Festival de Valloires - Août 2008

Festival de Valloires to be discontinued

After long consideration, we have reluctantly decided to discontinue the Festival de Valloires. The reasons are simple but inescapable – the present economic situation has made the funding of the festival unrealistic and unrealisable.

Several factors have contributed to the Festival’s discontinuation:

The economic downturn means it is now more difficult for private donors to give.

The weakness of the pound against the euro means that British donations, the overwhelming majority of our funding, are worth much less than they were in previous years.

The increased costs to the Festival of facilities provided by the Abbaye de Valloires, a further consequence of the economic downturn.

The inability of French funding bodies to support the Festival in anything more than symbolic fashion.

Our main public funding body, the Conseil Général, decided at the end of January not to award funding for 2009. We are a small festival, with a very low budget. But we are not able to begin the build-up to the 2009 Festival knowing that we face a certain deficit and would almost certainly experience the same problem when it comes to raising funds for the 2010 Festival.

In the three years of the Festival's existence, we have achieved remarkable things of which we can be very proud. I started this Festival with the aim of providing some unforgettable music making at the very highest standard in a wonderful setting, and creating a special ambience that would make the Valloires experience unique. Judging by the reactions of our audiences we have achieved that. I also wanted very much to create a musical bridge between France and the UK and other countries, through a coming together of musicians and audiences. That we have also achieved.

None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary level of support given by the Abbaye de Valloires and its president Jean Peyronnet, whose courage and vision in agreeing to enter into this adventure with us has enabled us to mount three wonderful festivals.

We have also been hugely encouraged and moved by the overwhelming support and enthusiasm that has been shown towards the festival. That, and the extraordinary quality of the music and overwhelming generosity of the musicians who have adorned the festival, the infectious enthusiasm of everyone who has worked in any capacity for the festival, the wonderful atmosphere engendered during the three festivals, coupled with the unique location of the Abbaye de Valloires have made it a very special event.

As Imogen Cooper, who performed at all three Festivals says: "Valloires was a jewel" and that is what I hope people will take away.

Adam Gatehouse, director


Dame Felicity Lott

Quatuor Takacs

Angela Hewitt

Belcea Quartet
Double CD concerts 2006 and 2007 Buy online

Festival de Valloires International Chamber Music Festival