Four Winds Festival Announces New Artistic Leadership Team

The Four Winds Festival announces the appointment of a brand new Artistic Leadership team for their next biennial festival in 2016. Paul Dean and Yarmila Alfonzetti have been appointed as the new figures who will head the festival into the future. 

With outstanding reputations in the classical music industry and music education, both Paul and Yarmila bring extensive programming and event experience to what will be a festival dedicated to the presentation of the very best in classic music.

“Following our successful 2014 Festival, previous Artistic Director, Paul Kildea, remains based in London and is therefore leaving Four Winds. We wish him well in the future. Our new team, with Paul Dean’s strengths as a musician and Artistic Director along with Yarmila as Executive Producer, bring creativity and innovation to our 18th Festival in 2016 celebrating Australian artists and new music” says Sheena Boughen, Chair of The Four Winds Festival.

Paul Dean is a highly accomplished and internationally recognised solo, chamber and orchestral clarinettist and Artistic Director of the Australian National Academy of Music. “Being appointed Artistic Director of the Four Winds Festival is both an exhilarating and humbling experience. I envisage being a part of a rich and wonderful tradition driving it in exciting new directions as well. Four Winds has the opportunity to transform lives and showcases how to thrill and create great music from Bermagui to the world! I am thrilled to be joining this amazing journey,” says Paul Dean.

Yarmila Alfonzetti is currently Head of External Relations for the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and prior to this was Head of Classical Music at Sydney Opera House. She says “It is an exceptional and wondrous opportunity to be able to develop an artistic program for an environment like no other; fluid and fanciful, vast and intimate all at the same time. By sharing what Paul and I know and love about classical music, this major event will influence the lives of local school children and educators, composers and musicians, as well as the festival-goers who never fail to be entranced by the unique experiences they have at Four Winds.”

Reframing the festival for Easter 2016, with continued links in education and the community, the festival will be showcased at Nature’s Concert Hall: The Sound Shell and The Windsong Pavilion at Bermagui on the south coast of New South Wales. Community links will continue to be a significant component of the festival with Liena Lacey the local Creative Producer, integrating festival artists into the broader program of events throughout the year.

The biennial Four Winds Festival hosts a diverse range of concerts, workshops and community engagement projects throughout the year, and in 2016 will run from Thursday March 24th to Sunday March 27.

2016 Tickets will be released in September 2015