THIS year’s Spirit of Music Festival was a big success, said organisers.
The annual festival was held over the weekends of May 7-8 and 14-15.
This year’s event was the third festival, and once again it combined workshops and performances.
Julia Mayo, who was a member of the festival’s organising group, said: “The workshops were far better attended this year than previously, and for the Zum Roten Igel (ZRI) workshop we had 30 people with instruments.
“The first concert was held in St Peter’s Church, Petersfield, and it was a highbrow concert for the classical music aficionados.
“ZRI are a very exuberant group of musicians, and they brought gypsy and eastern European folk music to St Mary’s Church, Liss, on the first Sunday.
“On the second Saturday we showed an Elgar film at the Triangle, and there was a question and answer session with John Bridcut.
“For fans of Elgar it was a must-attend event.
“In Liss Village Hall we had Havant Clarinet and Saxophone Choir and we were fortunate enough to fill the hall. Their big band concert was very popular, and there was plenty of dancing.
“On the second Sunday the SouthDowns Camerata had their usual family orchestral concert, and it was attended by children who went to the workshop the day before.
“We had a full house again and the Danish folk music the children had practised was featured in the concert.
“There are an awful lot of music events in and around Petersfield, but I think our unique selling point is the workshops.”
Artistic director and co-founder of the Spirit of Music Festival Sara Struntz-Timossi said: “This year’s festival was the biggest one so far, and there was lots of fun to be had.”