Sylvia Plath & Ted Hughes

Robert Smith & Kadie Kanneh-Mason

Kadie Kanneh-Mason and Robert Smith will discuss this brilliant, charismatic and iconic literary couple. Their ill-fated tempestuous marriage, Sylvia’s work as poet and novelist, and the tragedy of her early death will all be considered. The film “Sylvia”,which follows the talk, relates the story of their tumultuous relationship. It stars Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig (yes, Mr James Bond himself).

Church House

2pm

£7

The Kanneh-Mason family featuring

BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016

                                                                                                                           Sheku playing in the final of BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016

Sheku Kanneh-Mason – cello
Braimah Kanneh-Mason – violin
Isata Kanneh-Mason – piano

Imagine a family of whom three of the siblings have together performed Mozart’s Triple Piano Concerto, another the Max Bruch Violin Concerto, and yet another the Elgar Cello Concerto! The Kanneh-Masons are a family of prodigiously talented young musicians. Sheku, cello, was overall winner of the 2015 Gregynog Young Musician Competition this year. His sister, Isata, category finalist in the 2014 BBC Young Musician competition, has  performed widely in the UK and with Elton John in Los Angeles. Braimah, violin, is a member of the Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra, and has performed solo and chamber concerts around the UK. They also came second last year in Britain’s Got Talent and featured in our festival programme. They were so brilliant that we have invited them back this year.                                                                                               

Sheku Kanneh-Mason BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016. Many congratulations to him.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason is a 17 year old cellist; he won the 2016 BBC Young Musician competition to enormous critical acclaim. His playing was described as “electric”. He played the first cello concerto of his favourite composer, Shostakovich. This is a substantial concerto which would tax the powers of any virtuoso of the cello, yet this young man played the piece as naturally and fluently as if he had been born to do nothing else. Sheku and his siblings – there are seven children in the family, all prodigiously talented musicians – have established a secure and happy relationship with Tenby Arts Festival over the past two years. Sheku has played at the festival having, twice won prizes at the prestigious ‘Gregynog Young Musician’ competition; on the first occasion as winner of the strings section and on the second, last year, as overall winner of the competition. Tenby Arts Festival has a special relationship with the Gregynog competition, each year inviting winners of that competition to play at Tenby. This September, Sheku will appear at Tenby with five of his six siblings. They will play works by Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Bloch, Handel, Monti and, of course, Shostakovich.

St Mary’s Church

7pm

£12

Enquiries to: tenbyartsfestival@yahoo.co.uk