History of the Festival

Festival starts as Stour Choral Union in Shipston-on-Stour by Miss Ruth Dickins & Mrs Eleanora Dickins for the "encouragement of part-singing in the country districts"

Festival moves to Moreton-in-Marsh

Extended to three days due to popularity - one day devoted entirely to school singing. Small string orchestra introduced

Festival moves to Chipping Norton

No Festivals

Festival restarted by Ruth Savory (née Dickins)

Sir Richard Terry becomes President

Financial difficulties restrict Festival activities to one day

Sir Hugh Allen becomes President

No Festivals

Sir Thomas Armstrong becomes President - a position held for over 40 years

Instrumental section introduced

Stour Choral Union adopts a formal constitution and festival extended to two days

"Friends of the Festival" formed

"Stour Choral Union" becomes "Chipping Norton Music Festival" and becomes non-competitive. Combined choirs rehearsal introduced for final concert - this continued until 1998. Festival extended to three days

Founder Mrs. Eleanora Dickins dies

Children's Concerts introduced

Affiliated to the Federation of British Festivals for Music, Dance & Speech. Extended to four days

Strings and woodwind classes withdrawn

General instrumental class introduced for strings, woodwind & brass

Strings class separated from woodwind and brass

Guitar class introduced

The Rotary Club of Chipping Norton introduced a cup for the most promising participant under 18 years with a bursary for furthering musical education. Festival activities now spread over a week

Dr Philip Cranmer becomes President

New President's Cup for the most promising participant under 14 years

Vocal Recital Class introduced for experienced, diploma standard singers

Opening concert introduced at Chipping Norton Theatre

Speech and Drama classes introduced, adjudicated by James Patrick

Anthony Williams becomes President

Composition class introduced. Wychwood Trophy (donated by Pauline Carter for the most promising pianist of primary school age up to and including Grade 5), and Padawa Award (bursary of £50 for the most promising performance by a pupil attending a Chipping Norton Partnership School). Festival goes on-line and launches website

Folk classes introduced

Festival Centenary, including opening concert by Joanna Macgregor

William Bailey Folk Award donated by the members and friends of the Folk Club, Highworth given in his memory

Open recital class extended to experienced, diploma instrumentalists

One-Act Play Festival to open the Festival. Folk award donated by the Chipping Norton Folk Club. The town of Chipping Norton celebrates the 400th anniversary of the Charter. Hummer Prize for Creative Writing in memory of George Hummer

First masterclass given by President Anthony Williams for piano students

Youth Jazz Band Challenge introduced in association with Chipping Norton Rotary Club. Festival runs its own children's workshops for the first time. Master-classes for strings and piano

Debut UK concert of Jacqui Dankworth and Charlie Wood

The 100th Festival. The Padawa award comes to an end

A new award introduced: the "Chipping Norton & Stow Methodist Circuit Bicentenary Trophy"for the junior vocal performance that best communicates with the audience

Fiona McLean-Buchel gives presentations on "Mindfulness for Musicians"

The 2020 Festival was only 60% completed due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this it was still a successful event with almost 500 entries before the pandemic interrupted the proceedings.

The first Online only Festival was performed due to COVID-9 and was extremely popular with over 300 entries.

The Festival returned to live performances following the pandemic with entries in excess of 320. Jacqui Dankworth and Charlie Wood return to perform a concert for the Festival.

The Shauni McGregor Award with a £500 bursary to the "Most Promising Performer" aged 18 and under was instigated following the death of Shauni in 2021 and her generous bequest to the Festival. In addition the Young Performers' Recital was added to the Festival.