Hounslow Festival of Music, Speech and Dance

Registered Charity (U.K.) No. 1035333
Affiliated to The British and International Federation of Festivals

Welcome to (what was in 1996) the first UK Music Festival on the Web!

The Hounslow Festival of Music, Speech and Dance is a competitive festival with classes for all ages and all abilities.

The annual festival, which is in holding its sixty-eighth festival this year (2009), is affiliated to
The British and International Federation of Festivals,
which has as its patron Her Majesty the Queen, and the Hounslow Festival is one of over three hundred affiliated festivals.

Click here to view complete Syllabus for 2009 (pdf format - 1.4Mb)

The Festival has four sections this year, and each has classes for a great variety of ages and abilities.

Vocal and Choral
- for solo singers: opera, oratorio, lieder, musical/film, recital, folk etc.
- groups or choirs: duets, trios, quartets, youth choirs, barber shop etc.
- set pieces for children up to the age of 18 and junior own-choice classes
Piano
- solo pianists: sonata, Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, modern, recital
- concertos, duets, family groups
- set pieces for children, junior own-choice classes and beginners classes
Dancing
- solos in ballet, character, national, modern, tap, song and dance
- duets, trios, quartets in classical and cabaret
- choreography, groups and troupes
Speech
- verse speaking with set subjects
- own-choice verse speaking, bible reading, prepared reading
- solo acting, solo mime, Shakespeare solo, duologues

There is no Instrumental Section this year.

The Festival sessions take place at different venues during weekends in October and November each year. Entries are welcomed from teachers, schools or individuals.

The primary aim of the Festival is to encourage the study and performance of the arts. This is done by giving the opportunity for public performance of a prepared piece by an entrant and providing constuctive criticism in a competitive but friendly atmosphere.

You can download a entry form for individual entrants or one for teachers (not suitable for the dancing section). This form can be printed, completed and sent to the relevant section leader with the appropriate fee before the closing date given. See the heading of the appropriate section in the full syllabus (downloadable above) for details.

Other information:

Child Protection Policy (also included in the Syllabus)
Cup and trophy winners for the Piano and Instrumental sections.

UK flag If you would like more information, or would like to receive a syllabus for this year (usually published by May), or would like to know more about the Festival Movement in Britain, please e-mail me

Neil Hawes Home Page