MEDWAY FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, SPEECH & DRAMA

A registered Charity no:287644

WHAT IS THE FESTIVAL?

The Medway Festival of Music Speech and Drama is an amateur competitive festival for instrumentalists, singers actors and speakers of all ages and abilities.

Once a year, in halls and classrooms throughout a school, professional adjudicators give valuable assessments of all performances, which last between two and ten minutes, depending on the level of ability. Performances are all marked. Adult winners scoring above a pre-set mark automatically qualify for the evening championship concert and in junior classes, appearance in the concert is by recommendation.

In the evening concert there are various trophies awarded across the disciplines. This formula results in a very varied day of quality performances including such diverse contrasts as beginners on recorders to high standard pianists, from prose reading to verse recitals, from choirs to lieder and so on. All this takes place in a number of rooms, so the choice of listening is up to the visitor.

The event is essentially a festival, so the competitive element is secondary to the adjudication, and the Festival offers an ideal opportunity for less experienced performers to appear in public, but to a limited audience and a sympathetic expert ear.

Just one piece of extra information, should you be in doubt as to what kind of music is catered for, it is essentially classical, but with the Folk Song and Songs from the Shows classes as notable exceptions; written jazz in the instrumental classes is perfectly acceptable. Pop and Rock classes are limited.