Tickets go on sale today, Monday May 1, for a key festival in Pembrokeshire’s cultural calendar.

This year’s Fishguard Festival of Music/Gwyl Gerdd Abergwaun sees fifteen events extending over three weeks will be staged at various venues across north Pembrokeshire.

The festival takes place from August 18 to September 3, with a launch concert by the National Youth Orchestra of Wales at St David’s Cathedral on Friday, August 4, with conductor Carlo Rizzi.

Artists performing at this year’s festival include soprano Natalya Romaniw, pianist Iwan Llywelyn Jones, and Kosmos, a trio who mix classical and world music.

Chamber music performances will be given by the Enigma Duo, Dudok String Quartet Amsterdam and musicians from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

The Welsh National Opera Orchestra will make a welcome return visit, and The Gonzaga Band Consort will perform music by Monteverdi and his contemporaries.

Folk group Pedair will return after their sell-out concert at Theatr Gwaun last year and the Amanda Whiting Trio will close the Festival on Saturday September 13, with a fusion of jazz harp, double bass and drums.

“The Fishguard Festival has been a showcase for world-class music in west Wales for over fifty years and this year will be another stunning line up with the return of some familiar faces to Pembrokeshire,” said Gillian Green MBE, the festival’s artistic director.

“There are going to be some exciting concerts and events that involve young people and members of the community hosting leading international soloists. Tickets are expected to sell quickly.”

The full programme is available to view on the festival’s website fishguardmusicfestival.com.

 Tickets went on sale at 9am today, Monday May 1, and can be booked via the festival website.