About Us

L: Dame Margaret Price
R: Jane Anthony

© Tim Smith Photography

Leeds Lieder was founded in 2004 by Jane Anthony in partnership with a group of individuals and Leeds College of Music, to promote the enjoyment, understanding, appreciation, composition and performance of art song.

With relatively few opportunities to hear the art song repertoire in live performance outside London, this gap in the musical landscape provided the inspiration for Leeds Lieder.

Leeds Lieder was inaugurated with a Festival of song in 2005 and there followed a decade of biennial Festivals attracting some of the finest singers and pianists of our time. Encouraged by this success, in 2017 it was decided that the Festival should become an annual event. In between Festivals, audiences are able to enjoy a lively season of concerts and masterclasses presented as co-promotions with our principal partners, the Howard Assembly Room, the University of Leeds and Leeds International Concert Season.

The pianist Joseph Middleton was appointed Director of Leeds Lieder in December 2014.

Our aims are to:

  • Introduce the magnificent art song repertoire to an ever wider audience
  • Inspire successive generations of performers, composers and poets
  • Commission more new work and help to sustain the tradition of song writing

Each Festival offers:

  • The opportunity to hear some of the world’s finest interpreters of art song, together with the cream of outstanding young artists
  • At least one new work for solo voice and piano is commissioned for every Festival
  • A Composers’ + Poets’ Forum which encourages the next generation of song writers by providing expert advice and performance opportunities
  • A public Masterclass for student singers and pianists from the national conservatoires to benefit from the experience and advice of an internationally celebrated singer and the Festival’s Guest of Honour

Leeds Lieder People

Jane Anthony

Jane Anthony

Founder - (1952-2014)

Elly Ameling

Elly Ameling

President

Joseph Middleton

Joseph Middleton

Director

John Gilhooly CBE

John Gilhooly CBE

Honorary Patron

Dame Sarah Connolly DBE

Dame Sarah Connolly DBE

Honorary Patron

Graham Johnson OBE

Graham Johnson OBE

Honorary Patron

Dame Felicity Lott DBE

Dame Felicity Lott DBE

Honorary Patron

Richard Stokes Hon. RAM

Richard Stokes Hon. RAM

Honorary Patron

Office team

Rita Grudzień
General Manager, Leeds Lieder

Madeleine Middleton
Concerts and Festival Manager

Tayyab Amin
Marketing and Media Manager, Leeds Lieder

Phil Wilcox
Learning and Participation Manager, Leeds Lieder

Cynthia Wainwright
Freelance fundraising consultant

Philippa Chamberlayne
Freelance PR consultant

Emeritus Committee Members

Graham Hearn
Emeritus Professor of Music, Leeds College of Music; composer/arranger, jazz pianist

James Marsh
Treasurer

Marion Raper
Pianist, teacher

Trustees

Kathleen Evans BEM
Chairman. Former Festival Administrator, Leeds Lieder

Cllr Jane Dowson
Former Lord Mayor of Leeds; passionate about Leeds and the arts.

Robert Holt
Company Secretary, Solicitor and former news reporter

Jillian Johnson MBE
Administrator, Friends of Leeds Lieder
Retired Artistic Director of Leeds University International Concert Series

George Kennaway
Visiting Research Fellow at the Universities of Leeds and Huddersfield

Helen Stephens
Translator, Music Secretary at Opera North

Peter Brathwaite
Baritone, Broadcaster, Writer

Peggy Pullan
Arts Enthusiast

Committee Members

Kate Dugdale
Music lover and patron