On 24th and 25th of August, beautiful St Mary’s in the Castle on Hastings seafront will be host to the very first International Composers Festival. Conceived as a celebration of accessible and soulful classical music, the festival will feature a varied programme of concerts and talks. This unique event aims to bring together local and international composers and musicians to offer the public a fresh experience of contemporary classical music .
The festival will launch on Friday 24th August with an evening concert by the London Gala. Orchestra directed by Stephen Ellery and performing new works by Nigel Hess, Simon Proctor, Patrick Hawes, Nobuya Monta, Kevin Riley and Polo Piatti.
The 25th August features talks, discussions, networking opportunities and open rehearsals. A highlight will be the keynote speech “on Being a Composer” by the festival’s patron, renowned British composer Nigel Hess followed by a Question and Answer session.
Visitors will get a unique insight into the craft of creating classical music and have the opportunity to observe and question composers and musicians at work. The festival’s creator and artistic director, Anglo-Argentine composer Polo Piatti, now resident in Hastings, explains: “We are aiming to make contemporary classical music fully accessible by giving the public access to the creative process and by showcasing music that speaks to emotion, beauty and soul as opposed to the mainstream trend in classical music which has been to intellectualise it. We are especially pleased to have such a wonderful mix of well known and upcoming artists and that we are able to give a platform local and international talent here in Hastings. With the fantastic venue of St Mary’s in the Castle, we think this will be a truly special event.” The festival is aimed at ardent classical music lovers as well as those who may have shied away from it in the past. By providing a chance to experience it in an open and interactive context, the organisers especially hope to encourage young people to discover what contemporary classical music has to offer.
On Saturday, the festival will close with an evening concert with a performance by Hastings Philharmonic Choir as well as selected guest musicians and singers conducted by Stephen Ellery. A farewell party to celebrate what promises to be an exciting new part of the Hastings and south coast cultural scene will follow.
Tickets and more information about the festival and participants are available now via the website: www.composersfestival.com. There are day passes or a full festival pass, concessions for seniors and students and children under the age of 12 go free.
About International Composers Festival
Contact
Diana Wallis, Festival Director c/o Grosvenor Artist Management 98 High Street, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3ES
Email: diana@composersfestival.com Tel: 07939 111 606 Polo Piatti, Artistic Director
polo@composersfestival.com Tel: 07725 163 929 www.composersfestival.com