Cheltenham Music Festival appoints new producer for 2024 season

Cheltenham Music Festival is pleased to announce the appointment of Tamsyn Hamilton as its Music Festival Producer for the 2024 season. Tamsyn has previously worked at Cheltenham Music Festival under both Michael Berkeley and Martyn Brabbins, and will take the reins for the 2024 Festival, finalising its programme and overseeing all aspects of its delivery and management.

The 2024 Cheltenham Music Festival will take place from 6-13 July. It will be characterised by the commitment to classical music, and passion for all its diversity, that has been the Festival’s hallmark since its inception in 1945.

From its spotlight on new talent and its famous series of morning chamber music recitals, to its annual new commissions, work with schools, and specific spaces for orchestral, choral and contemporary classic music, the Festival is widely regarded as a vibrant showcase for the breadth of twenty-first-century classical music.

Tamsyn will deliver a Festival programme consisting of around fifteen concerts and recitals that has been largely designed by the Festival’s outgoing Head of Programming, Michael Duffy, who left the charity in November. The programme will include a celebration of Cheltenham-born composer Gustav Holst, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Planets composer, and a number of performances from BBC New Generation Artists.

“I am thrilled to be able to bring to life Michael’s wonderful programme, delivering a world-class celebration of classical music which we can all be proud of,” she said. “I am so looking forward to working with the team on a Festival with such a long and proud history - and to the enthusiasm of the Cheltenham audiences, which makes the Festival a genuine celebration.”

From rousing orchestral works to intimate chamber recitals, and from baroque choral to plugged-in contemporary, the Festival will provide a sample of all that is vital in today’s classical music. Cheltenham Music Festival will also remain dedicated to talent development and educational outreach, with a full schedule of schools outreach work, including concerts for pupils and activity expressly designed for children with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND).

The shape of the programme is a considered response to the challenging landscape for classical music: there will be fewer events than in 2023, and the Festival’s well-regarded talent incubator, Composer Academy, will take a year out on hiatus. The aim is to safeguard the essence of Cheltenham Music Festival, says the co-CEO of parent charity Cheltenham Festivals, Ian George.

“As recent reporting from across the sector has made clear, funding and revenue for arts organisations of all kinds, but especially those which focus on classical music, has been challenging in recent years,” says Ian. “Next year’s season is being intentionally designed to fulfil our mission and vision to provide a platform for the best, most exciting musicians performing and composing today - and to position the Festival for a strong and expanding future.”

He continues: “We are especially keen to hear from and speak with everyone who cares about classical music,” he says, “and to work with people from across the arts sector on building a bright future for the music we love. For us, that work will continue in earnest next July.”

Full details of the 2024 programme will be released in March of 2024.