Welcome to the Gower Festival
For more than forty years the Gower Festival has been bringing music of the highest quality to this area of south west Wales. Once again, during the first two weeks in July, we are inviting internationally acclaimed musicians to play in the superb acoustic and atmosphere of our ancient churches.
As you navigate the web site, clicking photographs will reveal further information.
“We have a wonderful programme planned, with twelve concerts performed by brilliant International artists. Every concert will be a highlight and there is music for everyone!
We are keen to use as many churches of Gower as possible, both large and small.
Early booking is advisable as some of the churches have limited capacity.
Please come and join us.”
gordon back
After three long years the Festival has returned. It was fantastic to hear live music again!
2022 was a brilliant Festival with outstanding concerts performed by artists from twelve different countries. The majority of the concerts were sold out and the audience reaction was overwhelmingly positive.
We are indebted to our Patron,
Llŷr Williams, who stepped in for a concert at extremely short notice.
Roll on 2023!
2022 Festival
video Review
It was fantasic to hear live music again in the very well attended 2022 Gower Festival.
For 2023 the individual concert times and locations are to be finalised and will appear on this website in due course as arrangements are confirmed.
2023 FESTIVAL
“It is a privilege for me, as President, to be able to welcome you to the Gower Festival, my ‘local’ festival, having been raised on the beautiful Gower Peninsula. There is an exciting programme for you to enjoy, with concerts in the historic churches of Gower.”
Sir Karl Jenkins CBE
“The Gower Festival represents the best of the British summer festival tradition, great music for friendly and appreciative audiences in the most beautiful surroundings. I always look forward to returning with much anticipation.”
Llŷr Williams
“Performing at the Gower Festival on many occasions has always been a special experience for me. I am therefore thrilled to be invited to be a Patron of this outstanding Festival.”
Catrin Finch
2023 Provisional programme
In the first concert of their three-day residency in Gower, the London Conchord Ensemble perform Schubert’s much-loved ‘Trout’ Quintet alongside the Grand Septet in D minor by Schubert’s older contemporary Hummel, with its virtuoso writing for the piano.
CATRIN FINCH, HARP
Under the intriguing title 'Myths and Fairy Tales', the Conchord Ensemble play music by Rossini, Handel, Gluck, Britten, Engelbert Humperdinck and Messiaen, and will talk about it too. Enjoy the stories and the contrasts of style and instrumental colour!
KEILA WAKAO, VIOLIN
and GORDON BACK piano
1st PRIZE, MENUHIN INTERNATIONAL violin COMPETITION 2021
A wonderful evening of serenade music for wind and strings. Martinu’s cheerful Nonet, with its echoes of the folk music of his native Bohemia. The lyrical Nonet by Louis Spohr, a romantic piece full of good tunes and good humour. And Beethoven’s ever-popular Septet. Don’t miss this opportunity.
GOWER ARTISTS EXHIBITION
and TALK
A lecture recital by the inspirational conductor and string-teacher David Watkin, throwing new light on Bach’s life and music. An award-winner for his Bach recordings, David’s talk will be wide-ranging, adventurous and fun.
RACHEL PODGER, VIOLIN and DANIELE CAMINITI, LUTE
A romantic evening of song by the outstanding young baritone James Atkinson, currently singing in WNO's production of Don Giovanni. His programme includes one of the greatest of all romantic song cycles, Schumann’s Dichterliebe
(A Poet’sLove), and songs by Rhian Samuel and Gerald Finzi. A high point of this year’s festival.
RACHEL PODGER, VIOLIN and DANIELE CAMINITI, LUTE
A firm favourite with Gower audiences, Pavel Kolesnikov is one of the most sensitive and original pianists of his generation. His typically imaginative programme includes music by Schubert, Fauré and Reynaldo Hahn.
An evening not to be missed.
Presenting
MUMBLES A CAPELLA YOUTH CHOIR
A firm favourite with Gower audiences, Pavel Kolesnikov is one of the most sensitive and original pianists of his generation. His typically imaginative programme includes music by Schubert, Fauré and Reynaldo Hahn.
An evening not to be missed.
LLŶR WILLIAMS, PIANO
Andrey Lebedev, who delighted Gower audiences in 2018, returns with the brilliant young Polish accordionist, Bartosz Głowacki. Their programme has a Spanish/Latin-American flavour, including music by Rodrigo, Piazzolla, Villa-Lobos and Ernesto Nazareth.
HUW WIGGIN, SAXOPHONE and Oliver WASS, HARP
Widely praised for their ‘uplifting’, ‘perfectly judged’ performances, the Sitkovetsky Trio – Alexander Sitkovetsky (violin), Isang Enders (cello) and Wu Qian (piano) – make a welcome return to Gower. They will perform wonderful trios by Ravel (as recently issued on a much acclaimed CD) and Brahms.
