Founded in 1982 in the former county town of Radnorshire in Wales, the Presteigne Festival has become a significant part of the Welsh cultural calendar and is internationally renowned for its commissioning of new work, support of living composers and with a long tradition for the encouragement of young artists. The festival’s orchestra, conducted by Artistic Director George Vass, explores a selection of the many new works premiered by the festival in this volume of recent British music for string orchestra, including a set of variations on the folk song 'Lovely Joan' - with a movement contributed by one of eight composers, concertos by Martin Butler and Joe Duddell and music by the veteran composer Hugh Wood.