The Manx Competitive Music, Speech and Dance Festival is the charity that organises the Manx Music Festival, known to many as The Guild.
The Island’s oldest major event, the much loved festival began in 1892 and has run for 127 unbroken years, continuing even during the two World Wars, and is an important part of the Island’s culture and heritage.
More than 40 hard-working volunteers run the festival and 4,600 competitors of all ages take part.
It attracts entries and nurtures talent from across the community.
In 2019, some 217 classes took place over eight days of competition at the Villa Marina and St Thomas’ Church.
In 2020 we were, unfortunately, forced to cancel the Festival as a result of the Coronovarius pandemic and consequent lock down. However, in order to ensure our 128 year unbroken record continued we organised a virtual festival which we named ‘The Guild Goes On!’. Entrants recorded their performances in their own homes and gardens and sent them to us for forwarding to our off-Island adjudicators for feedback. In all, 91 people entered and received thorough, constructive and supportive comments from the adjudicators who were delighted that we had carried on. Parents, competitors and teachers were very pleased to be able to have an outlet for all their hard work and some uploaded their entries on our Guild Skeet Facebook group and other sites.
Classes include music (folk, operatic, oratorio, choir, popular and rock music for voice and woodwind, string, organ, keyboard and percussion for instruments), drama (poetry, character study, public speaking, Bible reading and choral speaking) and dance (modern, tap, ballet, national and character dance). In 2019, Stand Up Comedy was introduced and attracted brave competitors and enthusiastic audiences.
Manx features strongly, with classes for dialect, Gaelic and dancing and a T. E. Brown class ensuring the work of the Island’s national poet is heard.
The event offers scholarships to participants to study at acclaimed music, drama and dance schools.
It organises offshoot events such as workshops, concerts and recitals featuring internationally recognised performer and adjudicators.
It works with partners across the community.
The Island’s oldest major event, the much loved festival began in 1892 and has run for 127 unbroken years, continuing even during the two World Wars, and is an important part of the Island’s culture and heritage.
More than 40 hard-working volunteers run the festival and 4,600 competitors of all ages take part.
It attracts entries and nurtures talent from across the community.
In 2019, some 217 classes took place over eight days of competition at the Villa Marina and St Thomas’ Church.
In 2020 we were, unfortunately, forced to cancel the Festival as a result of the Coronovarius pandemic and consequent lock down. However, in order to ensure our 128 year unbroken record continued we organised a virtual festival which we named ‘The Guild Goes On!’. Entrants recorded their performances in their own homes and gardens and sent them to us for forwarding to our off-Island adjudicators for feedback. In all, 91 people entered and received thorough, constructive and supportive comments from the adjudicators who were delighted that we had carried on. Parents, competitors and teachers were very pleased to be able to have an outlet for all their hard work and some uploaded their entries on our Guild Skeet Facebook group and other sites.
Classes include music (folk, operatic, oratorio, choir, popular and rock music for voice and woodwind, string, organ, keyboard and percussion for instruments), drama (poetry, character study, public speaking, Bible reading and choral speaking) and dance (modern, tap, ballet, national and character dance). In 2019, Stand Up Comedy was introduced and attracted brave competitors and enthusiastic audiences.
Manx features strongly, with classes for dialect, Gaelic and dancing and a T. E. Brown class ensuring the work of the Island’s national poet is heard.
The event offers scholarships to participants to study at acclaimed music, drama and dance schools.
It organises offshoot events such as workshops, concerts and recitals featuring internationally recognised performer and adjudicators.
It works with partners across the community.
