Southwell Music Festival 2025 – first programme announcements
Southwell Music Festival returns this August, filling the Nottinghamshire town with musical delights for all to enjoy from Friday 22 – Monday 25 August.
The Festival team is excited to share a preview of some of the many highlights you can enjoy this year. The full programme will be announced on Friday 16 May at the free Launch Concert at Southwell Minster.
So, what can you expect this year?
Selections from Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts
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.
Kathryn Tickell & The Darkening
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.
Bach B Minor Mass
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 – and not to be missed!
Come and Sing
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 the State Chamber – save the date!
More music for everyone to enjoy
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.
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.
Marcus Farnsworth, Southwell Music Festival founder and Artistic Director
When can I book tickets for Southwell Music Festival?
The full four-day line-up will be revealed at the free Festival Launch Concert on Friday 16 May at Southwell Minster. The concert is open to everyone and tickets can be reserved via our online box office.
Public Booking for Southwell Music Festival 2025 opens on Monday 9 June. Festival Friends enjoy Priority Booking for all concerts and events and will receive advance information and booking dates before the Launch Concert. Discover more about joining the Festival Friends.
How can I support Southwell Music Festival 2025?
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.
Discover more about volunteering opportunities at Southwell Music Festival.
