Leicester International Music Festival

26/03/2026

What a wonderful way to end our season at Hansom Hall - and, in fact, our temporary residency during building work at Leicester Museums & Galleries!
The music was gorgeous - (Pamela Harrison's Trio - what a discovery) - the playing by Nicholas Daniel, Amy Harman and Antonio Oyarzabál was miraculous, and a record audience joined us, making it a very special occasion.
We were delighted to welcome A level students from Lodge Park Academy, Corby (pictured) and from Derby Grammar School, who had come especially to hear the sparkling Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano by Poulenc.

25/03/2026

The final piece in tomorrow's lunchtime concert at Hansom Hall is Poulenc's sparkling Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano. Our illustrious wind players, Nicholas Daniel (oboe) and Amy Harman (bassoon) will be joined by Spanish pianist, Antonio Oyarzabál, champion of music by women composers, represented in this programme by Madeleine Dring, Ruth Gipps, Helen Glatz and Pamela Harrison. Do join us! https://wegottickets.com/event/675785
Here's a recording of the Poulenc Trio with Nicholas and Amy (and pianist Tom Poster) from Hatfield House in 2021:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7a0eByOsgI

Hatfield House Chamber Music Festival 202110th AnniversaryMarble Hall, Hatfield HouseOrsino EnsembleAdam Walker fluteNicholas Daniel oboeMatthew Hunt clar...

18/03/2026

Don't miss next Thursday's lunchtime concert at Hansom Hall, with three brilliant musicians and some really attractive music.
Last summer, Chandos issued a recording of music by Madeleine Dring, featuring the same players: Nicolas Daniel; Amy Harman and Antonio Oyarzábal - along with the flautist, Adam Walker, who has also visited us many times.
BBC Music Magazine were extremely enthusiastic about this release:
'There’s never any quality shortage with the oboist Nicholas Daniel, whose winning blend of punch and suavity threads through all 12 works on this refreshing album. The longest and most ambitious piece is the Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Keyboard, by turns crunchy, jocular and mock Baroque; though it’s the shorter, flightier creations that better reveal Dring’s special talent for crafting music of obvious charm and often unexpected emotional depth.'
MusicWeb International also carried a very positive and interesting review:

Review of Dring's Complete Works for Oboe on Chandos

17/03/2026

Well done to the the brilliant Fibonacci Quartet, who have won another award. It's no surprise to those of us in Leicester who have been thrilled by their concerts!

We couldn’t possibly be more excited to announce that we are one of this year’s Borletti Buitoni Trust Award Winners!
It is for sure one of the most astonishing lists of artists to be a part of and we can’t wait to get to work closely with the warmest and most amazing team.

Thank you so much to everyone who trusts and believes in us and has made this award possible! Toby, Debra, Nick, Mrs. Borletti-Buitoni, the jury, the board… we couldn’t be more grateful!

Stay tuned to follow along with all the things our grant and the support of the trust will help realise!

Picture by the incredible ! 😍

17/03/2026

Next week's lunchtime concert by Nicholas Daniel (oboe), Amy Harman (bassoon) and Antonio Oyarzábal (piano) includes works by four significant women composers who are linked by their time at the Royal College of Music, where they studied with Gordon Jacob and Ralph Vaughan Williams. During their lives, they all faced challenges because of their gender. We are delighted to bring their music to a contemporary audience and feel sure that you will enjoy it - do join us Hansom Hall next Thursday at 1pm.
Photo (clockwise from top left): Ruth Gipps, Helen Glatz, Pamela Harrison and Madeleine Dring.
https://www.leicesterinternationalmusicfestival.org.uk/

16/03/2026

We've reached the end of a wonderful season of lunchtime concerts at Hansom Hall, but next week's finale is going to be a lovely way to finish and we hope that you'll be able to join us.
Our musical director, Nicholas Daniel, is bringing two friends and colleagues to Leicester: Amy Harman, appointed principal bassoonist by the Philharmonia Orchestra at 23 and now with the brilliant Aurora Orchestra and Antonio Oyarzabal, the Spanish pianist based in London, whose work focuses primarily on the rediscovery and performance of repertoire by historical female composers .
Together, they will be playing music by Madeleine Dring and contemporary women composers who were pupils of Vaughan Williams, before ending with Poulenc's sparkling Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano.

Two outstanding wind players with the Spanish pianist, Antonio Oyarzabal - who we are pleased to welcome back to Leicester. Their recent recording of music by Madeleine Dring was 'lovingly played' according to The Gramophone. Programme to include: Madeleine Dring: Trio for oboe, bassoon and keyboard...

12/03/2026

12/03/2026

We enjoyed a wonderful hour today in the company of Emily Sun - Violinist and Anna Tilbrook, pianist.
Their programme began with a Mozart sonata, and then moved on to music by three significant women composers: Florence Price, Thea Musgrave and Amy Beach. A bumper audience (we had to put out extra seats) gave them a rousing reception at the end of a superb concert.

11/03/2026

Don't miss the chance to hear Emily Sun - Violinist and Anna Tilbrook playing this gorgeous music for us tomorrow lunchtime in Leicester at Hansom Hall!
https://wegottickets.com/event/675782

09/03/2026

Join us at 1pm this Thursday for our next lunchtime concert, which will feature Emily Sun (violin) and Anna Tilbrook (piano).
They will be playing music by Mozart and - fittingly in the week following - three women composers, Florence Price, Thea Musgrave and Amy Beach.

Mozart: Violin Sonata No.19 in E flat major K302 14’ Florence Price:Fantasy No.1 for Violin and Piano 5’ Thea Musgrave: Colloquy 12’ Amy Beach: Violin Sonata, Op. 34 32’