Frank Hatchard founded Pontefract Music Festival in 1903 to stimulate and foster the love and practice of music and drama in the district. This was to be by competitive classes before competent judges, whose criticisms and advice would be of exceptional educational value to all entrants.
The Festival was suspended during the 1914 war but was resumed afterwards, and managed to survive the depression of the 1930’s. Activities were once again suspended because of the 1939 war and were not revived until 1947. This resumption was made possible almost entirely by a grant from The Mayor’s Charity Fund, and help from the local authority and Wakefield Arts Association enabled the festival to keep going, supplemented by small events such as concerts and coffee mornings held by various committee members.
In 1951, Pontefract festival was considered sufficiently important to be used for a music class as part of the Festival of Britain, and the area semi-finals were held in Pontefract. Over the years, entries ranged between 300 and 800, with never less than 2000 competitors taking part. The Postal Strike took its toll one year and numbers were also affected by the teachers dispute in 1986. However the Festival went ahead in spite of these setbacks.
Pontefract Festival gives a great deal of pleasure to people of all ages, either in the audiences to enjoy the competitive performances or winners’ concerts, or as competitors gaining experience of public performance in their own particular specialities. They have the opportunity to gauge their own work with that of their contemporaries and the benefit of expert advice and comments from highly experienced professional adjudicators in both drama and music.
There are a variety of venues and the organisers can be reached by email at admin@pontfest.org.uk and their web site is here
I am a supporter of the festival and I will be taking as much time as I can to visit the 2016 Festival.
The Festival was suspended during the 1914 war but was resumed afterwards, and managed to survive the depression of the 1930’s. Activities were once again suspended because of the 1939 war and were not revived until 1947. This resumption was made possible almost entirely by a grant from The Mayor’s Charity Fund, and help from the local authority and Wakefield Arts Association enabled the festival to keep going, supplemented by small events such as concerts and coffee mornings held by various committee members.
In 1951, Pontefract festival was considered sufficiently important to be used for a music class as part of the Festival of Britain, and the area semi-finals were held in Pontefract. Over the years, entries ranged between 300 and 800, with never less than 2000 competitors taking part. The Postal Strike took its toll one year and numbers were also affected by the teachers dispute in 1986. However the Festival went ahead in spite of these setbacks.
Pontefract Festival gives a great deal of pleasure to people of all ages, either in the audiences to enjoy the competitive performances or winners’ concerts, or as competitors gaining experience of public performance in their own particular specialities. They have the opportunity to gauge their own work with that of their contemporaries and the benefit of expert advice and comments from highly experienced professional adjudicators in both drama and music.
There are a variety of venues and the organisers can be reached by email at admin@pontfest.org.uk and their web site is here
I am a supporter of the festival and I will be taking as much time as I can to visit the 2016 Festival.
No comments:
Post a Comment