June 19th-22nd

Penarth Pier Pavilion, All Saints Church, Turner House, Windsor Gardens Bandstand

After the rip roaring success of the 10th anniversary year we have created another thrilling journey for 2025, from Scottish Folk Tunes to a Mahler Symphony.

There are renowned masterpieces by Mozart, Brahms, Haydn and Fauré, the incredible Enescu Octet for strings, and a homage to Boulez featuring Robert Plane performing the aural sensation ‘Dialogue de l’ombre double’ for clarinet and live electronics. Horn player Richard Watkins brings us the Welsh premiere of James MacMillan’s duet for horn and piano written for Richard in 2024 and Robert Fokkens ‘Pier Music’ written for David and Alice in 2019/20 will return as it becomes a Penarth Festival classic.

We go across the pond for a look on the brighter side of American culture featuring ravishing songs by Bernstein and Barber from festival patron soprano Rebecca Evans. Amy Beach’s romantic and beautiful piano quintet finishes the programme and Samuel Barber’s String Quartet makes it’s first appearance in Penarth.

Virtuoso jazz pianist Fergus Macreadie, the first non-classic BBC New Generation Artist, joins forces with longtime collaborator Donald Grant, of the world famous Elias String Quartet, for a new take on Bartok and a late night concert of Scottish folk tunes.

Deeply religious and profoundly moving, our performance of Hayden’s Seven Last Words of Christ will be bound together by the poems by Dickinson, Blake, Yeats – contemplations to connect the seven musical meditations read by international opera star Donald Maxwell.

The centrepiece of the festival is a performance of Mahler Symphony No 4 in the arrangement by Erwin Stein, conducted by Ryan Bancroft with soprano Rebecca Evans. Ryan also joins us the next morning to discuss his Flat Holm Island discs, the festival’s take on the famous BBC Radio 4 programme, with live performances of his life defining works.

There are young musicians showcases, a masterclass, family and relaxed concerts and our new venture – the Promenade Concert! 3 simultaneous events in 3 venues performed 3 times! Hear each 20 minute programme by taking a gentle stroll between each one. As well as Bach and Gershwin, the promenade programmes feature the music of wonderful Penarthian composer Iain Veitch including a new work written especially for CCVG Symphonic Brass.

Artistic Directors- David Adams and Alice Neary

Patron- Rebecca Evans CBE

Guests Artists- Stephanie Gonley, Mathilde Milwidsky, Donald Grant, Joel Hunter, Alinka Rowe, Rebecca Gilliver, Richard Watkins, Robert Plane, Viv Maclean, Fergus McCreadie, Ryan Bancroft, Enoch Wong (young artist in residence), Matthew Featherstone, Steven Hudson, Robin Green, Phil Girling, Andy Cookson, Odilon Marcenaro, Dave Stark, Lenny Sayers, James Lea, Stephen Walsh.