Established in 2013, our organisation has had a distinct mission: to enhance lives and inspire young individuals through the transformative power of music and the Arts. Nevill Holt Festival remains steadfast in pursuing this mission while also expanding accessibility and involvement in the Festival.

In 2024, our educational initiative will provide creative opportunities for more than 2000 young participants from across our region.

Many young people have enjoyed free Festival performances, school workshops, stage appearances, and singing lessons.

We provide free school performance tickets, conduct in-school workshops, offer stage opportunities for local youth, and provide individual singing lessons to unlock their creative potential.

Studying arts subjects enhances employability, and access to culture greatly impacts youth well-being. Engaging young people through music and creativity is vital today.

Since 2013, we’ve collaborated with over 160 young singers, giving them vital experience in a professional opera company. We’re dedicated to casting young talent for important role debuts. We focus on emerging artists, whether they’re still in music college or breaking into the opera scene. Our commitment has led to future stars gracing stages at the Royal Opera House, English National Opera and top global opera houses.

This year over 1,500 primary schoolchildren will perform a 50-minute version of Humperdinck’sHansel and Gretel in theatres across the region with sopranos Fiona Finsbury and Eleanor Sanderson-Nash, directed by Jonathan Ainscough and conducted by Simon Toyne. Their final performance will fall during Nevill Holt Festival 2024. Meanwhile, the music scholars of Northampton’s Malcolm Arnold Academy will present a chamber music concert in the atmospheric surroundings of the Chapel, accompanied by Jem Lowther and Jamie Milburn and the Big Band of Malcolm Arnold Academy will be led by jazz artist Jamie Glew-Osborn in a programme of jazz standards and big band classics.