Crickhowell Music Festival, 2026
Rites of Passage
Friday 1st – Monday 4th May at Clarence Hall and St Edmund’s Church, Crickhowell
‘Rites of Passage’, the theme of the 2026 Crickhowell Music Festival, is the 30th staging of this musical extravaganza. The programme explores composers at their most inspired, rising to the challenge of expressing our deepest loves, hopes and fears in music that chart the milestones of human experience.
Our performances will travel through all the changing scenes of life, from birthday blessings courtesy of Purcell, love songs for newlyweds from J.S. Bach and Eric Whitacre, and marking the ‘coming of age’ with sacred texts associated with the Jewish bar mitzvah and Christian confirmation ceremonies in settings by two relatively unsung musical geniuses, Caldara and Zelenka. There are more lost treasures to accompany Mozart’s much loved Requiem Mass including a short motet, also by Mozart, and another by Schubert.
An undoubted highlight this year will be Saturday’s performance of Mondonville’s dramatic psalm setting, In exitu Israel, a re-enactment of the Exodus story, symbolising individual freedom and spiritual renewal. This choral tour de force is simply stunning, bringing another hidden masterpiece into the limelight.
To meet the musical demands of such pieces we are blessed with a star lineup of soloists whose stylish singing always proves such a highlight of our concerts.
But it all starts with a performance by the Kosmos Ensemble at Friday’s opening Folk Night. This highly acclaimed and exuberant trio bring life-enhancing songs and dances from around the globe in a kaleidoscope of folk styles destined to get everyone’s feet tapping.
And don’t miss our final Bank Holiday Recital when we celebrate ten years of our innovative Choral Scholars’ scheme which encourages young musicians to develop and perform. Here we can experience at first hand the rejuvenating power of singing, courtesy of our talented students past and present. As the song goes, “who could ask for anything more?”
Ticket sales will follow shortly, so keep in touch!
Opening Folk Night
Friday 1st May at 7.30pm, Clarence Hall, Crickhowell
With the Kosmos Ensemble – Harriet MacKenzie (violin), Meg Hamilton (viola) and Milos Milivojevic (accordion)
Expect entrancing dance rhythms, soulful improvisation and gypsy passion, delivered with inimitable panache and virtuoso technique. An inspirational combination of tango, gypsy, Balkan and music from the Far East, referencing classical composers, with fearless improvisation.
All three members of Kosmos are soloists in their own right and have recorded concertos with leading world orchestras.
Richard Morrison, chief music critic at The Times, has praised the trio for their “telepathic rapport, dazzling virtuosity, serious scholarship, intellectual curiosity and impeccable musicianship.”
Songs of Innocence and Experience
Saturday 2nd May at 7.30pm, St Edmund’s Church, Crickhowell
Purcell: Birthday Ode: Now does the glorious day appear
Whitacre: Five Hebrew Love Songs
Mondonville: In exitu Israel
Caldara: Nisi Dominus
J.S. Bach: Soprano aria (from Cantata BWV 210, O holder Tag: “Oh fair day”)
With the Festival Baroque Orchestra and soloists Aine Smith (soprano), Matthew Farrell (alto), Daniel Marles (tenor)
and Robert Davies (bass)
Tonight we celebrate birth, marriage and our ‘coming of age’!
The birthday greetings come from Purcell in exuberant music dedicated to Queen Mary, whilst the intimacy of marriage is beautifully recalled in Eric Whitacre’s love songs, dedicated to his wife. The evening’s climax, however, comes with a remarkable work by Mondonville, a French violinist and composer who’s work has only recently popped up in the modern repertoire. It is the epitome of the flamboyant baroque style developed by Louis XIV at the French court and displays some surprisingly modern vocal techniques. The piece recalls the Exodus story of the Israelites’ escape to freedom through the parting of the Red Sea and as such stands as a metaphor for the waters of baptism and the coming of age of a whole nation.
A similar rite of passage is highlighted at the Jewish bar mitzvah by the singing of the Nisi Dominus psalm, which tonight we perform in a setting by Antonio Caldara, yet another neglected composer.
Festival Service
Sunday 3rd May at 10.00am, St. Catwg’s Church, Llangattock
J.S. Bach: Cantata BWV 68: Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt (God so loved the world)
With festival soloists and players
Join us for what’s become a much cherished Festival event; performing a Bach Cantata as originally intended as part of the Sunday service.
Initially conceived as part of an Eastertide cycle, this is Bach at his best. BWV 68 has been praised for its “expressive tenderness” and includes the gorgeous soprano aria My heart ever faithful. There are also some wonderful choruses to savour, from the dance-like rhythms of the opening to the contrapuntal wizardry of the finale.
Intimations of immortality
Sunday 3rd May at 7.30pm, St Edmund’s Church, Crickhowell
Mozart: Requiem Mass (Süssmayr completion)
Zelenka: Credo ZWV31
Mozart: Motet – Veni sancte spiritus K47
Schubert: Motet – Tantum Ergo D 962
With the Festival Baroque Orchestra and soloists Aine Smith (soprano), Matthew Farrell (alto), Daniel Marles (tenor) and Robert Davies (bass)
Our journey through life’s intriguing milestones now focuses on the Christian rites of confirmation, communion and the life hereafter.
The momentous music of Mozart’s Requiem needs little introduction as one of the most loved and well known choral works, but his joyful and youthful communion motet, Veni Sancte Spiritu, will prove a delightful contrast, as will the serene offertory prayer, Tantum Ergo, by Schubert. And there’s more! Another modern first performance: an inspired setting of the Creed by Czech genius and contemporary of J.S Bach, Zelenka.
Choral Scholars 10th Anniversary Recital!
Monday 4th May at 3pm, Clarence Hall, Crickhowell
This is a very special event in celebration of the 10th year of Crickhowell Choral Society’s Choral Scholars’ scheme. If you came to the Scholars’ Concert in Llangattock last year you will know what a talented bunch of young musicians our scholars’ scheme has brought together; if you missed it, here is your chance to catch up with a concert bringing together many amazing young singers both past and present.
With refreshments.