For Leeds Lieder, the decision to become Leeds Song is one that’s been quietly brewing for some time. It’s a change rooted in growth, inclusivity, and a desire to enrich the lives of as many people as possible through the power of song.

Founded in 2004 by the visionary Jane Anthony and a group of generous volunteers, Leeds Lieder began as a passionate endeavour to address a gap in the musical landscape. Outside of London, the chance to experience the art song repertoire live was rare. The first Festival of Song in 2005 marked the beginning of a journey that would see Leeds Lieder become one of the most respected and cherished art song festivals in the UK.

In late 2014 I was fortunate enough to be invited to join the organisation as Director, and have very much enjoyed seeing the ambitious expansion of the Festival and growing international recognition of the work we do. What started as a weekend-long biennial festival blossomed into an annual week-long event and associated concert series by 2017. Spurred on by a loyal and enthusiastic audience our desire has always been to bring even more world-class performers to the heart of the region. In addition to programming the finest exponents currently before the public, Leeds Lieder boasts an award-winning education programme that reaches thousands of children each year and an ambitious Young Artist Programme nurturing the next generation of song enthusiasts. Each year we commission an extraordinarily wide variety of voices to write new cycles to add to the canon. The charity sits in the centre of the Leeds cultural landscape presenting barrier breaking community work such as the ongoing and much lauded Leeds Songbook, a poetry and composition initiative designed to grow audiences as well as foster creativity. The recent foray into broadcasting has seen audiences of 100,000s engage with our work digitally each year.

So why change the name? Why shift from Leeds Lieder to Leeds Song? At its heart, the change is about widening the circle. The word ‘Lieder’ is beautiful and evocative, but it can feel unfamiliar to those who haven’t encountered it before and it also refers to a very specific corner of the repertoire, albeit a glorious, German, 19th century one. Leeds Song, on the other hand, is open and inviting – it says, ‘This is for everyone.’ As a festival that is well-known for our friendly atmosphere, a name that reflects our openness is important to us. It captures the essence of what Leeds Lieder has always been about: breaking down barriers to classical song and welcoming new audiences to share in the magic.

The change also reflects the organisation’s growing ambition. While the festival’s foundations are firmly rooted in the Lieder tradition, the programme has expanded to embrace a broader spectrum of song from different cultures, languages, and traditions. It’s a celebration of song in all its forms – a way to honour the past while embracing the future. A cursory glance at this year’s Festival line-up shows the full range of jewels we programme, from Schubert to David Bowie, Helen Grime to Claude Debussy.

In making this change, we’re honouring the spirit of Leeds Lieder – its commitment to excellence, its passion for education, and its dedication to bringing the very best of song to Leeds. We are determined that as Leeds Song, we’ll continue to reach new audiences and inspire more people to fall in love with the power and beauty of song.

We can’t wait to welcome you to the next chapter. Whether you’ve been with us from the start or you’re discovering us for the first time, you’re part of this journey too. The founding tenet of the charity was to ‘fill the city with song.’ Twenty years on we invite you to join us as we continue to do just that.

Joseph Middleton
Artistic Director