We’ve just about got our beans in a row for 2022…

The first big news is that, with support from the Arts Council,
we have arranged for Jess Gillam to headline our Centenary Concert.

Jess is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist, broadcaster and presenter and she has agreed to come and play for us and to talk with our own young and rising stars who will be sharing the programme that night.

Jess has been involved with the Festival movement and is keen that festivals such as ours will survive and thrive.

Another headline for the week is that we have a new Official Accompanist – none other than our own Nicole Johnson!  Nicole has grown up with the Skipton Festival from her very early days and she is now established as a freelance pianist, vocal coach and musical director.  We are delighted to be able to welcome her back again!

Nicole is an accomplished accompanist – and fully appreciates the needs and pressures of our young performers!

The Centenary Festival will take place at Christ Church, Skipton from 7th – 12th March.
The Festival Concert will be in Skipton Town Hall on the evening of Sunday 13th March.

The syllabus is prepared!  You will find that here.  There is a limited numer of printed copies available – if you want one to be posted to you, read here.

Entries will close on 17th January.

We are proud to introduce a new competition for 2021.  As we were unable to hold the usual week’s Festival in March, we have developed a drawing and essay event for all children, from Primary School upwards.  They will be judged in four categories from KS 1 through to Year 10.

So get your pens, crayons, brushes, keyboards keypads dusted down and give it a go!
To give you a better chance of getting your work in, we’ve extended the deadline to the end of half term: 31st October but, as always, it’s best to get on with it now…

Details of the different categories are available in the DrawingandEssay document which you can download here.

Our Facebook page (at facebook.com/SkiptonMusicFestival) is filling up!

Online at the moment, there are some pen-portraits of our leavers this year.  Chris and Jacob are up there at the moment – there are more to come!

Scroll down a little…  You’ll come across some of the faces that lie behind the Festival.  Ever wondered what the Festival Office looks like?  Wonder no more…

It will come as no surprise…

Your Festival Committee met on 29th December to discuss the 2021 Festival.  With the gloomy news that day that COVID-19 cases had increased by a record number and with the near-certainty of new restrictions, it didn’t take us long to agree that plans to hold any sort of Festival in March are unrealistic.

With heavy hearts, we have cancelled the March 2021 Festival.

All is not gloom!  Along with the announcement that AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use, we are encouraged to think that some form of new “normal” will begin to emerge.  We have plans for some exciting initiatives for 2021 and we are already planning for our Centenary Year in 2022

Watch this space!

We had a ball at the Regional Championships!  Josh did himself (and Skipton!) proud as the best performers from around Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire came together at Leeds College of Music for a fabulous day of performance.  Where else could you get so much for just £6.00?

No trophy for Josh but an excellent performance nevertheless.

There are several official photos.  Watch this space to find out how to get hold of one.

Good luck to Josh!

Good luck to Josh Luxon-Robinson, as he travels to Leeds on Saturday (7th September) to take part in the Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Regional Championship!

This prestigious contest gathers together the elite performers from all of the Festivals in our Region – which spreads from Huddersfield, right over to the North Sea and from Sheffield, north to Wensleydale.

Josh has been chosen to represent Skipton and will be playing an Edvard Grieg Nocturne (Op 54 No. 4) on the Grand Piano at the Leeds School of Music.

If you have the time, come along to the Leeds College of Music for a feast of the very best of young people’s performances of music, dance and speech.  You’ll be able to say, “I heard them when…” when some of these talented youngsters begin to appear on the national scene.

(“BIFF” is the British and International Federation of Festivals to which the Skipton Festival is affiliated)

Opportunities with Opera North

Can you sing?  Can you play the violin?  Aged 9-16?

Opera North are looking to cast young singers (particularly ones who play violin at Grade 5 standard) in two upcoming productions.

Here’s a really exciting opportunity to take part in one of two productions.  Full details are available in the .pdf files below…

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