Opening today: Fishguard International Music Festival

The Fishguard International Music Festival, artistic directors Peter Donohoe & Gillian Green, opens today (24 July 2017) and runs until 4 August. The Welsh National Opera Orchestra will be making two visits to the festival, performing Bach's complete Brandenburg Concertos and performing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Peter Donohoe. Other orchestral concerts include a visit from the European Union Chamber Orchestra, and a visit from the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Carlo Rizzi.

The Gould Piano Trio celebrated their 25th year together with a new commission from Mark Simpson, and the trio will perform Mark's After Avedon alongside Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time where they are joined by Mark on clarinet. The Hermes Experiment make their first appearance at the festival with a concert which includes works by Gareth Wood, Emily Hall, Giles Swayne, Misha Mullov-Abbado and Meredith Monk as well as arrangements of Prokofiev, Debussy and Richard Rodney-Bennett. The Festival will also be offering audiences the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the ancient pilgrims to Pembrokeshire on a guided Saints and Stones tour to four ancient places of worship with live music performed by members of The Hermes Experiment at each site.

For venues, the festival casts its net widely not only using venues in Fishguard, but St David's Cathedral and venues in Newport, Haverfordwest and Rhosigilwen,

Full details from the Fishguard International Music Festival website.