FISHGUARD has cemented its reputation as a small town capable of attracting big names in music with two highly successful music festivals this summer.

The town's International Music Festival took place from July 23 to August 3 and was widely held to be the "best yet" with powerful live performances of great musicianship before large and appreciative audiences.

Peter Donohoe, internationally renowned pianist and co-artistic director since 2013, launched the Festival with a recital at Rhosygilwen featuring a fine performance of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.

The National Youth Choir of Wales joined the National Youth Orchestra of Wales in St. David's Cathedral to bring the festival to a dramatic close with Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and Mahler's Fifth Symphony – a long and richly themed work which, under the baton of Carlo Rizzi, brought out the very best from the very best of our young musicians.

In between were another eighteen events in another nine venues across north Pembrokeshire. Highlights included all eighteen Mozart piano sonatas played masterfully (and all from memory ) by Peter Donohoe over three recitals in Fishguard; the guided tour of four historic churches with musical interludes at each by members of the Dodo Street Band, fully recovered from their hectic (though flightless) capers the night before in Letterston and ALAW captivating the young children in the morning with songs and jigs old and new, all rooted in Celtic music, and doing it all again for the grown-ups in the evening, with Fishguard cheering them on their way to their Proms debut in the Albert Hall.

Next year will celebrate half a century of the festival which promises to be a very special year for the festival, and for live, mainly-classical, music of the highest order in west Wales. As the ambitious programme is finalised, announcements will made this Autumn and Winter.

Over the bank holiday weekend Fishguard and the surrounding area was jumping to jazz and other genres of music during the 15th Aberjazz Fishguard Jazz and Blues Festival.

The festival featured 150 musicians playing in 26 ticketed concerts as well as delivering nine free workshops and performing for free in 16 fringe events.

With sold out venues, standing ovations and dancing aplenty the festival continued its upward trajectory, getting better year on year.

"I think we can safely say there were record numbers this year," said organiser Paul Stonhold. "We had great musicians and the workshops were brilliant.

"Highlights included the Rumblestrutters workshop and gig, John Verity was incredible and the Paulus Schafer trio at Theatre Gwaun who had come from playing at the Liverpool Philharmonic and jazz harpist Chube.

"This perfectly demonstrates the eclectic nature of the festival we go for a big mix of styles and try not to frighten people with the world jazz. It's a lose definition of jazz, featuring lots of music related to jazz and blues, and very accessible."

Paul thanked the Arts Council of Wales and the town council for their support, as well as the festival's other generous sponsors.