Festival first.

Byline: SARAH BATLEY

Mari Grug and Morgan Jones go behind the scenes at North Wales International Music Festival this week to meet performers and organisers.

It's the first time S4C has broadcast a programme from the Festival, and it's part of the Channel's Crwydro Cymru season celebrating Wales' communities, characters, culture and landscape.

In the programme, there's a chance to hear Catrin Finch perform a movement from William Mathias' Santa Fe Suite.

Other festival highlights are Welsh soprano Rebecca Evans and pianist John Lill, the King's Singers, Allegri String Quartet, organist Christopher Herrick, plus Northumbrian piper Kathryn Tickell - who's played on four Sting albums and alongside him at Newcastle City Hall, New York's Carnegie Hall, and also on TV.

Finally the BBC Singers and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under the baton of renowned international conductor Owain Arwel Hughes will close the event tonight.

Rebecca, who opened the festival with Ensemble Cymru, said before her performance: "There will be a beautiful line-up of music, I will be performing songs by my favourite composer Mozart."

The show also visits a special workshop for the area's youngsters.

The Festival was founded by the late William Mathias in 1972, with the aim of bringing the finest international musicians to North Wales.

St Asaph Cathedral provides a magnificent venue for the Festival, and its Artistic Director is Ann Atkinson, musical director of the Fron Male Voice Choir and Bro Glyndwr Male Voice Choir.

Ann, married to baritone Kevin DIGWYDDIADAU Sharp, has performed at Bridgewater Hall, Sydney Opera House and Glyndebourne Festival. She joined the Gorsedd of Bards at the 2009 Meirion Eisteddfod in Bala.

North International Festival S4C, The theme for this year's event is anniversaries, with the composer William Mathias receiving special attention as he would have celebrated his 75th birthday this year.

"This will be the first time for me to visit the Festival and I'm looking forward very much," says presenter Morgan Jones.

"The venue adds a certain something to any festival, but there can be no better marriage than that between music and a cathedral - it's a perfect combination.

"In churches, the sound reverberates beautifully and the acoustic gives a different life to the music. This certainly captivates the audience and inspires the performers. You can immerse yourself totally in the sound, which electrifies you from head to toe."

Rebecca studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and has performed regularly at the Welsh 09: Wales National Opera; the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich.

Music tomorrow 9pm The welcome return to Wales is something that doesn't come too often for Rebecca.

She explained: "I've been very busy this past year performing at international concerts and recordings, so I come to North Wales as often as I can.

"North Wales is one of my favourite places to be in the world."

It's the stage where Rebecca feels at home.

She explained: "I do enjoy taking part in television series but there's nothing quite like being on stage in costume in front of an audience."

Rebecca has also performed Belinda in the BBC film of Dido and Aeneas and hosted the BBC television series A Touch of Classics with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.

She was also a guest artist on the 2008 BBC2 series Maestro presented by Clive Anderson.

National the DIGWYDDIADAU 09: North Wales International Music Festival tomorrow S4C, 9pm this anniversaries, William special attention Wales something doesn't come Rebecca.

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Presenters Morgan Jones and Mari Grug. Above right: North Wales International Music Festival Artistic Director, Ann Atkinson Rebecca Evans