ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
FESTIVAL SEASON 2026
THE SACCONI CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL RETURNS!
© mistereb
The Sacconi Chamber Music Festival returns to Folkestone from 14- 17 May, marking its 19th year of bringing outstanding chamber music to the Kent coast. Centred around the internationally acclaimed Sacconi Quartet, the festival offers four days of concerts ranging from new music and world premieres to muchloved classics. This year is particularly special as the quartet will be celebrating their 25th anniversary, making them Britain’ s longest-established string quartet with an original lineup.
The festival opens with a celebration of new music curated by British composer John Woolrich. Filled with sparkling miniatures of contemporary music, each of the four short sections will have food and drink breaks in between. The evening brings composers, performers and the audience together in the magnificent state rooms of The Grand, with many of the featured composers attending in person.
Across the weekend, audiences can hear works by Haydn, Dvořák, Britten, Walton, Fauré and Chausson alongside two newly commissioned works for string quartet by John Woolrich and Freya Waley-Cohen; Waley-Cohen’ s work having been written especially for the quartet’ s birthday.
Guest artists include acclaimed pianist Simon Crawford-Phillips, double bass player Daniil Margulis and violinist Maya Broman Crawford-Phillips, who was recently seen at the semi-finals of BBC Young Musician.
Further concerts take place at St Eanswythe’ s Church and Holy Trinity Church, with events ranging from evening performances to a Sunday morning concert followed by tea and coffee. The festival offers an intimate listening experience, bringing audiences close to performers in some of Folkestone’ s most atmospheric spaces.
For full programme details and booking information, please visit the websites and social pages.
sacconi. com soundsfolkestone. co. uk soundsfolkestone / sacconi _ quartet
50 • www. insidekent. co. uk