Music festival set to mark 30 years with ambitious line-up

A music festival is set to mark its 30th annual event with a diverse and ambitious programme of music.

Celebrations are set to take place in Crickhowell this May Bank Holiday weekend as the Crickhowell Choral Society marks its 30th annual festival.

This year’s theme, Rites of Passage, explores the milestones of human life through music, from birth to death and beyond, reflecting on how composers have expressed universal human experiences across centuries.

The festival continues its tradition of showcasing a wide range of styles, from folk to classical, offering something for all audiences and bringing together both well-known masterpieces and lesser-performed works.

A highlight of the weekend will be Sunday’s performance of Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, known for its powerful and haunting sound, particularly its dramatic choral writing and emotional depth.

Saturday’s programme promises further excitement, featuring one of the first modern performances in Britain of a dramatic work by French Baroque composer Jean-Joseph de Mondonville. His piece, In Exitu Israel, depicts the biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites across the Red Sea, symbolising freedom and renewal.

Additional works across the festival include music by Henry Purcell and Franz Schubert, alongside contemporary compositions such as Five Hebrew Love Songs by Eric Whitacre. The latter will feature soprano Áine Smith, a Crickhowell native whose career is now flourishing in London, returning home as part of the celebrations.

The festival also celebrates the choir’s scholarship scheme, now in its tenth year, with a dedicated afternoon recital highlighting young talent and supporting the next generation of musicians through performance opportunities and training.

Organisers say the anniversary festival not only celebrates the choir’s history but also its ongoing commitment to bringing diverse, challenging and engaging music to the local community.

You can get tickets for the festival here.