Leeds Song Festival 2026: What is it, who is performing and how to get tickets for this year’s big event

Formerly known as Leeds Lieder, the festival has rebranded for 2026 to reflect its "casting the net wide" approach to repertoire.

The festival was founded in 2004 by Jane Anthony, a former member of the Opera North Chorus and Head of Vocal Studies at Leeds Conservatoire, with a simple yet ambitious goal: to provide a platform for live art-song in the North of England so that local music lovers didn't have to travel to London to hear the world's greatest singers.

From its first full festival in 2005, the event was originally a biennial (every two years) Lieder Weekend.

During this period, the festival invited a different world-renowned Guest Artistic Director for each edition to curate the program, which included legendary names like Roger Vignoles (2007), Graham Johnson (2013), and Roderick Williams (2016).

Following the tragic death of Jane Anthony in 2014, the acclaimed pianist Joseph Middleton took over as Artistic Director, and under his leadership, the festival underwent a major transformation, moving from a biennial weekend to a week-long annual event in 2016.

To mark its third decade, the festival officially rebranded from Leeds Lieder to Leeds Song in April 2025.

This was a "subtle but significant" shift designed to make the festival more inclusive, signalling that the repertoire would expand beyond traditional German Lieder to celebrate song in all its diverse forms and languages.

Today, the festival is recognised as a cornerstone of Leeds’ cultural identity, evolving from a niche classical event into a community-wide celebration.

What are some of the highlights this year at the Leeds Song Festival?

Gareth Malone’s Bring and Sing!

• When: April 11 (rehearsal 3pm/performance 6pm)
• Where: The Venue, Leeds Conservatoire, 3 Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7PD.

It’s not often you get to be coached by the nation’s favourite choirmaster.

Gareth Malone (from BBC’s The Choir) is inviting locals to form a "one-day-only" chorus to perform Haydn’s Nelson Mass. It’s a brilliant way to kick off the festival with high energy and local participation.

Marianne Crebassa

• When: April 12 (7:30pm)
• Where: Howard Assembly Room, 32 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU

Marianne Crebassa is a French mezzo-soprano who usually headlines at the Paris Opera or Salzburg.

This is her first-ever UK recital outside of London, where she will perform a "sumptuous" programme of French songs and Mahler; perfect for anyone wanting to experience world-class opera talent in an intimate setting.

Roderick Williams OBE & Iain Burnside

• When: April 14 (6pm)
• Where: Howard Assembly Room, 32 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU

Coronation singer Roderick Williams OBE is a Leeds favourite for a reason, and this year’s programme is themed around Japanese Haiku.

It features new works by Libby Larsen that Williams likens to a "musical mobile," weaving together old and new songs in a unique way.

Seven Deadly Sins Cabaret

• When: April 16 (7:30pm)
• Where: Howard Assembly Room, 32 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU

If you find the traditional "Lieder" a bit stiff, this is the one for you.

This cabaret is a bold, theatrical journey through the seven deadly sins. Think biting wit, Broadway flair, and sensual charm, featuring works by Sondheim, Bernstein, and Cole Porter.

It’s classical music with a "late-night cabaret" attitude.

Dame Sarah Connolly’s Kathleen’s Songbook

• When: April 18 (7:30pm)
• Where: Howard Assembly Room, 32 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU

Dame Sarah Connolly is a titan of the British music scene, and for this year’s closing night, she’s performing a programme inspired by the legendary Kathleen Ferrier.

It’s a powerhouse finale that brings together the festival’s artistic director, Joseph Middleton, and winners from the 2025 New Voices competition

Leeds Song Festival 2026: full programme schedule

April 11

• Patricia Nolz & Joseph Middleton: Lunchtime Opening Recital - The Venue (1pm)
• Bring and Sing! Rehearsal with Gareth Malone - The Venue (3pm)
• Bring and Sing! Concert with Gareth Malone - The Venue (6pm)
• Pre-concert Talk with Richard Stokes - Howard Assembly Room (6:45pm)
• Louise Alder, Huw Montague Rendall & Joseph Middleton - Howard Assembly Room (7:30pm)

April 12

• Festival Masterclass with Bernarda Fink - The Venue (10:30am)
• Nardus Williams & Elizabeth Kenny: ‘Dowland 400’ - The Venue (1pm)
• Study Event: Exploring ‘Des Knaben Wunderhorn’ - The Venue (2:30pm)
• Marianne Crebassa & Joseph Middleton - Howard Assembly Room (7:30pm)

April 13

• Friends’ Masterclass with Bernarda Fink - Howard Opera Centre (10:30am)
• Friends’ Masterclass with Mark Padmore CBE - Howard Opera Centre (2pm)

April 14

• Festival Masterclass with Bernarda Fink - Howard Opera Centre (2pm)
• Roderick Williams OBE & Iain Burnside: ‘Haiku’ - Howard Assembly Room (6pm)
• ‘Dunwich’ – Intermedia première by Martin Iddon - Howard Assembly Room (9:30pm)

April 15

• A Leeds Songbook: Showcase and Exhibition - Leeds City Museum (2pm)
• Helen Charlston & Sholto Kynoch: ‘Knight’s Dream’ - Howard Assembly Room (7:30pm)

April 16

• Young Artists Showcase - The Venue (1pm)
• Festival Masterclass with Sir Thomas Allen - The Venue (2:30pm)
• Axelle Fanyo, Fleur Barron & Julius Drake: ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ - Howard Assembly Room (7:30pm)
• Late Night Lieder Lounge - Howard Assembly Room (9:45pm)

April 17

• Festival Masterclass with Roger Vignoles - The Venue (10:30am)
• Charles Cunliffe & Jong Sun Woo: Lunchtime Recital - Howard Assembly Room (1pm)
• Festival Masterclass with Anna Tilbrook - The Venue (2:30pm)
• Katharina Konradi & Joseph Middleton - Howard Assembly Room (7:30pm)
• Arko Mukhaerjee & Nishad Pandey: Late Night Recital - Howard Assembly Room (9:45pm)

April 18

• Theodore Platt & Keval Shah: ‘Mortal Wounds’ - The Venue (11am)
• Young Artists Finale Concert - The Venue (2:30pm)
• Dame Sarah Connolly & Joseph Middleton: ‘Kathleen’s Songbook’ - Howard Assembly Room (7:30pm)

Where can I get tickets to the events at Leeds Song Festival 2026?

Tickets for the 2026 Leeds Song Festival can be booked directly through the Leeds Song website or by calling the central booking line on 0113 222 3434.

As the programme is hosted across several locations, tickets are also available via the Opera North box office for Howard Assembly Room events and the Leeds Conservatoire website for masterclasses and the Bring and Sing! showcase.

To make the festival more affordable, passes are available for those attending multiple sessions, while the Under 30s membership scheme offers discounted tickets from just £5.

With high demand expected for headliners like Gareth Malone and Dame Sarah Connolly, fans are encouraged to book early to secure their place this April.

Looking for more musical events coming to our city this year? Take a look at some of our picks of the best concerts coming to Leeds next month.