This July, York Early Music Festival celebrates its 50th edition, running from 3 to 11 July 2026 under the title Beyond Borders, and featuring some of the UK’s most extraordinary medieval churches, historic buildings and the world-famous Minster.
To mark this special occasion has commissioned the majestic York Fanfare, Flourish at 50 to be played during the opening weekend. The fanfare has been created by composer Sam Meredith and will be played by the all female German ensemble [hanse] Pfeyffery. Wakefield born Meredith was finalist in the 2023 NCEM Young Composers Award, Meredith was selected from a strong line up of applicants, all alumni from the Young Composers Award, to be this year’s Commission Composer for the York Early Music Festival.
The York Fanfare will open this year’s festival on Friday 3 July outside The Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall at the University of York at 6.20pm before the opening concert by I Fagiolini, and also outside York Minster before the concert by The Sixteen on Saturday 4 July at 6.45pm, 7.00pm, and 7.15pm.
The festival opens with Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers presented by I Fagiolini with the English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble and closes with Solomon’s Knot in Bruhns’s St Mark Passion. Also appearing are: The Sixteen; B’Rock Orchestra & Vocal Consort; Imago Mundi; Paul Agnew, Helen Charlston with Sergio Bucheli and Steven Devine. The festival also marks John Dowland’s 400th anniversary with Dowland Day, a whole day devoted to his works including concerts by lutenist Thomas Dunford; the Rose Consort of Viols; and Flanders based Imago Mundi, directed by Sofie Vanden Eynde.
This year features two young European ensembles Anacronía from Spain, and the Franco/American medievalists Contre le temps, along with the York International Young Artists Competition with finalists I Mastricelli; Il Parrasio; La Mandorle; Lagrime; Nari Baroque Ensemble; Ossian’s Dream; Quarterino; The Lyons Mouth; and Tra Noi.
Full details from the festival website.
