The Grand Tour – A European Journey in Song
12th - 27th October 2018
The 17th Oxford Lieder Festival will celebrate a rich tapestry of music, words and performance in European song. Our Grand Tour of song will showcase the pinnacles of the repertoire while exploring wider cultural and geographical influences. International stars, prize-winning young artists and a wide range of concerts and other related events will take us on this beguiling journey.
View the full 2018 Festival brochure here.
Friday 12th October 2018
10:30 AM
Masterclass with Sophie Daneman
Sold Out - Waiting List Only
12 Oct 2018 10:30 | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
A wonderful opportunity to learn more about performing song: This masterclass for amateur singers is led by the renowned soprano Sophie Daneman (who also performs at the Festival on 24 October). Each participant will receive 30 minutes of individual coaching and will also gain from observing fellow participants’ sessions throughout the day. At the end of the day, there will be a short ..._square_md.jpg)
1:30 PM
Lord Byron's Grand Tour
12 Oct 2018 13:30 | T.S. Eliot Theatre, Merton College
Lord Byron’s thrilling Grand Tour did not follow the conventional route, beginning instead in Portugal and ending in Turkey. Today’s event is a musical travel diary, tracing Byron’s fascinating journey in poetry and music, introduced by Byron expert Drummond Bone, with readings and settings of Byron’s own poetry as well as songs from the countries he visited.
4:00 PM
Schools Concert
Free Events Families & Children
12 Oct 2018 16:00 | Town Hall
This concert is an uplifting event that takes place each year on the opening day of the Festival. In a series of workshops prior to the Festival, young people from local primary schools have been writing the words and music of their own song cycle. For the concert, the classes taking part come together to perform their new works. Come and enjoy a fantastic, free event and witness some ...
5:00 PM
She'Koyokh Quintet
12 Oct 2018 17:00 | Modern Art Oxford Café
She'Koyokh is a virtuosic and versatile band specialising in klezmer and folk music from Jewish Eastern Europe and the Balkans, casting a new and uplifting light on these musical traditions. In quintet formation including voice, accordion, clarinet, percussion and guitar, they give a performance that takes us from Turkey - where Lord Byron ended his Grand Tour - to Serbia, Bulgari...
7:30 PM
Opening Night: A Serenade to Music
12 Oct 2018 19:30 | Town Hall
Generously supported by Freeths Solicitors A wonderful gala concert opens this year’s Festival. In the grand setting of Oxford's Town Hall, an exceptional team of four world-renowned soloists perform songs and ensembles by Schubert, Schumann, Saint-Saëns and others. Schola Cantorum of Oxford is Oxford’s leading chamber choir and we are delighted that they will join us to...
9:30 PM
She'Koyokh Quintet: Upstairs at the St Aldates Tavern
12 Oct 2018 21:30 | St Aldates Tavern
She'Koyokh perform their vibrant, virtuosic music for our Under-35 audience in the cosy confines of the St Aldates Tavern to conclude our Opening Night festivities.Saturday 13th October 2018
11:00 AM
Debussy: A Life in Song
13 Oct 2018 11:00 | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
We welcome Richard Langham Smith – a Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres for services to French Music and Culture – to lead a fascinating day exploring the life and music of Claude Debussy, joined by Helen Abbott, an expert in French poetry and music, and some superb musicians. MORNING SESSION 11am - 11.45am - THE EARLY YEARS Richard Langham Smith speaker ...
5:30 PM
Capturing the Illusive Image: Debussy and Impressionism
13 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
Please note a change in today's artist. We are sorry that Paul Roberts has had to withdraw from this event but are very grateful to James Kreiling for stepping in. James is a close colleague of Paul Roberts, and the subject of his talk and the music included will be very much in keeping with the advertised event. James Kreiling is an acclaimed young pianist, with a particular specialis...
7:30 PM
Debussy, Fauré & Chausson: Marie-Laure Garnier, Jean-Christophe Lanièce, Anne Le Bozec
Last Few Tickets!
13 Oct 2018 19:30 | Holywell Music Room
Leading French pianist Anne Le Bozec is joined by two of the brightest young stars of the singing world in France, Marie-Laure Garnier and Jean-Christophe Lanièce. Their programme features songs by Debussy, including his magnificent settings of Baudelaire, as well as works by Gabriel Fauré, Ernest Chausson and Lili Boulanger. N.B. A 'Debussy Day P...
