Festival events
Saturday 13 April – SongPath Musical Walking Trail
Kirkstall Abbey Abbey Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomSongPath returns to Leeds for a second year with a unique outdoor walking trail that blends music, nature and mental health. This year we explore the rich natural world and history of the 900 year-old ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, where nature intertwines with spectacular Gothic architecture.
Sunday 14 April – Schubertiade Lunchtime Opening Recital: Nikola Hillebrand, Joseph Middleton and Oliver Casanovas Nuevo
The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomGerman soprano Nikola Hillebrand made her UK recital debut at Leeds Lieder at the 2022 Festival. It was a knockout performance resulting in Gramophone Magazine writing “Hillebrand’s radiant, gilt tone fits this repertoire lusciously, her diction is excellent and she communicates with warmth.”
Sunday 14 April – Young Artists Schubertiade with Richard Stokes and Leeds Lieder Young Artists
The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomA recital featuring the outstanding 2024 cohort of Leeds Lieder’s Young Artists. Join us for a Schubertiade led by expert linguist, song specialist and pedagogue, Richard Stokes.
Sunday 14 April – Friends’ Private Reception
Rooftop Bar, Leeds Conservatoire 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomA special ‘Thank you!’ for members of the Friends of Leeds Lieder
Sunday 14 April – Schubertiade 20th Anniversary Gala Recital
The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomA Gala Concert featuring an all-Schubert programme will include Schubert’s Fantasie in F minor (D. 940) to be performed by Middleton and Vignoles, rare Schubert ensembles showcasing members of the Young Artists Programme and duets by Hillebrand and Williams.
Monday 15 April – Friends’ Festival Masterclass I: Sir Thomas Allen and Leeds Lieder Young Artists
Leeds Minster 2-6 Kirkgate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomAs a special thank you to the Friends of Leeds Lieder, this masterclass is an opportunity to get up close to the action and meet our Young Artists while they prepare new material.
Tuesday 16 April – Evening Recital: Punjabi Proverbs
Sikh Centre 192 Chapeltown Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomEspecially for the 2024 Festival, a programme to celebrate the cross-cultural art of British and Indian composers and poets. Indian composers are heard setting English poems, alongside English song settings of Indian poetry.
Wednesday 17 April – Schools Culmination Concert: Living Lieder
The Ballroom, Pudsey Civic Hall Dawsons Corner, Cote Lane, Pudsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomThese two concerts round off our award-winning education projects this year and we are proud to present them during the Festival.
Wednesday 17 April – Schools Culmination Concert: Discovering Lieder
The Ballroom, Pudsey Civic Hall Dawsons Corner, Cote Lane, Pudsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomThese two concerts round off our award-winning education projects this year and we are proud to present them during the Festival.
Wednesday 17 April – Composers & Poets Forum Showcase: ‘A Leeds Songbook’
Leeds Minster 2-6 Kirkgate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomA continuation of our acclaimed 2023 ‘Leeds Songbook’ project, our Composers & Poets Forum sees further creative contributions to the song collection.
Wednesday 17 April – Evening Performance: Through the Noise with James Newby and Joseph Middleton
Hyde Park Book Club 27-29 Headingley Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomFor the first time we are collaborating with Through the Noise, a groundbreaking promotor whose mission it is to bring the best classical artists to popular club locations.
Thursday 18 April – Festival Masterclass II: Dame Felicity Lott and Leeds Lieder Young Artists
Rooftop Bar, Leeds Conservatoire 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomDame Felicity Lott provides our international Young Artist duos with insight and experience, working with them as they explore the treasure trove of French song.
Thursday 18 April – Lunchtime Lecture Recital: Graham Johnson OBE, Sarah Fox and Florian Störtz
The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomThis lecture recital given by the great Graham Johnson will prove that Fauré is no longer merely a 'Master of Charms' circumscribed by the belle époque.
Thursday 18 April – Festival Masterclass III: Graham Johnson OBE and Leeds Lieder Young Artists
The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomKnown worldwide as a ‘peerless song accompanist’, Graham Johnson reimagined and revitalised the song recital with the advent of his Songmakers’ Almanac.
Thursday 18 April – Pre-concert Talk with Professor Barbara Kelly
Rooftop Bar, Leeds Conservatoire 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomHead of School and Professor of Music at the University of Leeds, Barbara Kelly, gives an enlightening introduction to this evening’s recital.
Thursday 18 April – Evening Recital: James Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook – The Earth has Music
The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomJames Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook perform repertoire by composers including Quilter, Fauré, Mahler, Boulanger and Muriel Herbert.
Friday 19 April – Lunchtime Recital: Young Artists Showcase
Howard Assembly Room 32 New Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomEnjoy the finest young duos of the Leeds Lieder Young Artists Programme, coached by Sir Thomas Allen, Dame Felicity Lott and more.
Friday 19 April – Festival Masterclass IV: James Gilchrist, Anna Tilbrook and Leeds Lieder Young Artists
Howard Opera Centre 8 Harrison Street, Leeds, United KingdomHaving watched this great song duo in performance, our Young Artists will benefit from a joint masterclass with James Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook.
Friday 19 April – Pre-concert Talk with Dr George Kennaway
Howard Assembly Room 32 New Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomCellist and musicologist Dr George Kennaway, Visiting Research Fellow at Huddersfield and Leeds Universities, returns to Leeds Lieder to give one of his popular pre-concert talks.
Friday 19 April – Evening Recital: Carolyn Sampson and Joseph Middleton – but I like to sing…
Howard Assembly Room 32 New Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United KingdomTo close the Leeds Lieder Festival, Sampson and Middleton present a gala recital entitled “But i like to sing…” a witty line from Bernstein’s song written for children: “I hate music!”.