The musical year culminates each May with the International Pharos Chamber Music Festival held at venues in Nicosia and at the Gothic Hall of The Royal Manor House, in Kouklia, Paphos - one of the finest surviving monuments of Frankish architecture on the island. The Festival, which was established in 2001 as an annual event, has become the highlight of the Trust’s annual concert series. The Festival has secured international status and grown to be one of the country’s most important cultural events offering Cyprus audiences, as well as hundreds of music lovers from abroad, the most exquisite musical experiences.

The Eighth International Pharos Chamber Music Festival takes place in May-July 2008 in Nicosia and at the Gothic Hall of the Royal Manor House in Kouklia, Paphos. The Hall is one of the greatest surviving monuments of Lusignan-period architecture on the island and offers an exceptionally intimate setting in which to enjoy chamber music performances. As part of the Eighth International Pharos Chamber Music Festival 2008, the Trust presents the Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell (violin/director) in a unique concert at the Strovolos Municipal Theatre in Nicosia, on 7 May 2008. The Festival also welcomes to Cyprus seventeen accomplished chamber musicians from the current international circuit, in eight concerts on eight consecutive evenings, 29 May – 5 June 2008, at the Gothic Hall of The Royal Manor House, in Kouklia. On 22 June 2008, a concert by the Academy of Ancient Music with Pavlo Beznosiuk (violin/director) and Frank de Bruine (oboe) will be hosted in the idyllic area of Delikipos, a few kilometres away from Nicosia. The International Pharos Chamber Music Festival 2008 culminates on 2 July 2008 with a concert by pianist Martha Argerich and three leading chamber musicians, at the Strovolos Municipal Theatre in Nicosia.

Some highlights of past Festivals:

· In 2002, the Vienna String Soloists performed with Cypriot conductor/pianist Spiros Pisinos.

· In 2003, the Pharos Soloists – a group of talented young musicians from all over the world led by Levon Chilingirian – performed a new work by Cypriot composer Andreas Moustoukis in Nicosia, Paphos, London and Prague.

· In 2004, the Festival was themed “The Spirit of Europe – Mediaeval to Contemporary Music” and a new work by Cypriot composer Yiannis Kyriakides specially commissioned by the Pharos Trust was given its premiere by the London Sinfonietta.

· The 2005 Festival again saw many renowned ensembles in Cyprus, such as the Ysaye Quartet; the Baroque ensemble Florilegium with soprano Sine Bundgaard; and the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra led by Theodor Kurrentsis, a rising star in conducting. The Moscow Virtuosi performed a new work by Andreas Moustoukis.

· The 2006 Festival presented the Chilingirian Quartet as well as nine internationally-renowned chamber musicians, including violinist Dmitry Sitkovetsky, pianist Jeremy Menuhin and cellist Steven Isserlis, in eight concerts in Nicosia and Paphos

· In 2007, thirteen renowned soloists and chamber musicians participated in three concerts in Nicosia and four concerts at the Kouklia Manor House. A varied programme ranging from Bach and Mozart to Brahms, Schumann and Mendelssohn, as well as works by lesser known contemporary composers such as Alfvén, Arensky and Aho was presented by legendary artists such as flutist Sharon Bezaly, cellist David Geringas, violinists David Juriz and Christoph Poppen and violist Diemut Poppen.