Our concerts take place in the beautiful St Thomas Church. Over the past four years many local people have kindly offered to help in whatever way they can, contributing to the relaxed and friendly atmosphere which pervades the festival.
The festival’s Artistic Director, pianist Sam Haywood embraces a wide spectrum of the piano solo and chamber music repertoire. The New York Times hailed his ‘passionate flair and sparkling clarity’ and the Washington Post his ‘dazzling evocative playing’. He has recorded for Hyperion, Sony Classical and Deux-Elles. Directing a music festival had always been one of Sam’s dreams, and he derives enormous pleasure from working on it with his wife…
…the Festival Director, Sophia Pagoni, who comes from both a musical and technological background. She designs all our publicity material, including our website, looks after the festival’s finances and in her wonderfully calm and reassuring manner, makes sure everything runs smoothly!
Our Education Officer and regular guest artist, Katherine Spencer, is principal clarinettist of the City of London Sinfonia, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Academy of Ancient Music and the Irish Chamber Orchestra. She is also a founding member of the Galliard Ensemble. Her imagination and enthusiasm know no bounds and she has inspired countless children with the family events she presents in the festival.
Our President Daphne Johnston lives in Lymington and is highly involved with the community in many ways. Daphne and her late husband Ivor shared Sam and Sophia’s dream of setting up an international music festival and worked with them to make it come true.
Our first meeting to discuss the possibility of setting up a festival was with then District Councillor Elizabeth Lewis, who is now an SMF Honorary Patron. Elizabeth is a wonderful ambassador for the festival and has been a great support of our work in the community.