Winchester Chamber
Music Festival 2024

A 2024 thank you message from Artistic Director, Kate Gould

“I am incredibly grateful to all those who made the Festival happen this year, indeed who made it such a success. We could not begin to put on such an ambitious event without the help of many supporters behind the scenes; the funders, the supporters, the trustees, the volunteers, the ticket buyers, the hosts, the meal providers, the cake bakers…. Thank you all very much!

As for the concerts themselves I was absolutely delighted that both our core audience and all the newcomers seemed to thoroughly enjoy the more unusual programmes this year. Part of my role is to discover new, interesting music to share with you and it will always be important to strike a good balance between the famous composers we all know and love and trying something fresh and relevant in the present day, especially as the Festival approaches its 20th anniversary. The excited buzz and discussion after the concerts was truly rewarding – do spread the word to your friends!

I was particularly thrilled that 800 young children heard a string quartet during the Festival and experienced the power of live classical music, which I passionately believe needs to have a stronger presence in the school curriculum and young people’s lives.”

At the heart of the Festival were world class performers including members of the Gould Piano Trio, Elias Quartet and Chamber Orchestra of Europe, joined by ideal chamber music partners such as outstanding soprano Katharine Dain and the internationally-renowned lute and theorbo player, Liz Kenny. Most of the concerts took place in the stunningly refurbished St Paul’s Church, with the popular Family Concert and Masterclass at The Nutshell in Kings Walk. The Festival Gala concert took place at the packed-out Theatre Royal Winchester and the eclectic Late Night concert was another sell-out at St Lawrence Church. Each concert included at least one new work, notably Three Tales of African Migration composed by Dr Bongani Ndodana-Breen, which was part of the Festival Finale, and enthralling, experimental works by modernists Luciano Berio and Carl Vine.

The educational activity was substantial. Even before doors opened to the public on Friday 3 May, the Piatti String Quartet was presenting interactive concerts to two packed school halls in Eastleigh, and the Festival String Quartet was performing an informal concert to the residents of St John’s’ Winchester. The public Festival began on Friday 3 May with a joyful Schools Performance, the culmination of workshops in St Bede’s Primary School, followed on Saturday morning by a Family Concert, packed to the rafters this year. There was also a great atmosphere at the outreach event at the ARC in conjunction with Winchester Go LD for adults with learning disabilities.

For the first time, the Festival gave an opportunity for music college students – this year the Aestus Quartet – to be the ‘Emerging Quartet in Residence’, receiving private and public coaching sessions as well as playing side by side with the professionals in concerts.

The Festival’s Composer in Residence, the renowned Piers Hellawell, wrote three of the works performed, and gave the Composer’s Talk offering insights into the world of composition. The other composers featured were Haydn, Amy Beach, Ravel, Wagner, Berio, Arensky, Mozart, Barber, Arvo Pärt, Carl Vine, Tchaikovsky, Fanny Hensel-Mendelssohn, Fauré, Debussy, Biber, Gabrieli, Corelli, Kapsberger, Brahms, Germaine Tailleferre and Felix Mendelssohn. The superb Fritz Brothers jazz band with Max Baillie on violin offered a sophisticated and touching perspective on many familiar classical tunes in Classical Swing.

Audiences responded enthusiastically to the Festival, with over 83 per cent of capacity at the paid-for events and with several concerts sold out in advance, in addition to those free of charge. Among comments received from members of the audiences are:

“What a fantastic weekend that was.” “The Festival seems to get ever more daring and ever better.” ”Impressively imaginative and varied.” And “a glorious and stimulating Festival”.

And from some of the children who joined from St Bede’s:

“I enjoyed the experience and watching the audience’s face light up with joy! It was also amazing to hear the string quartet play their music because they are so talented and produce such amazing sound!“

“I loved it. I loved it. I loved it. I loved it. I loved it. I really enjoyed writing a song as a class with all of my class and I had so much fun performing it to all the parents and people of the public. I loved listening to the string quartet and the other class. All the people that helped us were amazing and I would definitely do it again – with school or without. It was amazing.“

“I enjoyed having the privilege to sing in a church and to have my parents watching because I have never done this before.“

Don’t forget to put next year’s dates in your diaries… 2 – 5 May 2025. See you there!