A BORDER festival celebrates its 40th anniversary this August after two years of uncertainty following the Covid pandemic.

The Presteigne Festival is a contemporary classical music festival with an international reputation for the commissioning of important new work and the support of young generation performers and composers.

Continuing its promotion of the widest range of British contemporary music, the festival has commissioned no fewer than nine works to mark this very special anniversary year including orchestral, chamber, instrumental and choral pieces from Cheryl Frances-Hoad, David Matthews, Aileen Sweeney, Huw Watkins and 2022 Royal Philharmonic Society young composer, Rylan Gleave.

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There are also contributions from Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade and Sarah Frances Jenkins, who are artists currently supported by the Presteigne Festival’s own ‘Evolve’ and ‘Emerge’ composer mentoring schemes.

Artistic director George Vass, who is himself celebrating 30 years at the festival said: "It is great to be able to support upcoming talent on their musical journey and to promote their work in a supportive environment.

"We look to give them the platform to develop their skills and to showcase their brilliant, original work."

In addition to this, the Festival will feature a wide variety of works from Beethoven, Elgar, Fauré, Schubert, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, and a collection of important pieces by Ralph Vaughan Williams, whose 150th anniversary is celebrated this year.

Artists involved in the festival include oboeist Nicholas Daniel, violinist Benjamin Nabarro, saxophonist Amy Dickson and pianists Tim Horton and Huw Watkins.

The supporting programme brings cabaret from Jessica Walker and Joseph Atkins, musical and local history from Michael Tavinor, a trio of films by American director Wes Anderson, various exhibitions and the hugely popular Presteigne ‘Open Studios’ weekend.

Telephone and online booking are available from Tuesday May 24. For more details visit www.presteignefestival.com