2011

From Wednesday 31st August

to Sunday 4th September

National Trust's Stackpole Centre,
Stackpole, Pembrokeshire

If you are looking to extend your stay in Pembrokeshire then

 i Know Wales is the site to use for local information and great places to stay in Wales....

New Patron for Fiddle Festival of Wales

Cardiff singer and BBC Radio Wales presenter, Frank Hennessey, has been announced as the new patron of the Fiddle Festival of Wales.
 
Frank, who has tirelessly promoted folk and traditional music in Wales for the past 40 years as a performer and through his weekly BBC Radio Wales show Celtic Heartbeat, is ‘delighted’ to accept the title.
 
David Hughes, Festival President is pleased that Frank has joined the team and stated that,
“Every festival should have a proactive patron. Frank was a unanimous choice by the new committee and we now look forward to a creative and progressive working relationship with him. As newly appointed patron, to this prestigious and continuously growing event .We're sure he'll bring a new impetus to our event"
The annual Fiddle Festival of Wales takes place in National Trust’s Stackpole Centre, Pembrokeshire at the beginning of September and is open to all – those who are absolute beginners to those who want to hone their skills.
Frank has worked with members of the newly formed committee at many other festivals over the years and spoke of their years of experience in programming and running such an event.
 “If you look at what the festival has already achieved over 7 years, then you will realise that you’re not just dealing with a handful of ‘fiddlers’. They’ve had visiting artists from not only the UK but from all over the world: Scandinavia, Australia, India, the Netherlands, America & Canada, and not all folk musicians – jazz and contemporary artists have entertained at the concerts and played for dances. The festival has seen the likes of Dave Swarbrick (Fairport Convention), Joe Broughton (Albion Band), Iolo Jones (Hennesseys and Ar Log) and the amazing Ann Lederman from Canada, giving concerts, workshops and master classes down in Pembrokeshire. So many great names; so much talent; and all willing to share their knowledge.
 
“The other thing you didn’t know about the fiddle festival is that it’s not just fiddlers who turn up. There are guitar and hand percussion tutors and there have also been clogging workshops.”
 
“The festival is home to the Welsh Celtic Fiddle Competition. This event has produced some of Wales’ young, up and coming fiddlers since 2004, Patric Rimes of Calan, Christine & Jo Cooper, we’ve heard them move on to bigger things and have inspired many more to take up the fiddle. I’m really looking forward to it this year, as the programme is being created.”