Welcome to the Gower Festival
For over 40 years the Gower Festival has brought music and art of the highest quality to this area of southwest Wales. Now, as well as our traditional Summer fortnight held in our ancient, atmospheric Gower churches, we also present Spring and Autumn entertainments. These include ‘big band’ and jazz with poetry evenings where food and drink are served in a relaxed setting. As always, we present internationally acclaimed artists, while we keep the ticket prices spectacularly low by attracting generous sponsorship.
As you navigate the web site, clicking photographs will reveal further information.
The 2024 Gower Festival was a brilliant success!
It is difficult to highlight a few concerts, as we heard such wonderful performances of the highest artistic quality.
We reached a larger audience than ever before, had record ticket sales and increased the number of young people attending the festival.
I do want to thank our committee who have worked tirelessly to produce a seamless event and our sponsors without whom it would not take place.
We look forward to 2025 with great anticipation.
gordon back
Next year’s festival will be held from
1-12 July.
International acclaimed performers will include...
Leon McCawley
Fiddlesticks Ensemble
Jane Austen 250
Joe Dunthorne
Lumas Wind Quintet
Heath Quartet
An evening with Martyn Brabbins
Comedy Genius of Rainer Hersch
2025 FESTIVAL DETAILS BELOW
We are honoured to have Sir Karl Jenkins as our President. Brought up in Penclawdd and educated at Gowerton Grammar School, he is one of the most frequently performed living composers.
“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
Llŷr is an internationally recognised concert pianist. He has been the recipient of many awards and is the official accompanist to the Cardiff Singer of the World. He has delighted Gower Festival audiences with his sensitive, meticulously performed recitals.
“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
Catrin is an internationally renowned harpist. In 2000 she was appointed for a term as Royal Harpist to Charles, Prince of Wales. She has developed an eclectic approach to the instrument with her recent international collaborations.
“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
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2025 Provisional programme
Praised for his unfailingly communicative playing, British pianist Leon McCawley has been delighting audiences worldwide since winning, in 1993, First Prize in the International Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna and Second Prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition.
Leon McCawley, piano
SA2 9AR
Fiddlesticks comprises leading Baroque players from across the early music scene, centred round three violin soloists Huw Daniel, Kati Debretzeni and Debbie Diamond, supported by core continuo team cellist Kinga Gáborjáni and harpsichordist Steven Devine.
Fiddlesticks Ensemble
SA3 1HU
Actress Alex Kingston, soprano Claire Booth and pianist Andrew Matthews-Owen explore the life and work of Jane Austen, born 250 years ago. Drama and comedy alternate with some of Jane’s favourite songs – by Mozart, Schubert, Handel and others.
Jane Austen 250
SA2 9AR
Swansea-born Joe Dunthorne is a novelist and poet. His debut novel Submarine was made into a film, and his second book, Wild Abandon, won the Royal Society of Literature Encore Award. His dramatic portrait of Swansea, written for the 70th anniversary of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, was broadcast in 2024.
Joe Dunthorne
SA3 1NL
Mumbles A Cappella is a Swansea based community youth vocal ensemble with a repertoire that knows no boundaries. Come and enjoy their songs – you'll be entertained and surprised!
MUMBLES A CAPPELLA
YOUTH CHOIR
SA3 4RB
Rainer Hersch is a comedian and musician who has performed on every major comedy stage in Britain and abroad. He has appeared thirteen times at the Edinburgh Festival, had numerous comedy-concert series at the South Bank in London, featured in comedy clubs all across Europe and in TV shows around the world.
Comedy Genius of
RAINER HERSCH
SA3 1AA
Swansea Bach Choir are old friends of the Gower Festival. Founded by John Hugh Thomas in 1965 and now directed by Greg Hallam, they will celebrate their 60th birthday by performing two masterpieces for unaccompanied voices: Vaughan Williams’s Mass in G minor and the Mass for Double Choir by Swiss composer Frank Martin.
swansea bach choir
60th anniversary
SA4 3PU
Lumas Winds is a dynamic chamber ensemble based in London. Winners of the 71st Royal Over-Seas League Mixed Ensemble Prize in 2023, Lumas are committed ambassadors for wind chamber music and the rich variety of repertoire that it offers.
Lumas Wind Quintet
Ever since winning the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artists Award in 2013,
the Heath String Quartet has been admired as one of Britain’s most versatile groups. In 2012 they won the Ensemble Prize at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where they are now regular visitors. We welcome them back to Gower.
The Heath Quartet
SA3 1PL
Andy Davies is an award-winning Welsh trumpeter, comedian, script writer, voice over artist, actor and educator. He has hosted the famous Wednesday night Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Jam Session for over thirteen years. ‘More fun than a barrel of monkeys’ (Evening Standard), he will perform with the Dave Cottle Trio.
JAZZ WITH ANDY DAVIES
AND THE DAVE COTTLE TRIO
SA3 4AX
Ever since winning the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artists Award in 2013,
the Heath String Quartet has been admired as one of Britain’s most versatile groups. In 2012 they won the Ensemble Prize at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where they are now regular visitors. We welcome them back to Gower.
The Heath Quartet
SA3 1ER
Martyn Brabbins was recently appointed Chief Conductor of the Malmö Symphony, starting in the 2025/26 season. He was music director of the English National Opera 2016-2023. He conducted two concerts at the 2024 Proms, one taking over at short notice after the death of Sir Andrew Davies. He is a Friend of the Gower Festival.
This evening Martyn will be in conversation with Gordon Back, talking about his life and recordings.
An evening with
Martyn Brabbins
SA4 3PU
Born in the Czech Republic and trained in Germany, Robert Bily was first prize-winner at the 2024 Vendome piano competition in New York. He was described by Vendome’s Artistic Director as ‘one of our strongest winners ever’.
Robert Bily
Ist Prizewinner Vendome 2024
SA3 4RB
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gower festival venues
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The Story of the Gower Festival
From its early years the Gower Festival has been concerned to foster a wide range of music in idyllic settings...
Friends of the Gower Festival
We have had some wonderful concerts arranged for the 2024 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