TALK by CHRIS WEEKS,
‘Gower: the sea, music and images’
First prize-winner at the prestigious Leeds Piano Competition in September 2021, Alim Beisembayev makes his Gower debut performing Chopin’s Piano Sonata no. 2 ‘Funeral March’ and music by Haydn and Liszt.
CARDUCCI STRING QUARTET
A rare opportunity to hear Sir Arthur Bliss’s lyrical Quintet for clarinet and strings alongside Brahms’s late masterpiece for the same instruments. The acclaimed Elias Quartet are joined by Robert Plane, principal clarinet of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales for over twenty years, and now Head of Woodwind Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
CARDUCCI STRING QUARTET
with ANGHARAD ROWLANDS, MEZZO SOPRANO
The Elias Quartet perform two gems of the string quartet repertoire: Haydn’s Quartet in G, Op. 54/1, and Mendelssohn’s stormy Quartet in A minor, Op. 13, the young composer’s tribute to the late quartets of Beethoven.
PORT EYNON SA3 1NL
MAXIM LANDO, PIANO
1st prizewinner,
VENDOME PRIZE 2022
An evening of Gower-influenced poetry and jazz featuring the well-known BBC Wales Presenter Nicola Heywood-Thomas, actor Siôn Tudur Owen and local star Mal Pope with music by the popular jazz pianist Geoff Eales and his Trio.
Become a friend
An evening of Gower-influenced poetry and jazz featuring the well-known BBC Wales Presenter Nicola Heywood-Thomas, actor Siôn Tudur Owen and local star Mal Pope with music by the popular jazz pianist Geoff Eales and his Trio.
CYMANFA GANU
An evening of Gower-influenced poetry and jazz featuring the well-known BBC Wales Presenter Nicola Heywood-Thomas, actor Siôn Tudur Owen and local star Mal Pope with music by the popular jazz pianist Geoff Eales and his Trio.
Book your tickets online
latest news
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The Story of the Gower Festival
The Gower Festival has its roots in the long, hot summer of 1976 when Jonathan Beecher, an Oxford cellist, brought a student orchestra and a handful of professional soloists to perform an astonishing series of thirty-one concerts in Gower churches during the last two weeks of August. So many events packed into a fortnight may have been over-ambitious. But the idea of holding a music festival in Gower churches was such a good one that it led to the formation of the Gower Festival Society and in due course to the appointment of John Fussell MBE, Swansea's Director of Music and City Organist, as Artistic Director of the enterprise. More than anyone else, it was John who established the high standards of musical performance and well-chosen repertoire which have characterised the Gower Festival ever since.
Friends of the Gower Festival
We have some wonderful concerts arranged for the 2023 Gower Festival.
Festival Friends have priority booking.
Benefits of becoming a Friend
- ➢ Advance booking for concerts. This benefit is much appreciated by Friends as many concerts, particularly at smaller venues, sell out quickly.
- ➢ Regular Festival email updates.
- ➢ Acknowledgement in the Festival programme.
- ➢ Opportunities to help with the running of Festival events and to attend the Society’s Annual Meeting.
Annual Membership costs: £15 per household.
You can join in one of four ways:
- ♦ Contact Mrs Anne Pope, 10 Vowley View, Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire SN4 8HT
- ♦ Email: friends@gowerfestival.org
- ♦ Download a Gower Festival application form
- ♦ Pick up an application form at any festival venue.
Gower Festival Friends 100 Club
Don’t miss your chance to support the Gower Festival Society and win cash prizes for yourself!
There are three prize draws per year - July, November and March.
- ➢ 1st Prize per draw £100
- ➢ 2nd Prize of £50
- ➢ 3rd Prizes of £25 (the number of 3rd prizes is dependent on the number of tickets sold per year).
Last year the 100 Club raised over £600 for the Gower Festival - a significant contribution towards the cost of a concert.
The cost of a share is only £12 per year - that’s just £1 per month. You may take out more than one share if you wish.
You can join in one of three ways:
- ♦ Contact Mrs Anne Pope, 10 Vowley View, Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire SN4 8HT
- ♦ Email: friends@gowerfestival.org
- ♦ Pick up an application form at any festival venue, or download an application form.
useful links
Gower Festival secretary at info@gowerfestival.org
Friends of Gower Festival secretary: friends@gowerfestival.org
Information about Swansea and Gower including, walks, what's on, accommodation:
www.visitswanseabay.com/
destination/gower-peninsula
Swansea Classical Guitar Circle: www.swanseaguitars.co.uk