10:00 PM
Debussy & Tchaikovsky: Ilona Domnich & Sholto Kynoch
13 Oct 2018 22:00 | New College Ante Chapel
In the summers of 1880-1882, the young Debussy was employed by Nadezhda von Meck, the patron of Tchaikovsky, to accompany her family as teacher and musical companion as they travelled to Russia, Switzerland, Italy and Austria. We hear songs from this formative period for Debussy, alongside romances by Tchaikovsky from the same years. N.B. A 'Debussy Day Pass' is available to ...Sunday 14th October 2018
11:00 AM
Reaching Out: European Song Across Borders
14 Oct 2018 11:00 | The Oakeshott Room, Lincoln College
Presented in association with the Open University’s Literature and Music Research Group [See below for schedule] The history of European song is a history of crossing and ignoring borders. This study day will explore some of the ways that song has helped to define the culture of the whole continent by bringing together people and ideas. Composers of song have often been pr...
11:30 AM
Family Concert: The Empty Chair
14 Oct 2018 11:30 | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
A family show for anyone aged six and above. The Empty Chair is a mischievous musical adventure that explores the ways in which people and friendships grow and change. When out of nowhere a mysterious empty chair appears bang in the middle of a house, its inhabitants are beyond bewildered. Why does it bring a strange, sizzling silence? Who is the tip-toeing creature full of songs and secrets...
1:45 PM
Songs Without Borders: Ema Nikolovska, Dylan Perez, Jóhann Kristinsson, Ammiel Bushakevitz
14 Oct 2018 13:45 | Holywell Music Room
In an exciting new collaboration with Heidelberger Frühling, one of Germany’s leading festivals, we present Ema Nikolovska, an alumna of their Lied Academy, and two prize-winners of their prestigious ‘Das Lied’ competition, Jóhann Kristinsson and Ammiel Bushakewitz. They perform repertoire including Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Pou...
2:00 PM
Masterclass for Music College Applicants
Sold Out - Waiting List Only
Free Events Participation Events
14 Oct 2018 14:00 | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
Robin Bowman shares his vast experience as the former Head of Voice at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in a masterclass for music students who are planning to apply to music college. Robin discusses not only musical matters but also what to expect from and how best to deal with the audition process. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Participation Fee: £35
5:30 PM
Young Artist Platform: Jessica Dandy & Dylan Perez
14 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
In an exceptional field of young professionals who applied for this year’s Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform, two duos stood out, and they give their showcase recitals today and next Sunday (21st). Today we welcome contralto Jess Dandy with pianist Dylan Perez, in a wonderful programme of songs by Schubert, Brahms, Wolf, Tchaikovsky and Montsalvage. As well as the OL Young ...
5:45 PM
Sung Eucharist
14 Oct 2018 17:45 | Merton College Chapel
The Choir of Merton College, directed by Benjamin Nicholas, sing the Kodály Missa Brevis as part of the sung Eucharist service. Kodály visited Merton a number of times: his pupil László Heltay was a student there and founded the Kodály Choir, which still rehearses at the college today. All are welcome.%20B%20Ealovega_square_md.jpg)
8:00 PM
Winterreise: Robert Holl & Graham Johnson
14 Oct 2018 20:00 | Saint John the Evangelist
It is always sure to be a memorable occasion when these two towering figures of the song world, who bring such mastery to their interpretations, come together. This is especially true when they are performing Schubert’s great masterpiece, Winterreise, a work that has transfixed audiences since its composition in 1827 and remains a pinnacle of the song repertoire. Click here to buy&nb...Monday 15th October 2018
11:30 AM
Language Lab: Polish
15 Oct 2018 11:30 | Café W at Waterstones
Our series of ‘Language Labs’ give a short and informal introduction, over a cup of coffee, to a particular language ahead of a concert later in the day. Today, Jan Fellerer talks for 15 minutes about Polish: its context among other European languages; the sounds that define it; and what to listen out for in today’s lunchtime concert.
1:05 PM
A Polish Songbook: Jan Petryka & Sholto Kynoch
15 Oct 2018 13:05 | The Sheldonian Theatre
Polish tenor Jan Petryka begins our lunchtime series, held in the round in the Sheldonian Theatre, with a captivating programme of songs by Chopin and Paderewski – who surely holds a unique place in history as composer, pianist and Prime Minister of Poland! – as well as Moniuszko, Szymanowski and others.
3:00 PM
The Most Musical Nation
15 Oct 2018 15:00 | The Weston Library: Lecture Theatre
Philip Bullock and Barbara Henry discuss Yiddish poetry and music that originated in the Pale of Settlement.
5:30 PM
The Pale of Settlement: Alison Rose, Gareth Brynmor John, Florent Mourier
15 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
Presented in association with the National Opera Studio, with the generous support of the Nicholas John Trust. Between 1791 and 1917 there existed in eastern Poland and western Russia a vast area known as the Pale of Settlement, created by Catherine the Great in an attempt to squeeze Jews out of her Empire. While financial poverty dominated, musical life was maintained and even blossomed. Th...
