IN line with the strong American theme flowing throughout the 37th annual Presteigne Festival, one of the composers-in-residence is the American composer and virtuoso harpist Hannah Lash.

Hannah gets her own 'Portrait Concert' playing alongside Katherine Bryan on flute, Sarah-Jane Bradley on viola, and George Barton on percussion at St Michael’s Church, Discoed at 2.30pm on Sunday, August 25.

The concert will include the UK premieres of Hannah’s compositions 'Folksongs' and 'Stalk' as well as her 'Three Shades Without Angles', plus works by Debussy and David Matthews.

Pianist Tim Poster plays the UK Premiere of Hannah’s 'Give me your Songs' at St Andrew’s Church in Presteigne at 2pm on Friday, August 23.

The UK premiere of her 'Chaconnes' will be part of Sunday’s concert at 7.45pm at St Andrew’s Church by the Festival Orchestra with Alice Neary on cello and Mathilde Milwidsky on violin. The concert will end with Stravinsky’s 'Dumbarton Oaks' concerto.

Hannah’s 'Adjoining' has its UK premiere at Monday’s evening 'Contrasts' concert; and the world premiere of her festival commission 'Fault Lines' concerto for flute and string orchestra will be part of the Festival finale on Tuesday night. Both concerts are at St Andrew’s Church.

Hannah will be talking to Anglo/American music publisher Louisa Hungate together with the other festival composer-in-residence Cheryl Frances-Hoad on Monday morning.

They will discuss their lives and careers giving a true insight into what it takes to

be a successful professional composer in the 21st century.

Cheryl’s 'Tales of the Invisible' will receive its world premiere on Saturday afternoon at St Andrew’s Church by the Albion Quartet with Rozena Le Trionnaire on clarinet, and several other works will be included in other concerts.

The festival will also include world premiere of works by James Francis-Brown on Saturday, by Freya Waley-Cohen on Sunday, and by Liam Mattison on Monday; and a UK premiere of an Adrian Williams concerto on Friday.

The festival starts on Thursday with 'The Sound of His Music - a Celebration of Richard Rodgers', journeying through the songs of the Broadway shows legend with a cast of sopranos Rebecca Bottone, Kate Valentine, mezzo soprano Helen Evora, and baritone Damien Thantrey, with pianist Jonathan Lyness, and the narrator is George Vass, the festival’s long serving artistic director.

As well as concerts, recitals and musical events, the festival also includes a one-act solo play, literature, artistic criticism, film screenings, cultural history, heritage walks, exhibitions, and a church eucharist service that will include the world premiere of Harriet Grainger’s 'Missa Brevis' mass.

The festival runs to Tuesday night, August 27. Full details can be found on the website www.presteignefestival.com, or call the box office on 01544 267800.