The Leith Hill Musical Festival is a unique choral event. It enables choirs to both engage in friendly competition and to combine to perform together in a concert with a professional orchestra and soloists.
It was founded in 1905 by Lady Evangeline Farrer and Margaret Vaughan Williams. Ralph Vaughan Williams, Margaret’s brother, was the Festival conductor from its founding until retiring in his eighties in 1954. He wrote works specifically for the Festival and most of his major works have been performed here. Brian Kay has been the inspirational conductor since 1996.
The main Festival is held annually in Dorking over a three-day period shortly after Easter. Each morning is devoted to a competition between choirs who sing set pieces, extracts from major works and a song of their own choice. The afternoon is spent rehearsing together and then in the evening there is a concert performance with a professional orchestra and soloists. There are currently twelve choirs taking part and these are divided into three groups, each competing and performing on one of the Festival days.
In March, Festival members and independent singers are invited to take part in a performance of one of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, the St. John Passion or Handel’s Messiah.
A Youth Choirs competition is also held in the Spring Term and is very popular with around thirty school and young people’s choirs taking part.
If your choir is interested in taking part, we'd love to hear from you. Please visit the website for more details and contact information.