7:30 PM
Strauss, Debussy & Schumann: Louise Alder, Stef van Herten & Sholto Kynoch
Last Few Tickets!
15 Oct 2018 19:30 | Holywell Music Room
One of Debussy’s major song cycles, the Ariettes oubliées, sits alongside songs by Strauss and Schumann, plus works for horn and voice by Strauss, Saint-Saëns, Donizetti and others. Louise Alder, fresh from winning the Audience Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, gave a sensational performance at the opening night of last year’s Festival, hailed by the Spectato...Tuesday 16th October 2018
10:30 AM
Language Lab: Czech
16 Oct 2018 10:30 | Ashmolean Museum Café
Pick up a coffee ahead of our 15-minute introduction to the Czech language. A short, informal but informative introduction to today’s concerts.
11:00 AM
'Bohemia! How Far Off that Used to Sound'
16 Oct 2018 11:00 | Ashmolean Museum: Lecture Theatre
In 1827 the writer Maria Callcott embarked on a two-year honeymoon tour of Europe with her new husband, the painter Augustus Wall Callcott. En route between Dresden and Vienna, they visited Prague and its surroundings. Discover what they saw on their travels, with Caroline Palmer of the Ashmolean Museum.
1:05 PM
Dvořák & Smetana: Harriet Burns, Caitlin Hulcup & Christopher Glynn
16 Oct 2018 13:05 | New College Ante Chapel
Smetana’s moving Evening Songs are complemented by songs by Dvořák, including his passionate Gypsy Songs and a selection of the Moravian Duets for two female voices. Caitlin Hulcup and Christopher Glynn will already be well known to Oxford audiences, while Harriet Burns can be heard again later in the Festival as a winner of the 2018 Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform.
3:00 PM
Rosa Newmarch and the Music of Moravia
16 Oct 2018 15:00 | The Weston Library: Lecture Theatre
Philip Ross Bullock introduces the writer Rosa Newmarch, a passionate advocate of the music of Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia in Britain, and traces her remarkable friendship with Leoš Janáček.
5:30 PM
Dvořák Piano Quintet: The Albion Quartet & Christopher Glynn
16 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
The Albion Quartet was founded in 2016 by four renowned string players, and has quickly established itself as one of today’s leading ensembles. Together with Christopher Glynn, they perform Dvořák’s evergreen Piano Quintet, alongside the Meditation by Josef Suk, who studied with Dvořák and married his daughter.
7:30 PM
The Diary of One Who Disappeared: Toby Spence, Dorottya Láng, Victoria Samek, Julius Drake & Chorus
Last Few Tickets!
16 Oct 2018 19:30 | Holywell Music Room
With singers from the Royal Academy of Music Internationally acclaimed tenor Toby Spence and equally renowned pianist Julius Drake perform Janáček’s The Diary of One who Disappeared, one of the great works of the song repertoire. They are joined by Dorottya Láng, who also performs works by Brahms, including his ‘Gyspsy songs’, and alongside these we hear the r...
10:00 PM
Echo and Narcissus: Sophie Bevan, Fleur Barron, Nick Pritchard, Ryan Wigglesworth & Chorus
16 Oct 2018 22:00 | New College Ante Chapel
We are thrilled to have co-commissioned a new work, Till Dawning, by leading composer Ryan Wigglesworth, in collaboration with Wigmore Hall and with the generous support of the Nicholas John Trust. This new work for soprano and piano sits alongside Wigglesworth’s extraordinary Echo and Narcissus, written in 2014 for the same forces as the Janáček Diary of One who Disappeared (...Wednesday 17th October 2018
10:30 AM
Language Lab: Estonian
17 Oct 2018 10:30 | Ashmolean Museum Café
Coffee and a 15-minute introduction to the Estonian language ahead of tonight’s concert with Kai Rüütel and Roger Vignoles.
11:00 AM
Souvenirs of the Grand Tour
17 Oct 2018 11:00 | Ashmolean Museum: Lecture Theatre
Matthew Winterbottom, Curator of Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the Ashmolean Museum, explores the Museum’s Britain and Italy Gallery, where a large part of the collection was acquired by people on the Grand Tour.
1:05 PM
An Italian Songbook: Alessandro Fisher & Gary Matthewman
17 Oct 2018 13:05 | The Sheldonian Theatre
Luxuriate in the great melodies and beautiful language of Italian song, with music by Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, Tosti and Verdi. British/ Italian tenor Alessandro Fisher, past winner of the Kathleen Ferrier Awards and a former Oxford Lieder Young Artist, also includes Reynaldo Hahn’s sensational Venezia in this unmissable programme.
