One of the oldest festivals operating in the UK will be back in Chipping Norton for its 111th year

One of the oldest festivals operating in the UK will be back in the Banbury area in March 2023.

Next year, Chipping Norton Music Festival will be celebrating its 111th year having started in 1904 - and entries for the event have opened today (December 5).

The festival takes place over a two-week period in March each year and involves up to 1,000 participants, from entrants, music teachers, parents and volunteers, all from Chipping Norton and surrounding towns and villages.

The 111th festival runs from March 10-25 and most performances take place in Chipping Norton Town Hall.

The festival is non-competitive, but includes feedback from professional adjudicators and covers piano, strings, woodwind and brass, guitar, vocals, jazz, folk, choirs and even speech and drama. Additionally, a range of concerts from Barbershop to Chamber Music are performed during the fortnight.

This year we will also be offering a few bursary entries in acknowledgment of the difficult times that some families are facing this year due to the cost of living.

Local young musician Emily Chambers said: “I’ve played in Chippy Music Festival every year since I was six (even during COVID when we did it over Zoom). I’ve participated in a wide range of different classes and workshops, including primary school singing workshops, school band entries, small ensembles and solo classes. I’ve also had the opportunity to play in the end of festival concert - which was a brilliant experience and really inspiring."

Heidi Fardell is a local recorder and flute tutor based in Deddington. She teaches 20 children locally and has encouraged her students to participate in the Chipping Norton Festival for a number of years.

"From the first time they performed in the festival it was clear that this is a supportive and non-competitive music and drama festival that aims to encourage children and adults to have a go at performing.....and all my students wanted to return the following year," she said.

The syllabus for entries is now available online at www.cnmf.org.uk - the closing date is February 3.