Audiences treble at fledgling classical music festival

Nation.Cymru staff

A fledgling Welsh music festival has seen its audiences treble in just its second year.

The Tenby International Music Festival brought performers and composers from Wales and around the world to the Pembrokeshire seaside town for four days of concerts and community events from August 13 to 16.

Founded in 2025 by Welsh musicians Thomas Mathias and Dominic Ciccotti, the festival staged six events, including evening concerts at St Mary’s Church, a free open-air performance in the town centre and an interactive children’s concert at Tenby Museum and Art Gallery.

Performers came from Wales, England, Scotland, France, Japan and the United States.

One of this year’s highlights saw visiting musicians perform alongside Tenby Male Choir at St Mary’s Church, while other concerts featured music by composers including Mozart, Liszt, Debussy, Mendelssohn, Elgar, Dvořák, Dohnányi, Bartók, Brahms and Monti.

The festival also launched its first International Composer Fellowship, which attracted 256 applications from 39 countries.

Three composers were selected – Fiona Frank from Wales and Americans Bea Carr and Will Stackpole.

The tuition-free programme was directed by American composer Kian Ravaei and included professional development, workshops and performances and recordings of the composers’ work.

Their compositions featured in the festival’s closing concert, From the World to Wales.

‘Remarkable’

Co-artistic director Thomas Mathias said: “The growth we’ve seen in only our second year has been remarkable. To have three times as many people attending as last year gives us real confidence that there is an appetite for what we’re building in Tenby.

“Our ambition from the beginning has been to create something that is deeply rooted in Tenby but international in its outlook. This year we’ve had musicians and composers coming together here from across the world, while our Composer Fellowship received 256 applications from 39 countries.

“We want Tenby to become a place where outstanding international artists, emerging musicians, and the local community come together.”

Co-artistic director Dominic Ciccotti added: “As someone from the Tenby area, it is particularly special to see the Festival growing so quickly.

“We want to build something the town can be proud of: bringing exceptional musicians to Tenby while ensuring that the Festival remains welcoming and accessible to everyone.

“Seeing our audiences treble in just one year has been incredibly encouraging, and we’re excited about what that could mean for the future.”

The festival also included a free open-air concert in the town centre and Colours of the Coast, an interactive concert for children and families at Tenby Museum and Art Gallery.

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