3:00 PM
The Italian Commedia
17 Oct 2018 15:00 | The Weston Library: Lecture Theatre
Jessica Goodman outlines the history and practice of the mask-based Commedia dell'arte, exploring its theatrical and musical manifestations across Europe.
5:30 PM
Solitudes: Mr McFall's Chamber
17 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
Described in the Times as ‘engaging, witty, relaxed, sophisticated, exquisitely played and just plain fun’, Mr McFall’s Chamber presents a gloriously eclectic and uplifting programme of Baltic chamber music from their acclaimed album Solitudes. Olli Mustonen, Pēteris Vasks, Arvo Pärt, and maybe even Sibelius played on a bowed saw...Not to be missed!
7:30 PM
Tallinn to St Petersburg: Kai Rüütel & Roger Vignoles
17 Oct 2018 19:30 | Holywell Music Room
Estonian mezzo-soprano Kai Rüütel, who has shot to fame since being a Jette Parker Artist at the Royal Opera House, introduces us to the songs of her homeland, with works by Veljo Tormis, Ester Mägi and Mart Saar. Alongside these, she and Roger Vignoles perform songs by Rachmaninov and Rimsky-Korsakov. Click here to buy your programme pass for all evening concerts (12 -...Thursday 18th October 2018
10:30 AM
Language Lab: Hungarian
18 Oct 2018 10:30 | Ashmolean Museum Café
Our final Language Lab explores Hungarian with Zsuzsanna Varga, preparing us for today’s lunchtime concert.
11:00 AM
Sculpture as Music
18 Oct 2018 11:00 | Ashmolean Museum: Lecture Theatre
Alice Hiller explores how Croatian-Hungarian émigré sculptor Oscar Nemon composed 'by ear'. Nemon, famous for sculpting figures from Churchill to Beerbohm to the Queen, lived briefly on Holywell Street before establishing his studio just outside Oxford. Alice Hiller illustrates his sculptural journey from Osijek to Oxford via Vienna and Brussels. Oscar Nemon composed ...
1:05 PM
A Hungarian Songbook: Dorottya Láng & Sholto Kynoch
18 Oct 2018 13:05 | The Sheldonian Theatre
Hungarian mezzo Dorottya Láng has given sensational recitals at past Festivals and presents a programme of Hungarian song, including Franz Liszt’s one and only song in the Hungarian language – as well as his settings of Heine and Hugo – and songs by Bartok, Ligeti and Kodaly.
3:00 PM
A Literary Love Affair
18 Oct 2018 15:00 | The Weston Library: Lecture Theatre
Carol Tully explores the nineteenth-century European love affair with the literature of Spain and its impact on the reading and listening public of the age.
5:30 PM
Spanish Dances: Sophie Rosa & Sholto Kynoch
18 Oct 2018 17:30 | Saint John the Evangelist
The first event in our Spanish evening, held in collaboration with SJE Arts, is a programme of passionate Spanish music for violin and piano, played by virtuoso violinist Sophie Rosa. Music by Manuel de Falla, Pablo Sarasate and others ranges from foot-stomping dances to extraordinary lyricism.
7:30 PM
Spanish Songs: Lorena Paz Nieto, Marta Fontanals-Simmons & Sholto Kynoch
18 Oct 2018 19:30 | Saint John the Evangelist
Spanish soprano Lorena Paz Nieto, a former Oxford Lieder Young Artist, and British/Catalan mezzo-soprano Marta Fontanals-Simmons present Spanish and Catalan songs by Albéniz, de Falla, Toldrà and others. In the first half of the recital, they explore the influence of Spain on composers as diverse as Wolf, Debussy, Schumann and Shostakovich. Click here to buy your program...
9:15 PM
A Spanish Wine Tasting
Last Few Tickets!
18 Oct 2018 21:15 | Saint John the Evangelist
Between tonight's song recital and late-night flamenco, while the stage is reset, enjoy two excellent Spanish wines, introduced by wine expert Amy Matthews.
9:45 PM
Flamenco
18 Oct 2018 21:45 | Saint John the Evangelist
Presented by Camino del Flamenco Round off this exhilarating evening with drink in hand, and an astonishing display of singing, dancing and playing by the artists of one the UK’s most respected flamenco groups, the Camino del Flamenco.Friday 19th October 2018
10:30 AM
Parry and the Art of the English Lyric: Jeremy Dibble
19 Oct 2018 10:30 | The Weston Library: Lecture Theatre
Jeremy Dibble, an acknowledged authority on Parry’s life and music, gives an introductory talk on this pre-eminent English composer and his major contribution to the song repertoire. This starts a day that features a range of events marking the 100th anniversary of the death of Hubert Parry. One of Britain’s most significant composers and a fascinating, contradictory character, P...
