The Tenby International Music Festival has celebrated a landmark second year after attracting three times as many people as its inaugural event in 2025.
International musicians and composers travelled to the Pembrokeshire seaside town for four days of concerts, new music and community events from 13 to 16 August.
The growing festival, founded by Welsh musicians Thomas Mathias and Dominic Ciccotti, welcomed artists from Wales, England, Scotland, France, Japan and the United States.
Six events were held across the four days, including major evening concerts at St Mary’s Church, a free open-air performance in Tenby town centre and an interactive children’s concert at Tenby Museum & Art Gallery.
The 2026 festival featured Welsh violinist and Co-Artistic Director Thomas Mathias, Welsh pianist and Co-Artistic Director Dominic Ciccotti, Japanese pianist and Artistic Adviser Yuki Minami, violinist Hana Mizuta-Spencer, violist Gordon Cervoni and cellist Zachary Owen.
They were joined by Welsh composer Katie Jenkins and American composer Kian Ravaei, Director of the festival’s Composer Fellowship.
One of the highlights was an opening evening concert at St Mary’s Church, which saw the visiting musicians collaborate with Tenby Male Choir.
The performance brought together the festival’s international outlook with one of the area’s longstanding musical traditions.
Other programmes took audiences on musical journeys across Europe and beyond.
Prague to Paris: A Piano Journey Across Europe featured music by composers including Mozart, Liszt, Debussy, Mendelssohn, Elgar and Dvořák.
Fire and Fiddle: An Evening of Hungarian Music celebrated music by Dohnányi, Bartók, Brahms and Monti.
Composer Fellowship attracts global interest
A major development during the festival’s second year was the launch of the Tenby International Composer Fellowship.
The programme attracted 256 applications from 39 countries, with only three composers selected for the inaugural fellowship.
They were Fiona Frank from Wales and Bea Carr and Will Stackpole from the United States.
Directed by American composer Kian Ravaei, the tuition-free programme offered professional development, workshops with musicians, performances and professional recordings of the composers’ music.
Their works formed part of the festival finale, From the World to Wales, which connected emerging international composers with contemporary Welsh and American musical voices.
Festival 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. We’re enormously grateful to everyone who has supported us, and we’re already thinking ambitiously about where we can take the Festival next.”
Bringing classical music to the community
Alongside its evening concert series, the festival continued its work to make classical music accessible to the wider community.
A free open-air concert brought festival musicians into the centre of Tenby, while Colours of the Coast, an interactive concert at Tenby Museum & Art Gallery, introduced young children and their families to classical music through an informal performance.
The events form part of the organisers’ ambition to create a world-class music festival with the community of Tenby at its heart.
Co-Artistic Director Dominic Ciccotti said: “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.”
Festival Patron Robert Smith said: “In its two years the festival has packed an enormous amount into its concert programmes and wider musical activities.”
He added: “The festival is the product of its two imaginative, ambitious Artistic Directors, Dominic Ciccotti and Thomas Mathias. The festival is truly international in the music, musicians and composers who are at the heart of it. Added to which it strives to be as local in its commitment to the town, its community, and more widely to the greater Wales.”
Describing the event as a “Thrilling finale concert”, he praised the “Magic spell of pianist Yuki Minami’s poised and scintillating playing.”
He added: “Variety and emotional intensity brought marvellously to life by all the festival’s extraordinarily talented musicians.”
Robert Smith said: “A great internationally inspired party for audience and participants alike. Tenby is fortunate indeed to have this young festival with its quality, inclusiveness, international perspective and ambition set to carry it confidently forward over the years ahead.”
Planning is now beginning for the 2027 Tenby International Music Festival.
Organisers are looking to expand its artistic, educational and international programmes as it builds on its position as a growing fixture in the Welsh cultural calendar.
