Leith Hill Music Festival is a competitive choral festival for amateur choirs in the Surrey area held over two days in April with a combined concert each evening.
In addition, each year in March, the Festival hosts a performance of a major choral work, such as Messiah, or Bach’s St Matthews Passion. This is accompanied by a full professional orchestra and top soloists and is open to members of the festival choirs and independent singers.
Neil Ferris appointed as new Conductor of the Leith Hill Music Festival
Neil Ferris appointed as new Conductor of the Leith Hill Music Festival
Our wonderful Conductor for the past eight years, Jonathan Willcocks will be passing on the baton after our April 2024 annual Festival. Our next Leith Hill Music Festival Conductor, in a line of distinguished musicians stretching back to Ralph Vaughan Williams at the founding of the Festival in 1905, is Neil Ferris.
Currently Chorus Director BBC Symphony Chorus, Co-Artistic Director and Conductor Sonoro, also recent Wimbledon Choral Society music director, Neil combines the experience necessary to lead LHMF with ideas and vision – drawn from that experience – to take us into a new era.
Jonathan, awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year Honours list, says, “I am so thrilled that Neil Ferris is to be my successor as Festival Conductor of the Leith Hill Music Festival. Neil has everything that one could hope for in this appointment – strong experience of bringing the very best out of large amateur choruses, extensive work with professional orchestras and soloists and the charisma to inspire everyone to achieve more than they thought possible. The next stage of the evolution of our great historically important Festival is in the safest of hands.”
Neil says, “I am passionate about the wonderful and varied choral scene that we are so fortunate to have in the UK. To be offered the chance to be the conductor of the Leith Hill Music Festival and its celebration of community singing is an opportunity that I will grasp with both hands and with great excitement. Some of my formative musical experiences as a teenager revolved around the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, and the responsibility of being a custodian of his music festival I shall relish and carry out with love and care. I am so fortunate to inherit a festival in rude health and I give heartfelt thanks to Jonathan Willcocks for his inspiration and dedication that has set me a great example to follow.”
For more information or to arrange interviews with Neil Ferris or Jonathan Willcocks, please contact Anaïs Pédron at publicity@lhmf.org.uk.
Leith Hill Music Festival 2025
Friday 11th April
Saturday 12th April
What is the Leith Hill Music Festival?
Imagine.
You love singing. You really love singing. You have joined your local choir, perhaps coming back to the joy of singing at a point where life’s travails enable you so to do. You are reveling in the bonhomie – even the bon-harmony! – of voices from all walks of life coming together to celebrate in sound. Regular rehearsals. Regular local concerts. A stress reliever & mental health workout like no other. You love it.
In an elated moment, you imagine performing from a professional stage in a major venue, in the midst of two hundred or so voices, a live professional orchestra just yards in front of you, singing your heart out to a welcoming audience, an international conductor crafting a crescendo as trumpets burst through the balcony doors to blow the roof off the auditorium in a blast that sends a shiver down your spine, let alone the audience…
You don’t need to imagine.
This is the Leith Hill Music Festival. Right here, right now. The vignette above is a memorable moment from our performance of Verdi Requiem! Thanks to the vision of two founders, the professional skills of six international conductors, the enthusiasm of thousands of amateur voices over the years, LHMF has been bringing the joy of singing to choir members and audiences alike since 1905.
As a choir member you have an unparalleled opportunity - out of reach for many choirs - to sing major works in the choral repertoire, and we haven’t even started on the fun of competing in the morning – all in the best possible spirit – to the discerning ears of a professional adjudicator for cups and trophies to polish with pride. As an audience member you are supporting an amazing organisation, rich in history, abundant in potential.
This is the Leith Hill Music Festival. The joy of singing. Right here, right now.
Volunteering opportunities
We are always looking for volunteers to help on Festival days e.g stewards, programme sellers, flower arrangers, Adjudicator chaperone. If you would like to volunteer please listen for announcements at the Joint rehearsals or contact the festival organiser.
Are you a PR Person? A Mailchimp Master? The Festival would welcome your help; contact the chairman or festival organiser.
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