The 2015 Festival Experience

Sarah McQuaid

Sarah McQuaid’s voice has variously been likened to malt whiskey, melted chocolate and honey poured into wine. Born in Spain, raised in Chicago and now living in rural England, Sarah’s style is diverse.
A captivating performer with beautifully crafted live shows, she has a disarmingly cheeky banter of stories from the road, and with stunning musicianship, switches with ease between her emotive originals. 

Tinkers Cuss

Tinkerscuss play Celtic influenced music with haunting songs about the magic and mystery of Britain. The intricate guitar of Erin Holden and the powerful vocals of her sister Bryony, weave together to produce the mesmerising sound of Tinkerscuss. The sisters live locally to Stow-on-the-Wold and are stunning live performers  –  engaging to watch with a great interaction between the band and audience.

Jacqui Dankworth

Jacqui Dankworth is one of the most highly regarded vocalists in the UK. Her concert appearances and her stylistically diverse recordings showcase her virtuosic and effortless mastery of a wide spectrum of genres. Known primarily as a jazz singer, Jacqui also draws on folk, soul and blues influences. Her voice has been described as “multi-faceted” and “incomparable” (The Times)

Nikolai Ponomarev (Piano)

Nikolai Ponomarev originates from Moscow, where he started playing the piano when he was just 9 years old, initially studying at the Faculty of Arts at Lomonosov Moscow State University. He continued his studies at the Moscow Conservatoire under Prof. Ludmila Kuznetsova. Through competition he was accepted to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2010, studying under Damiel-Ben Pienaar, and has subsequently continued his postgraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. His performance repertoire is varied, and includes Chopin & Rachmaninov.