East Neuk Festival
The East Neuk Festival is a chamber music festival that takes place over ten days at the end of June/beginning of July in the area known as the East Neuk of Fife.
History
Established in 2005 it was the brainchild of Donald and Louise MacDonald and founding artistic director Svend Brown.
Venues and Artists
The festival concerts take place in a range of venues including churches in villages such as St Monans, Crail, Kilconquhar, Kilrenny and Cellardyke as well as unusual spaces such as Scotland’s Secret Bunker an aircraft shelter at RAF Leuchars, gardens, caves, dells, local attractions and notably, a large barn on the Cambo Estate which is transformed into a performance venue especially for the event.
Musicians and ensembles join together in residencies for practically the duration of the festival playing core chamber music repertoire alongside new commissions, contemporary works, jazz and world music. Storytelling, poetry, literature, exhibitions, films and other art and installation projects also feature.
Other performers have included conductor/pianist Christian Zacharias, violinist Alexander Janiczek and writer Dr Richard Holloway, the Alban Berg Quartet, Skampa String Quartet, Belcea Quartet and Leipzig String Quartet, the Doric String Quartet, Elias String Quartet and Royal String Quartet.
Awards
East Neuk Festival received the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Audience Development in 2007 and in 2008 was shortlisted by the Scottish tourist industry for a Thistle Award.