1:05 PM
My Heart is Like a Singing Bird: Mary Bevan, Nicky Spence & William Vann
19 Oct 2018 13:05 | The Sheldonian Theatre
Our lunchtime concert today explores the songs of Parry, but also the music of those who influenced him – notably Johannes Brahms – contemporaries such as Stanford, and those who followed in his footsteps, including Vaughan Williams and Ireland.
3:00 PM
Parry’s Lost World
19 Oct 2018 15:00 | The Weston Library: Lecture Theatre
Hubert Parry composed his Songs of Farewell - six motets for unaccompanied choir - over the final decade of his life. Robert Quinney explores this late masterpiece in the context of Parry’s declining health and the political and social upheaval of the early twentieth century.
5:30 PM
Songs of Travel: Nicholas Mogg & Jâms Coleman
19 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
Former Oxford Lieder Young Artists, both now increasingly well known as exceptional musicians, perform the Songs of Travel by Parry’s student, Ralph Vaughan Williams. Composed between 1901-1904, they mark some of his earliest songs, but also his most accomplished and enduringly popular.
7:30 PM
Songs of Farewell: James Gilchrist, Anna Tilbrook, Choir of New College & Robert Quinney
Last Few Tickets!
19 Oct 2018 19:30 | Various
A very special evening concludes our Parry day, with a rare chance to experience choral music and song side by side in two different and magical venues. In the stunning New College Chapel, the world-renowned Choir performs Parry’s Songs of Farewell; while in the nearby Holywell Music Room, James Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook perform songs by Parry and Jonathan Dove. At the interval, the two...Saturday 20th October 2018
10:45 AM
Exploring Nordic Song
20 Oct 2018 10:45 | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
Join us for a fascinating exploration of the great song traditions of the Nordic lands. Across the day, we introduce and hear songs from Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland, all with outstanding singers performing in their mother tongue, and expert speakers giving background and context to each section. There is so much glorious music to be heard, with song at the heart of the musical his...
5:30 PM
A Nordic Piano Tour: Bengt Forsberg
20 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
The legendary Swedish pianist Bengt Forsberg takes us on a whirlwind tour of Nordic piano music, including works by Jón Leifs, Rued Langgaard, Emil Sjögren, Agathe Backer Gröndahl and Selim Palmgren. N.B. A 'Nordic Day Pass' is available to purchase for £60 which will enable you to attend all talks and concerts (excluding meals) at the festival on 20th Octobe...
7:30 PM
Stockholm to Vienna: Camilla Tilling & Paul Rivinius
Last Few Tickets!
20 Oct 2018 19:30 | Holywell Music Room
Swedish soprano Camilla Tilling is in demand on stages the world over, and is joined tonight by her regular duo partner Paul Rivinius. They present a programme that begins in Vienna, with Mahler, Schoenberg and Korngold, before moving to Sweden for songs by Bo Linde and Wilhelm Stenhammar, and ending in Finland with a group of songs by Sibelius. N.B. A 'Nordic Day Pass' is availabl...
10:00 PM
Sounding North: The Carice Singers
20 Oct 2018 22:00 | New College Ante Chapel
Under their director George Parris, the Carice Singers have gained an enviable reputation for superb performances and imaginative programming. In ‘Sounding North’, they conclude our Nordic exploration with a stunning programme of choral music which, in New College Chapel, is the ideal way to finish an exhilarating day. N.B. A 'Nordic Day Pass' is available to purchase f...Sunday 21st October 2018
10:00 AM
10am Cushion Concert for Under 5s: Emma Stannard, Keval Shah, Aliye Cornish
21 Oct 2018 10:00 | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
This performance is for children under 5 years old. Please see the morning's schedule below for details of the later performance for children over 5 years old. Presented in association with the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building Explore the human voice, the piano, singing, playing, words and music in a fun family morning as part of the well-established Cu...
11:00 AM
11am Cushion Concert for Under 5s: Emma Stannard, Keval Shah, Aliye Cornish
21 Oct 2018 11:00 | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
This performance is for children under 5 years old. Please see the morning's schedule below for details of the later performance for children over 5 years old. Presented in association with the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building Explore the human voice, the piano, singing, playing, words and music in a fun family morning as part of the well-established Cushion Concerts s...
12:00 PM
12pm Cushion Concert for Over 5s: Emma Stannard, Keval Shah, Aliye Cornish
21 Oct 2018 12:00 | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
This performance is for children over 5 years old. Please see the morning's schedule below for details of the two performances for children under 5 years old. Presented in association with the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building Explore the human voice, the piano, singing, playing, words and music in a fun family morning as part of the well-established Cushion Concerts se...
