International artists from across Europe, North America and Asia will converge on Pembrokeshire this month as the Tenby International Music Festival returns for its second edition.
The Festival takes place from 13–16 August 2026 at St Mary's Church and Tenby Museum & Art Gallery.
Following its inaugural season in 2025, the Festival continues its mission of bringing renowned artists to West Wales while celebrating Welsh artistic excellence. Founded by Welsh musicians Thomas Mathias and Dominic Ciccotti, the Festival brings classical music, family events, free performances, and new music to Tenby.
Thomas Mathias said:
“Our ambition is simple: to make Tenby one of the UK's great destinations for classical music. We believe world-class music shouldn't only belong in major cities—it should belong in communities like Tenby.”
One of the Festival's most ambitious new initiatives is its Tenby International Composer Fellowship. The tuition-free programme is directed by Los Angeles-born composer Kian Ravaei.
Reflecting the Festival's growing international profile, the Tenby International Composer Fellowship attracted 256 applications from more than 30 countries, with just three composers selected to take part: Fiona Frank (Wales), Bea Carr (USA) and Will Stackpole (USA). Their new works will be presented during the Festival Finale, From the World to Wales, on Sunday 16 August.
The Festival opens on Thursday 13 August at 7.30pm with a special collaborative concert featuring the acclaimed Tenby Male Choir and Festival musicians in St Mary's Church. Led by Paul Rapi and founded in 1975, the Choir is one of Pembrokeshire's most cherished musical institutions, with performances ranging from local churches to the Royal Albert Hall. The concert reflects the Festival's commitment to celebrating Welsh musical heritage while fostering international artistic collaboration.
Festival at a Glance
Thursday 13 August, 2.00pm – Open Air Concert (Tenby Town Centre)
Thursday 13 August, 5.00pm – Colours of the Coast: Children's Concert (Tenby Museum & Art Gallery)
Thursday 13 August, 7.30pm – Tenby Male Voice Choir & Festival Musicians: Opening Concert (St Mary's Church)
Friday 14 August, 7.30pm – Prague to Paris: A Piano Journey Across Europe (St Mary's Church)
Saturday 15 August, 7.30pm – Fire and Fiddle: An Evening of Hungarian Music (St Mary's Church)
Sunday 16 August, 5.00pm – Festival Finale: From the World to Wales (St Mary's Church)
Prague to Paris traces a musical journey across Europe through Mozart, Liszt, Debussy, Mendelssohn, Elgar and Dvořák, including Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 and Dvořák's Slavonic Dances.
Fire and Fiddle celebrates the energy of Hungarian music with works by Dohnányi, Bartók, and Monti, along with Brahms' Hungarian Dances.
The Festival Finale places contemporary Welsh and American voices alongside traditional Welsh music, featuring new works by the Composer Fellows, Katie Jenkins and Kian Ravaei.
Featured Artists are:
Thomas Mathias (Wales) – Violin & Artistic Director
Dominic Ciccotti (Wales) – Piano & Artistic Director
Yuki Minami (Japan) – Piano & Artistic Adviser
Kian Ravaei (USA) – Composer-in-Residence & Director of Composer Fellowship
Katie Jenkins (Wales) – Composer-in-Residence
Hana Mizuta-Spencer (England) – Violin
Gordon Cervoni (Scotland/France) – Viola
Zachary Owen (England) – Cello
Composer Fellows are:
Fiona Frank (Wales)
Bea Carr (USA)
Will Stackpole (USA)
Dominic Ciccotti said:
“Whether someone is attending their first classical concert or has loved this music for decades, we want everyone to feel welcome.”
