The Festival started in 2004 and was firmly linked to the music of Benjamin Britten and the international violin competition of that name which took place in London later the same year. However, like all good artistic events, the Festival has matured and diversified. The programme this year, which has built on the experience of the past two years, promises to be both exciting and entertaining.

Festivals take an enormous amount of organisation and I am hugely grateful to all those who have worked so hard to put it all together. Financial backing is also essential and to those who have contributed this year I offer my heartfelt thanks. To those of you who are visiting the Festival for the first time and like what you hear, why not help us fund next year's event? It is a great event for Kyiv and Ukraine and deserves your support.