1:30 PM
Debussy & Boulanger: Wolfgang Holzmair & Roger Vignoles
21 Oct 2018 13:30 | Holywell Music Room
A recital given by Wolfgang Holzmair is always a special occasion, and this recital also marks the start of his week in residence at the Festival, leading our Mastercourse. Debussy’s Fêtes Galantes and settings of François Villon are interspersed with songs by Lili Boulanger, the astonishing composer prodigy and first female winner of the ‘Prix de Rome’ compositio...
3:00 PM
Meet the Students
21 Oct 2018 15:00 | The Oakeshott Room, Lincoln College
An introductory session for the nine exceptional duos taking part in this year’s Mastercourse. Wolfgang Holzmair will work briefly with each duo, and this is an ideal chance to hear these talented young artists at the start of their week-long journey in song.
3:00 PM
Bring & Sing
Sold Out!
Free Events Participation Events
21 Oct 2018 15:00 | Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
The stage is yours: Our hugely popular Bring and Sing concerts offer enthusiastic amateur singers the chance to give a short performance in a superb concert hall, in front of an invited audience in a supportive and non-competitive atmosphere. Members of the public are very welcome to attend this free and varied concert.
5:30 PM
Young Artist Platform: Harriet Burns & Michael Pandya
21 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
The second winning duo of the Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform (see also Sunday 14 October), who stood out in an exceptional field of applicants for the scheme, give their showcase recital. Their programme includes songs by Wolf and Dvořák.%20resized_square_md.jpg)
8:00 PM
The Elements in Song: Christoph Prégardien & Ulrich Eisenlohr
21 Oct 2018 20:00 | Saint John the Evangelist
Undoubtedly one of the highlights of any Festival is a visit by tenor Christoph Prégardien. He and Ulrich Eisenlohr – a pianist especially renowned for his complete Schubert survey – perform songs by Schubert and Wolfgang Rihm, and then a journey through earth, water, air and fire, with songs by Schubert, Schumann, Liszt and Brahms. The evening's programme ...Monday 22nd October 2018
10:00 AM
Mastercourse Day One
22 Oct 2018 10:00 | The Oakeshott Room, Lincoln College
We are delighted to welcome back the world-renowned baritone Wolfgang Holzmair, acclaimed as a brilliant teacher as well as a hugely admired singer, to lead this year’s Mastercourse, working each day with talented young professional singers and pianists. Each day also features a guest tutor: today, the pianist Roger Vignoles. All are warmly encouraged to attend these fascinating sessions....
1:05 PM
Heimat: Benjamin Appl & James Baillieu
22 Oct 2018 13:05 | The Sheldonian Theatre
Benjamin Appl has rapidly established himself as one of today’s most exciting and in-demand singers. His debut album for Sony Classical, ‘Heimat’, is in part an autobiography in song and today we hear a concert version of this, with music from Schubert to Warlock to Grieg.
5:30 PM
Nuits d'Afrique: Harriet Burns, Adam Walker, Brian O'Kane and James Baillieu
22 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
An astonishing team of artists assemble for this concert, including star flautist Adam Walker. They perform Ravel’s Chansons Madécasses - ‘Madagascan Songs’ - scored for the unusual ensemble of voice, flute, cello and piano. They also include a new cycle by the Master of the Queen’s Music, Judith Weir: Nuits d’Afrique. This was written for the same forces as...
8:00 PM
An English Songbook: Dame Sarah Connolly & Eugene Asti
22 Oct 2018 20:00 | Saint John the Evangelist
Little introduction is needed for one of today’s great singers, Sarah Connolly, joined by her longstanding duo partner Eugene Asti. They perform an array of wonderful English song, from Bridge to Britten and Holst to Howells. Click here to buy your programme pass for all evening concerts (12 - 27 October 2018) for just £40. All programme passes will be available to coll...Tuesday 23rd October 2018
10:00 AM
Mastercourse Day Two
23 Oct 2018 10:00 | Various
Led by Wolfgang Holzmair Guest tutor: Eugene Asti This year, for the first time, sessions will take place in the centre of town, in the Oakeshott Room at Lincoln College and in the Chapel at Trinity College. Two teaching sessions run concurrently and members of the public are welcome to move between them.
1:05 PM
Paris to Lisbon: Alison Rose & James Cheung
23 Oct 2018 13:05 | The Sheldonian Theatre
Presented in association with Garsington Opera We welcome back soprano Alison Rose as a recipient of Garsington Opera’s prestigious Leonard Ingrams Foundation Award. Alison is also a former Oxford Lieder Young Artist. Her programme today, joined by exceptional pianist James Cheung, takes in Debussy’s stunning Proses lyriques – settings of his own poetry – and includes...
