Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts

Accompanists

The festival does not provide accompanists. If your class needs one, you arrange and pay for them yourself.

Book early, and expect to pay.

Accompanists are booked directly by performers, not by the festival. You will need to agree a fee with them covering both the festival performance and any rehearsals beforehand. Rates are set by the accompanist, not by us.

Good accompanists fill up quickly in the weeks before the festival. Make arrangements as soon as you have entered rather than waiting for the timetable.

The festival list

These accompanists are known to the festival committee and have agreed to their details being published here. Contact them directly to make arrangements.

What the festival is and is not responsible for

Accompanists listed here are self-employed and advertise their own services. They are not employed, appointed or engaged by the Cheltenham Festival of Performing Arts.

We do not carry out checks of any kind on them. That includes qualifications, insurance and DBS certification. We make no assessment of their suitability and nothing on this page is a recommendation.

Any arrangement you make is a private one between you and the accompanist. That covers fees, rehearsals, cancellations and anything that goes wrong. The festival is not a party to it and cannot resolve disputes.

If your performer is under 18, rehearsals happen away from the festival and are not covered by our safeguarding arrangements. Responsibility for supervising your child at rehearsals rests with you, exactly as it would with any other private tuition. Our safeguarding page sets out what applies during the festival itself.

Before you book

  • Check the syllabus entry for your class. Not every class allows accompaniment, and some require you to be unaccompanied
  • Agree the fee in advance, for rehearsals as well as the performance
  • Give your accompanist the music in good time, and in the edition and key the class requires
  • Once the timetable is published on , confirm the day and time with them straight away

Two exceptions

Adult Vocal masterclass entry includes a professional accompanist, who will play for you throughout. For the Vocal Championships you can use the official accompanist, with rehearsal time beforehand, or bring your own.

A piano is provided in the hall for string, woodwind and brass classes, but you still need to bring your own player.

Related pages

  • Syllabus: check whether your class allows accompaniment
  • How to enter: everything you need to do, in order
  • Rules: Rule M4 covers accompanists