This year’s Petersfield Musical Festival sold a record number of tickets and attracted a record number of participating musicians, delighting audiences from all walks of life during its nine-day celebration of a wide range of musical styles and genres.

A total of 11 concerts were given, more than 2,100 tickets were sold, 766 performers took part – including 345 pupils from 11 local schools – and 13 conductors, five choirs, four orchestras, a consort, a jazz sextet and a boy band trio took to the stage. The festival closed on March 23 with a rousing choral concert of English music to a capacity audience.

Petersfield Musical Festival chairman Pam Buckley said: “What a magnificent festival, with music from Mozart to Moanin’, pop ballads to organ fugues, we had it all. Truly a community event, with inspirational soloists enjoyed by performers and audiences of all ages.”

A highlight was a special presentation by Petersfield mayor JC Crissey to retiring musical director and former chairman Philip Young during an all-Mozart concert on March 16.

Philip served on the festival committee for 40 years, with two spells as chairman, and was awarded a Town Mayor’s Medal before the festival choir, orchestra and packed audience.