WOWFest: Wells Orchestral Weekend

21/10/2026

What it felt like to perform in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at WOWFest 2026

More than 150 musicians came together at Wells Cathedral, including the WOWFest Community Chorus, Bristol Classical Players, Wells Cathedral Youth Choir & Song Squad, pianists from the Leon Fleisher Academy (USA), conducted by Tom Gauterin. We love looking back at their reactions when the audience erupted in appluase at the end of their spectacular performance!

Here’s what some of those involved had to say about the experience…

💬 “The final performance of Carmina Burana was absolutely unforgettable. Sharing the stage with the orchestra and choir was such an inspiring experience for our students, and I know it is something they will cherish for many years. We are so grateful that you made this opportunity possible.”

Leon Fleisher Academy (USA-China)

💬 "I had a fantastic time singing and was overwhelmed with the whole experience with the orchestra and the enthusiastic response of the audience."

💬 “Wow, the rehearsals gave me goosebumps. I can't remember enjoying something so much, the performance surpassed any expectations I had.”

WOWFest Community Chorus members

📅 SAVE THE DATE! WOWFest 2028
Friday 14th to Monday 17th July 2028

🎶 Applications from youth and student ensembles open on 30 March 2027. See our previous post for more details.

Our repertoire for the Saturday Night Spectacular will be announced in due course, so keep following for updates!

Footage by kind permission of Reflexeye.

20/10/2026

Congratulations Wells Cathedral! We knew it all along, of course 🥰🙏💫

Built in the 1300s, this place’s most stunning feature looks centuries ahead of its time.

05/10/2026

🎶 SAVE THE DATE! 🎶 WOWFest 2028: Friday 14th – Monday 17th July

WOWFest is open to youth and student orchestras, choirs, bands and ensembles from around the world. The festival brings young musicians together in Wells, Somerset for four fabulous days of performance, workshops, social activities and cultural exchange.

From the grandeur of Wells Cathedral to the state-of-the-art Cedars Hall, the medieval City of Wells boasts outstanding spaces to perform in and to experience. Alongside the music, there’s time to explore historic sights and cultural landmarks, meet other ensembles and build friendships that reach far beyond the concert stage.

Every ensemble is different, so we tailor participation to suit the nature, size and requirements of your group, with the right combination of venues, tutors and concert opportunities.

Our festival package includes:
🎶 2 concert opportunities
🎶 1 expert workshop with a WOWFest tutor
🎶 Opening and Closing Ceremonies
🎶 3 nights’ half-board accommodation
🎶 Tour manager throughout
🎶 WOWFest t-shirt
🎶 Social activities
🎶 Sightseeing programme

✨ Applications for WOWFest 2028 open on 30th March 2027 and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Find out more at https://www.wellsyouthmusicfest.co.uk/apply

24/07/2026

🎶 Beyond the concert stage 🎶

While WOWFest is about great concerts and inspiring performance opportunities for young musicians, some of the most meaningful moments happen away from the spotlight.

The 2026 festival wasn't just about making music, it was about making connections. Over the festival period participants shared meals, shared the stage, made music together and danced and sang together, creating friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

The weekend came to a joyful close with a samba party and an English ceilidh in the Bishop's Barn and a private Closing Ceremony at St Cuthbert's Church where the visiting ensembles performed for one another; the finale was filled with music, dancing, laughter and reflection.

These experiences are every bit as important as the concerts themselves. They are where confidence grows, friendships are formed, cultures are shared, and young musicians discover just how much more of the world is accessible through music.

If you came to WOWFest 2026, we'd love to hear your favourite memories.

22/07/2026

🎶 From 10–13 July 2026, music filled Wells 🎶

From the grandeur of Wells Cathedral to the lively The Bishop's Palace & Gardens Café Courtyard, from the state-of-the-art Cedars Hall to the city's historic churches, audiences gathered to hear over 250 musicians from around the world perform at WOWFest 2026.

Throughout the weekend, local residents, families, tourists and faithful festival supporters enjoyed performances by the Leon Fleisher Academy (USA), Irish Chamber Orchestra Youth (Irish Chamber Orchestra Education), Haydn Jeugd Strijkorkest (Netherlands) and Orquestra Jovem Gerais (Brazil), plus Bristol Classical Players and the WOWFest Community Chorus!

Thank you, Wells, for being such a warm and welcoming audience.

A heartfelt thank you, too, to all our concert venues for opening their doors and providing such inspiring spaces for WOWFest young musicians to perform. Each venue helped create a unique atmosphere and played an important part in making WOWFest such a special weekend.

For our visiting musicians, listening to and supporting one another was also an important part of the WOWFest experience. Whether at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies or in each other's public concerts, they championed each other with the same enthusiasm they brought to the stage themselves.

✨ What was your WOWFest 2026 highlight? We'd love to hear your favourite memories in the comments.

17/07/2026

First round of pics from WOWFest 2026! 🥰☀️🎶

Thank you so much to all of our fantastic musicians, you were an absolute joy to host and Wells misses you!! Please come back soon 😊

More pictures and videos to follow next week!

Haydn Jeugd Strijkorkest Orquestra Jovem Gerais Irish Chamber Orchestra Education Leon Fleisher Academy Bristol Classical Players

16/07/2026

Wow, what a few days it has been at WOWFest 2026! 🎶

We were honoured to welcome more than 100 young musicians from around the world to England's smallest city, Wells, for an unforgettable weekend of music, collaboration, friendship and fun.

Joining us this year were the Leon Fleisher Academy (Maryland, USA), Irish Chamber Orchestra Youth (Limerick, Ireland), Haydn Youth String Orchestra (Groningen, Netherlands) and Orquestra Jovem Gerais (Minas Gerais, Brazil). They performed across Wells' iconic venues, took part in workshops and masterclasses with local experts, explored the historic sights of the city and built friendships that reached far beyond the concert stage.

From the festival's official opening by the Mayor of Wells, Councillor Denise Denis, in Cedars Hall, to Saturday night's epic performance of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in a packed Wells Cathedral, featuring more than 200 local musicians and singers, to the closing celebrations with a samba party and English ceilidh, there were far too many memorable moments to capture in a single post.

For now, we'll leave the final words to one of our visiting musicians. Keep following over the coming weeks as we'll look back on more highlights, reflections and memories from an unforgettable festival.

"Through music we are not simply travelling around the world. We're learning to connect with different cultures, different audiences and most importantly, one another."

A huge thank you to the many people who made WOWFest 2026 possible including staff, volunteers, partners, venues and local businesses. 🎶

15/07/2026

14/07/2026

A UK-Brazil farewell to Orquestra Jovem Gerais thanks to Wells' Samba Do Bispo. on Sunday night - what an epic way to end their time here in Wells!
You have taken the local audiences and community by storm - it has been an absolute pleasure to host you. Enjoy the rest of your UK tour! 🥁💃🎻

12/07/2026

FINAL CHANCE to see the Haydn Youth String Orchestra and Orquestra Jovem das Gerais in action at the WOWFest Closing Ceremony, St Cuthbert’s church tomorrow at 10am- limited places available!