The 2026 Festival is over – but not forgotten
As usual, we were treated to a huge variety of different performers and performances, ranging from 3-4 year old nursery school children to 70 to 80-year old singers, and instrumentalists.
We heard mediaeval recorder music, the highly technical “live-looped” playing (Google it!)
… and ear-drum-bashing rock music from the Skipton Music Centre that might have been more comfortable to those out in the churchyard!
Those privileged to be there for the whole week would have enjoyed 100 classes, providing 36 hours of performance and expert feedback. We heard quite a lot of pianos of course – but also flutes and strings, voices, drums, and recorders (lots of them!), saxophones, accordions, guitars, oboes and trumpets. Several played the organ and there were choirs, both from nursery schools and adults – and we mustn’t forget the boom-whackers. (Again, Google may be your friend.)
Solo performances abounded, but many of the week’s highlights came from the many ensembles, orchestras and choirs. Notable was a groundbreaking collaboration between two schools. Despite being 20 miles apart, Wycliffe and Water Street share a teacher and the large recorder group gave a memorable performance that speaks volumes about the energy and organisational skills of the music teachers of Craven and surroundings.
Roll on the 2027 Festival! Make a note in your diary: 8th – 13th March 2027