5:30 PM
Schubert at Home: The Phoenix Piano Trio
23 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
Schubert’s Piano Trio No.1 in B flat, D898, is one of his best-loved chamber works. Written in the final year of the composer’s life, it is a piece that ranges from the upliftingly extrovert to the sublimely intimate. Joined by members of Schubert & Co. ahead of this evening's 7.30pm concert, the Phoenix Piano Trio also perform a selection of Beethoven’s arrangeme...
7:30 PM
Schubert Abroad: Schubert & Co.
Sold Out - Waiting List Only
23 Oct 2018 19:30 | Holywell Music Room
Schubert & Co. is an exciting ensemble of eight exceptional singers, with pianist Sholto Kynoch, which was launched at the Oxford Lieder Spring Weekend 2018. The ensemble recreates the convivial and intimate atmosphere of the salon setting for which much of Schubert's ensemble music was written. Tonight they explore Schubert’s Italian songs, alongside Italian ensemble...Wednesday 24th October 2018
10:00 AM
Mastercourse Day Three
24 Oct 2018 10:00 | Various
Led by Wolfgang Holzmair Guest tutor & speaker: Helen Abbott This year, for the first time, sessions will take place in the centre of town, in the Oakeshott Room at Lincoln College and in the Chapel at Trinity College. Two teaching sessions run concurrently and members of the public are welcome to move between them. Today’s Mastercourse session begins with a talk (10am-...
1:05 PM
Brahms, Martin & Ravel: Milan Siljanov & Nino Chokhonelidze
24 Oct 2018 13:05 | The Sheldonian Theatre
The Swiss-Macedonian bass-baritone Milan Siljanov and Georgian pianist Nino Chokhonelidze were winners of the 2015 Wigmore Hall International Song Competition. Today they present the dramatic Six Monologues from Jedermann by the Swiss composer Frank Martin, alongside Ravel’s Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, and songs by Johannes Brahms.
5:30 PM
Gounod & Georgina: Sophie Daneman, William Morgan, Simon Robson, Sholto Kynoch
24 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
Supported by The Fidelio Charitable Trust. In the bicentenary of his birth, find out more about Charles Gounod and his turbulent relationship with the scandal-prone English singer, campaigner and litigator Georgina Weldon, through this narrated recital devised and written by Henrietta Bredin. Enjoy the highs and lows of this unlikely relationship, while taking in songs written by an undisput...
8:00 PM
A French Songbook: Véronique Gens & Susan Manoff
24 Oct 2018 20:00 | Saint John the Evangelist
Véronique Gens is one of the world’s most sought-after singers, renowned most of all for her interpretation of French mélodie, together with American pianist Susan Manoff. We are thrilled to bring them to Oxford for the first time for a recital of songs by Gounod, Massenet, Duparc and others. An unmissable Festival highlight. This concert is presented in association...
9:45 PM
Le Chat Noir: Raphaela Papadakis & William Vann
24 Oct 2018 21:45 | The Mad Hatter
To round off this extraordinary day, enjoy a cocktail and some Satie - who performed in the original club ‘Le Chat Noir’ - Poulenc and even Piaf, in the intimate setting of the Mad Hatter bar.Thursday 25th October 2018
10:00 AM
Mastercourse Day Four
25 Oct 2018 10:00 | Various
Led by Wolfgang Holzmair Guest tutors: Véronique Gens (morning) Susan Manoff (afternoon) This year, for the first time, sessions will take place in the centre of town, in the Oakeshott Room at Lincoln College and in the Chapel at Trinity College. Two teaching sessions run concurrently and members of the public are welcome to move between them.
1:05 PM
Sonnets in Song: Daniel Norman & Christopher Gould
25 Oct 2018 13:05 | New College Ante Chapel
Daniel Norman and Christopher Gould, known as a superb and insightful duo, explore the role of the sonnet in song: a great meeting of poetry and music. Their programme ranges from settings of Petrarch by Schubert and Liszt, to Britten’s ecstatic settings of Michelangelo, to Parry’s little known collection of sonnets by Shakespeare.
5:30 PM
Viola and Voice: Clare McCaldin, Simon Tandree, Libby Burgess
25 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
The Dutch composer Julius Röntgen was a friend of Brahms, a central figure in the Dutch music world, and a much-admired if now neglected composer. In the spirit of Brahms, he wrote a series of pieces for voice, piano and viola: the Lyrische Gänge, only recently rediscovered. We hear these wonderful pieces alongside Brahms’ much better-known songs for the same ensemble, as well a...
