Leeds Lieder+

General information

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. The organisation was inaugurated with a Festival of song in October 2005 and there followed a decade of biannual Festivals attracting some of finest singers and pianists of our time. In December 2014, following the tragic and untimely death of Jane Anthony, Leeds Lieder appointed the pianist Joseph Middleton as the new Director. He will work alongside Roderick Williams to curate the next Leeds Lieder Festival, to take place in April 2016.

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+.

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
Ensure every Festival has a new Artistic Director who puts his/her unique stamp on the weekend, keeping the artistic vision fresh and individual
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 two new works for solo voice and piano are 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.
The opportunity to explore world music in workshop and performance showcasing the song traditions of other cultures