Ex Cathedra's Fire Burning in Snow is sure to melt your heart
The St David's Cathedral Festival is celebrating its 30th year with a stunning array of concerts performed in the impressive and beautiful surroundings of Pembrokeshire's only cathedral.
Over the last three decades the event has built up a reputation as one of the greatest classical music festivals in Wales, thanks to the appearances of some of the finest artists in the UK.
The festival opens on Friday, May 23rd and runs until Sunday, June 1st.
The festival has a new artistic director this year, Alexander Mason, who has devised an exciting programme which should appeal to everyone, whatever your musical tastes.
Educational workshops with local primary schools kick off the event and it will be officially launched on the Friday evening with a concert by new jazz sensations Joe Stilgoe and Alexander L'Estrange, which will include a world premier of L'Estrange's festival commission at 7pm.
There is a further opportunity to enjoy jazz with an appearance by the Gwilym Simcock Trio on Bank Holiday Monday.
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It will be a welcome return for Gwilym and his newly-formed group, who are already considered one of the hottest bands on the jazz scene. This will be an unique opportunity to hear them perform acoustically.
On Saturday 24th, the St David's Cathedral Choir will perform a programme of baroque favourites accompanied by The Corelli Orchestra, and the soprano soloist Natalie Clifton-Griffith, who will sing J. S. Bach's Cantata Jauchzet Gott BWV 51.
Thursday evening sees the UK's premier clarinettist, Emma Johnson join forces with cello and piano
The festival organisers are pleased to welcome back the illustrious organist of Westminster Abbey, James O'Donnell, who will give this year's organ recital.
Celebrating the anniversary of composer Olivier Messiaen, there will also be a late night organ recital by Henry Fairs and on Wednesday 28th a rare chance to hear Messiaen's seminal chamber music work, Quatuor pour la fin du temps.
The festival also welcomes the distinguished vocal ensemble, Ex Cathedra with one of its trailblazing Latin-American Baroque programmes, Fire Burning in Snow on Tuesday, May 27th.
Led by Jeffrey Skidmore the choir is supported by an electric orchestra of violins, bajon, cornetto, theorbo, harp, organ and percussion.
Thursday evening sees the UK's premier clarinettist, Emma Johnson join forces with cellist Raphael Wallfisch and pianist Leon McCawley for a chamber music concert, followed by a late night performance by Alexander Mason enthralling the audience with an organ improvisation to silent film The Phantom of the Opera.
There will be a lunchtime concert on Friday, May 30th, at St David's Church, Whitchurch, given by violin duo, Simon Hewitt Jones and David Worswick.
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales, under chief conductor Thierry Fischer, also returns to perform works by Dvorak, Mahler, Martin and Ravel.
The festival would not be complete without the hugely popular young musicians platform featuring concerts by Young Musician of Dyfed, harpist Llywelyn Jones and organist Sam Austin. This event will be held on Thursday, May 29th at noon.
There are so many different events during the festival it is difficult to mention them all, but further information and ticket price details can be found at stdavidscathedral.org.uk.
Tickets can be bought by printing and filling in a booking form from the website.
From Monday, May 19th tickets will be available from the St David's Cathedral Festival box office, at Cysgod-y-Twr, The Pebbles, St Davids, or ring 01437 721204.
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