Conwy Classical Music Festival 2023

The 2023 Festival proved to be highly popular and attracted audiences in record numbers. On many occasions the church was filled to capacity. The whole gamut of classical music, both instrumental and vocal, was on display and, as usual, featured performers from North Wales, as well as leading musicians from further afield.  Highlights of the week included two morning concerts from our own Christina Mason-Scheuermann, a stunning performance of Vaughan Williams’ ‘The Lark Ascending’ by Zoe Beyers, Leader of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the candle-lit performance of Rachmaninov’s Vespers by the Choir of King’s College, London, a cleverly devised programme structured round the seasons delivered by the Chelys Consort of Viols along with two of the UK’s finest consort singers, and the ever-popular Opera Evening showcasing some of Wales’s finest young operatic talent. Instrumental ensemble performance by the Dante Quartet, The Fitzsimmon Ensemble and the Manchester Wind Ensemble delighted audiences as did the closing choral concert.

Here is some of the feedback received from audience members and performers.

From Audience Members

Thank you so much for a wonderful week of memorable music and concerts. I feel that this year’s festival was the best ever!

Maggie Barnard

I just wanted to say how much we enjoyed this year’s festival. We had a marvellous week, an absolute feast of music. It is so good to listen to classical music in such a beautiful and historic venue. The programme that you put on was just amazing. I think the festival can match and indeed surpass any of the regional festivals in the UK now.

Mary Aris

Warmest Congratulations for the most amazing week of music!  We’re back home again, ‘as flat as pancakes’, after being transported to another world for an entire week. We both agreed, we felt it was like a trip in outer space, to another world. The world of MUSIC.  Just wonderful! The atmosphere on Saturday night was electric. We loved Côr Cantilena –so inventive – we wanted more.  The audience clearly loved them, and the whole church felt filled with joy and love.

Everyone is so very friendly, united by our shared passion, which breaks down all barriers.  We met a delightful couple from the Netherlands, who attended almost all the concerts.  He commented after the performance by The Fitzsimmon Ensemble of Schubert’s String Quintet in C major, D 956, that the music sounded, ‘as if it had just come down from Heaven’.  I totally agree, just sublime.

Gwen and Douglas Lowe

From Performers

Thank you for having us to perform in Conwy. It was a pleasure to share a programme we love with such a super audience – you’ve built up a gem of a festival, long may it continue to bring great music to your lovely town!

Jenny, The Chelys Consort of Viols.

Thanks so much for inviting us to be part of the Conwy Festival this year – I know I speak for all the group when I say what a wonderful day we had. It was brilliantly organised, and it was a treat for us to play in such a beautiful church to such an appreciative audience – exactly what a concert should be, and I can’t wait for a return visit!

Laura Jellicoe, member of the Manchester Wind Ensemble and Professor of Flute at the Royal Academy of Music.

Thanks so much to the festival for such a great welcome yesterday and for the absolutely packed church. It was great to be able to perform the Rachmaninoff and Tavener to such a warm and appreciative audience and in the beautiful church. I do hope that we’ll be able to come back again soon.

Joseph Fort, Director of the Choir, King’s College, London.