Clive Wilson, in his introduction to the first Harrogate Festival of Arts and Sciences in 1966, wrote “the Festival must be seen as a developing thing, widening its scope and perhaps shifting its emphasis as the years go by.” Harrogate International Festivals certainly looks very different to how it did over 50 years ago, but our classical and chamber music programme remains at the heart of the Festival. From our Young Musician series to showcasing the work of globally acclaimed artists, we’re proud of our history of supporting and celebrating the work of musicians at all stages of their careers. After two years away, we were ecstatic to be back and continuing our work of bringing incredible musicians to Harrogate.

We launched in style with the 50th anniversary of the Brodsky Quartet in a programme that celebrated the quartet’s reputation for Shostakovich. Kiev-born pianist Alexei Grynyuk graced the Wesley Chapel stage, while The Armonico Consort and Baroque Players commemorated the Platinum Jubilee, recreating the highlights of the Coronation Service of Queen Elizabeth II in a unique concert performance narrated by Nicholas Owen. The award-winning Heathcliff Trio joined us from Copenhagen for an exclusive UK concert, and we were thrilled to announce The Amici Ensemble’s return to a symphonic repertoire for our festival finale. This group of exceptional musicians was conducted by our very own guest curator William Dutton.

Our young musicians were already highly acclaimed and demonstrated their prowess on the Harrogate stage. Violinist Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux joined us in the Spiegeltent, accompanied by Leeds International Piano Competition finalist Thomas Kelly. Pianist Frederic Bager and guitarist Kevin Loh showcased their incredible talents in the Wesley Centre and cellist Ben Tarlton joined us in St Wilfrid’s Church.

Our classical and chamber music features the world’s best classical talent and we were privileged to welcome these acclaimed artists to the Harrogate stage in 2022.

Find our more about our full summer programme, including Spiegeltent, Harrogate Music Festival, Berwins Salon North, Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival and Carnival, in our summer event guide.