Early Voices grew out of the experience of a group of singers passionate about early music, practicing in the 12th-Century Church of St Illtud in Llantwit Major. The oldest site of learning in the British Isles, this fascinating church resonated once again with ancient sounds; concerts followed, to great audience acclaim, and the Early Voices Festival was born.

The inaugural Festival took place in May 2024 as a two-day event, on the topic of "Pilgrimage" and showcasing Welsh musicians - Pavane Early Music Consort, among others - and the Italian Ensemble San Pietro. Free talks by early music experts and a "meet the instruments" workshop enriched the audience's experience.

The 2025 Festival is entitled "Mare Nostrum”, focusing on the role of the Mediterranean Sea as a hub of cultural exchange throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The festival will be opened at the end of April 2025 with the special project Early Voices Connections: “From Persia to Europe”. This concert will be the result of collaboration between the Welsh group ContraBand and the Iranian duo Sazava. Together, they will explore Kurdish traditional music and Western medieval repertoire, in a unique blend of instruments and improvisations.

During the main Festival weekend, May 9th-11th, our lineup includes the group The Telling – who combine music and theatre – with the performance “Into the Melting Pot”, set in 1492 Spain when Jews and Muslims were forced out of the country. The Telling will also run their award-winning “Stories and Songs” workshop with members of the Cardiff based Oasis One World Choir. They will present their work in an open session during the festival weekend.

The festival will also welcome Cardiff-based soprano Joelene Griffiths and lutenist Scott Baker in a concert of Italian and French Renaissance songs, and two vocal groups The Fountain Singers and Ewenny Chamber Choir joined in celebration of GP da Palestrina’s 500th anniversary. A talk by Dr Lucy Donkin, University of Bristol, titled “Picturing Cultural Exchange in the Medieval Mediterranean” will help the audience to understand the cultural context of this period.