About the Festival
The Festival is an annual event giving opportunities for children and adults to perform and compete in public and receive professional adjudication.
It features classes in the following categories: -
- Speech and Drama
- Vocal solos and duets
- Piano, instrumental solos and ensembles
- Choral competitions for vocal ensembles and choirs
We are a member of the The British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech (BIFF), which supports Festivals across the UK and overseas, to facilitate participation and competition in the performing arts. All member Festivals have a strong education emphasis and provide a platform to perform in front of a live audience and receive feedback from a professional adjudicator.
History of the Festival
The first Hazel Grove Music Festival was organised in 1921 by Mr J Worsley Harrop, a Stockport organist and choirmaster.
It started as a one-day music festival which in the following year extended to a two-day event through the 1920’s and 1930’s.
Mr Harrop died in 1944 and after the Second World War the festival was taken over by his sister, Miss Elsie Harrop. The Festival was extended to three days, still its present format. Speech and Drama was added to the Festival syllabus in 1955.
In 1973 the Festival was under threat of closure for financial reasons, but thanks to a significant fund raising exercise it was able to continue, as it has done until the present time.
Over the years, the Festival has become a central feature of cultural life in Stockport and provides performance and competitive opportunities to musicians and performers of all ages. The Festival now takes place over three days in the Hazel Grove Methodist Church buildings, with the Pianoforte classes being held over two days at Windsor Road.
