Southwell Music Festival returns this August, filling the Nottinghamshire town with musical delights for all to enjoy from Friday 22 – Monday 25 August.
Now in its eleventh year, the Festival welcomes professional musicians and performers from across the UK and shines a spotlight on the best of Nottinghamshire’s home-grown talent.
The Festival team is excited to share a preview of some of the many highlights you can enjoy this year. Watch out for the full programme announcement in May.
Blending jazz with spiritual themes and featuring the sublime Festival Voices and Southwell Music Festival’s very first Big Band act, The Cottontail Orchestra, this Friday evening concert brings selections from Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts to the Southwell stage. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience this groundbreaking work from one of the leading jazz pioneers in the atmospheric setting of Southwell Minster.
Folk music takes centre stage on Saturday night. Acclaimed folk artist Kathryn Tickell returns to Southwell Music Festival after a sell-out performance in 2023, this time alongside her band The Darkening. Composer, performer and the foremost exponent of the Northumbrian pipes, Kathryn’s music is deeply rooted in the landscape and people of Northumbria, with her twice winning the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Musician of the Year.
On Sunday evening, the Festival Voices and Baroque Sinfonia join forces to fill the Minster Nave with glorious sound with a performance of Bach’s majestic B Minor Mass, conducted by Artistic Director Marcus Farnsworth. Skilfully balancing choral, solo and orchestral parts, allowing for intricate counterpoint and harmony, this is one of Bach’s greatest ever works.
The Bach theme continues into Monday, with singers of all abilities invited to participate in the Festival’s annual Come and Sing. A morning rehearsal is followed by a performance, with singers performing alongside professional soloists, accompanied by the Festival Baroque Sinfonia. The accompanying Singing Day workshop will be held on Saturday 16 August in Southwell Minster’s State Chamber
2025 sees the return of the ever-popular Saturday afternoon free Musical Picnic. Families and friends can come together to enjoy music from across the genres, performed by professional and amateur musicians and community groups in the Minster’s Palace Gardens.
This year’s new addition to the programme will be a Saturday afternoon Relaxed Concert. This short, friendly event will offer the opportunity to experience classical music in Southwell Minster without the traditional formality. All are welcome, including families with children, people with sensory and communication impairments or learning disabilities, and those who are neurodiverse.
And once again, the Festival Fringe returns with free performances in venues and outdoor locations across Southwell. Local musicians, groups, and ensembles can apply to perform as part of the Fringe, and information about the Fringe Open Call will be released soon. To keep up to date, follow Southwell Music Festival on Facebook and Instagram or visit southwellmusicfestival.com and sign up for the email newsletter.
Southwell Music Festival Founder and Artistic Director Marcus Farnsworth said:
“We are thrilled to be back for our eleventh year, bringing some of the best music out there to Southwell. This year’s programme looks fantastic, and I’m excited to welcome Southwell Music Festival audiences and new faces to what will be a jam-packed bank holiday weekend of music for all to enjoy.”
The full four-day Festival line-up will be revealed at a free Launch Concert on Friday 16 May at Southwell Minster. The concert is open to everyone. Reserve your free tickets online at southwellmusicfestival.com.
Tickets for Southwell Music Festival go on sale on Monday 9 June. Festival Friends enjoy Priority Booking for all concerts and events. For more information about joining the Festival Friends, visit southwellmusicfestival.com/friends.
As a registered charity, Southwell Music Festival also welcomes new sponsors, donors, partners and volunteers. If you or your business wants to make a difference to arts in the region by supporting Southwell Music Festival 2025, please email DR@southwellmusicfestival.com.
Posted on 03 March 2025