7:30 PM
Die schöne Magelone: Thomas Oliemans & Malcolm Martineau
Sold Out - Waiting List Only
25 Oct 2018 19:30 | Holywell Music Room
Dutch baritone Thomas Oliemans gave an extraordinary recital at short notice in last year’s Festival, and we are thrilled that he is able to return this year with Malcolm Martineau, one of the world’s great accompanists. They perform Brahms’ only song cycle, Die schöne Magelone: a tale of medieval chivalry and a love story, with poetry taken from Ludwig Tieck’s Roma...Friday 26th October 2018
10:00 AM
New Music Workshop
26 Oct 2018 10:00 | The Shulman Auditorium, The Queen's College
Co-presented with the Oxford University Faculty of Music and the Centre for Comparative Criticism and Translation Ross Griffey leads a workshop with four talented composers from the Faculty of Music who have been working with four poets. Their new works are performed ahead of a discussion between the composers, the performers and Ross Griffey. A fascinating and multi-layered event, open...
1:05 PM
A Heine Liederkreis: Julien Van Mellaerts & Gamal Khamis
26 Oct 2018 13:05 | The Sheldonian Theatre
Presented in association with the Kathleen Ferrier Awards Julien Van Mellaerts achieved the impressive feat in 2017 of winning both the Kathleen Ferrier Awards and the Wigmore Hall International Song Competition. Today, he and Gamal Khamis perform Schumann’s glorious settings of Heine, his Liederkreis Op.24. They also present two songs by Ross Griffey, setting Rupert Brooke, Shakespear...
3:00 PM
The Composer Speaks
26 Oct 2018 15:00 | The Shulman Auditorium, The Queen's College
Ross Griffey, interviewed by Martyn Harry, discusses his work to date, past research – including looking at the meeting of music and government policy in the United States – and his plans for the Albi Rosenthal Fellowship at the Bodleian Library.
3:45 PM
The Composer Presents
Free Events Chamber Music Early Evening
26 Oct 2018 15:45 | The Shulman Auditorium, The Queen's College
Ross Griffey introduces his settings of Walt Whitman, his Poem for solo cello, and a witty whirlwind of medical ailments: A Catalogue of Agonies, for voice and harpsichord
5:30 PM
Owen-Apekisheva Duo: Katya Apekisheva & Charles Owen
26 Oct 2018 17:30 | Holywell Music Room
The UK’s pre-eminent piano duo performs two sensational works for two pianos: Rachmaninov’s First Suite, and Debussy’s three Nocturnes, arranged by Maurice Ravel. A stunning finale to our rush-hour chamber music series.
7:30 PM
Come, Comfort of the World: Kate Royal & Joseph Middleton
Sold Out - Waiting List Only
26 Oct 2018 19:30 | Holywell Music Room
Kate Royal is one of today's star sopranos, hailed as a 'compelling recitalist' (The Telegraph) with a 'rapturous voice' (Gramophone). She and well-known pianist Joseph Middleton perform Schumann's settings of the Franco-German poet and botanist, Adalbert von Chamisso: the touching and ever-popular cycle Frauenliebe und -leben, written in Schumann's 'annus m...Saturday 27th October 2018
12:00 PM
Mastercourse Concert
27 Oct 2018 12:00 | Holywell Music Room
Introduced by Wolfgang Holzmair The culmination of our week-long residential Mastercourse is always a highlight of the Festival. This year’s wonderful and varied programme will be selected by the course leader, Wolfgang Holzmair, reflecting the best of what he has heard over the week. Come and listen to nine exceptional duos at the end of an immersive and inspirational course. This ...
4:30 PM
Lobo Requiem: Choir of The Queen’s College & Owen Rees
27 Oct 2018 16:30 | The Queen's College Chapel
Portuguese composer Duarte Lobo was one of the most significant renaissance choral composers, and his Requiem is a masterpiece that was also a hugely popular work in antiquarian circles in England and France well into the nineteenth century. Performed by the renowned Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford, this continues our tradition of a requiem performance on the final day of the Festiva...
7:30 PM
A European Song Cycle: Tara Erraught, Ashley Riches & Sholto Kynoch
27 Oct 2018 19:30 | Saint John the Evangelist
The Festival draws to a close with a performance of Schumann’s Myrthen, the great song cycle that he gave to his wife Clara as a wedding gift in 1840. Reflecting Schumann’s wide literary interests, this amazing cycle includes poetry by writers from Burns, Byron and Moore to Goethe, Heine and Rückert. Oxford Lieder’s Artistic Director, Sholto Kynoch, is joined by Tara Erra...