical ensemble such as an ...

, together with student foyer performances and student showcase concerts. The 2009 festival features guest artists and visiting tutors include Orion Orchestra, cellist Guy Johnston, pianist Tom Poster, the National Youth Jazz Wales, Solstice Quartet, Sacconi Quartet.

Summer School

The Summer School offers young and up and coming music students an opportunity to study with leading professionals. A team of internationally renowned musicians and tutors, led by Artistic Director Iwan Teifion Davies, offers organised, structured chamber music opportunities. Throughout the week the artists in residence coach ensembles, lead workshops, and give master-classes as well as performing in the Festival concerts. Based on the ethos of 'learning through listening, practice & performance', courses are run for string chamber music, solo strings, clarinet, wind chamber music, conducting, composition, saxophone, jazz, voice, and harp. Students also have the opportunity to perform in public.

Courses

Courses run included clarinet, saxophone, Jazz/Latin, string, brass, voice, composition, wind octet, flute and practical psychology.

Artists-in-residence

Tom Poster - Piano
Guy Johnston - Cello
Simon Lane - Piano
Juliet Edwards - Piano
John Flinders - Piano
Orion Orchestra
National Youth Choir of Wales
Solstice Quartet
Eleanor Turner - Harp
Laurence Perkins - Bassoon
Sigyn Fosness - Violin
Nicholas Jones - Cello
Gerard McChrystal - Saxophone
Lucinda Mackworth-Young - Practical Psychology
John Metcalf - Composition

Toby Purser Toby Purser (born 28 June 1974) is a British conductor. Early life Born in London, Purser was educated at the independent Winchester College where he was a chorister and music scholar. Purser read music at Oxford University, setting up the Ox ...

- Conducting
Veronica Veysey-Campbell - Voice
Performance Venues *

Aberystwyth Arts Centre Aberystwyth Arts Centre ( Welsh: ''Canolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth'') is an arts centre in Wales, located on Aberystwyth University's Penglais campus. One of the largest in Wales, it comprises a theatre (312 seats), concert hall (1,250 seats ...

*Joseph Parry Hall * Llanbadarn Church *

Ceredigion Museum Ceredigion Museum () is a museum in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales. Location Ceredigion Museum is located at the Coliseum, Terrace Road, Aberystwyth. It is housed in a restored Edwardian theatre and is managed by Ceredigion County Council. Hi ...

*The Bandstand

Friends of MusicFest

Friends of MusicFest is a charitable organisation which exists to support individual students attending MusicFest who may not otherwise be able to afford to do so.

References

External links

Festival websiteAberystwyth Arts Centre
{{DEFAULTSORT:Musicfest Aberystwyth Cultural festivals in the United Kingdom Festivals in Wales Aberystwyth