WATCH: SKY ARTS AT THE CHELTENHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL 2009 >>

In 2009 The Cheltenham Music Festival celebrates their 65th year. Between the 3rd and 18th of July they celebrate the inspirational brilliance of young performers — from a role-model star like Nicola Benedetti to performances by their Festival Academy and five youth orchestras. They also celebrate 250 years of the string quartet — in honour of Haydn — and music by composers with Jewish heritage — in honour of Mendelssohn.

Sky Arts spent a couple of days filming in and around Cheltenham taking in the beautiful sights and locations of the Cotswold’s. We met up with artistic Director Meurig Bowen who gave us a very pleasing tour of some of the key areas notably the Pittville Pump room which hosts a number of musical events; we also go to Tewkesbury Abbey and the delightful St Mary’s Church in Painswick. We spent time with two groups of people performing at this years Festival, the Endellion String Quartet, renowned as one of the finest quartets in the world, who we catch during rehearsals and Soprano Elizabeth Watt, recently nominated for a classical BRIT award, who performs for us.

To find out more, visit cheltenhamfestivals.com/music/