The Latin theme of this year’s Oxford Chamber Music Festival mixes South American, Spanish and Italian music. NICOLA LISLE talks to artistic director and violinist Priya Mitchell

It takes Priya Mitchell several months to put together the Oxford Chamber Music Festival programme, and looking at this year’s offering it’s easy to see why. Seven concerts in the space of four days, featuring an eclectic mix of composers and bringing together 20 internationally renowned musicians. It’s an incredible challenge, but one that Priya seems to relish.

“It evolves slowly over about six months, getting ideas together and finding dates when the musicians are free,” she told me. “It’s a bit like organising a party in a way — it’s about who will get on, because there has to be a lot of interaction between this group of musicians. A few of us have played together before, but some of us haven’t, so there has to be an element of real trust.”

Unusually among British music festivals, the OCMF musicians meet at the beginning of the week for an intensive period of rehearsing and performing. “It’s very common on the continent to rehearse on the spot, but it’s not a tradition that we really have in England,” said Priya. “It creates a very special dynamic and it’s incredibly exciting. You feel free to take risks. There’s lots of scope for improvisation, and freedom to try things out.”

This year’s Latin theme evokes the warmth of South America and the Mediterranean, and promises to be a feast of music that will inspire a variety of emotions.

“There’s intense rhythm, visceral quality and power, incredible melancholy and sensuality, and pure passion and restrained passion alongside each other,” said Priya. “So there’s lots of tango music, and also a lot of baroque masterpieces, some known, some not so well known.”

For the first time, the festival is being launched in London, at the Cadogan Hall, with a chamber version of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons played alongside the lesser-known The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires by Piazzolla. The same concert will form the finale to the festival in Oxford.

Piazzolla’s music lies at the heart of the festival. As well as featuring in four of the concerts, the composer is also the subject of a special presentation at the Holywell Music Room on the Friday night, which includes extracts from the 2005 BBC/Opus Arte film Astor Piazzolla in Portrait. There will also be music from Piazzolla’s protégé, Marcelo Nisinman, this year’s composer-in-residence, including the world premiere of his 4 o’clock (am) Tango. There will also be live dancing.

The tango also features in other concerts, and there is a special evening devoted to another popular dance, the fandango, as well as the traditional Brunch concert on the Saturday morning. Featured composers range from the familiar, such as Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, Rossini, Elgar and Paganini, to the lesser-known Nino Rota, Ginastera, Sarasate and Golijov, among others. The inclusion of Elgar in a Latin-themed festival might raise a few eyebrows, but Priya has a ready explanation.

“I like there to be some scope for pieces not directly linked to the theme. Elgar’s Piano Quintet in A Major has been put there because it’s so well loved and I don’t think it’s performed enough. The piece was inspired by a group of trees near Elgar’s house, and there’s a legend that they were evil Spanish monks who had been struck by lightening and their punishment was to be cast into these ugly, contorted trees.”

Priya is hoping the rich variety on offer will entice young and old alike. “We have a free ticket scheme for eight to 22-year-olds, and I would love more young people to come along.”

Of the Latin theme she says: “I thought it would be fun to do warm music when the autumn chill is beginning to bite. The whole theme is to remind us of what it’s like to be in the south!”

The season at a glance Wednesday Souvenir Della Bell’Italia perform music by Vivaldi, Stravinsky, Rota and Tchaikovsky. Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, 7.45pm.

Thursday Violino Diavolo play Tartini, Ginastera, Sarasate and Paganini. Holywell Music Room, 1pm. Plus Tango Sensation play Marcello, Rossini, Elgar, Golijov and Piazzolla, 7.45pm.

Friday, October 3 Fandango perform music by Bottesini, Granados, Soler and Boccherini. Holywell Music Room, 1pm. Plus Piazzolla in Portrait. Includes tango dancing, and the world premiere of 4 o’clock (am) Tango by Marcelo Nisinman. Followed by more music, cocktails and supper at The Vaults restaurant. Holywell Music Room/The Vaults, 7pm.

Saturday, October 4 Latin Brunch. Brunch buffet, followed by concert. Music by Piazzolla, Villa-Lobos, Granados and Golijov. Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, 11.30am.

Last Tango in Oxford. Vivaldi The Four Seasons/Piazzolla The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. The University Church of St Mary the Virgin, 7.45pm.

For further information and tickets, visit www.ocmf.net, or call the box office on 01865 305305. Free tickets are available for children and students aged eight to 22, sponsored by the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust.