Leeds Lieder: Why Yorkshire music festival is no longer the preserve of the elite

He’s the Director of the annual event, and he celebrates ten years in that position this year. World-acclaimed Leeds Lieder itself is lighting no less that 20 candles on its birthday cake, to celebrate the anniversary of the first Festival, created just after the turn of the millennium.

By the time of this year’s initial concert (in Opera North’s Howard Assembly Rooms, and at 1pm on April 5) records for sales will have already been shattered and, unbelievably, some performers for next year, the year after that and probably the succeeding year as well, will have already booked to appear.

Middleton, an internationally celebrated pianist and accompanist, reveals that such is their talent and popularity, they will already have accepted dates in all sorts of locations – and if Yorkshire wants the very best, it has to keep its eye on the ball, and, quite simply, get in there first.

This year’s Leeds Lieder is just about to start, but planning well ahead is essential.

Middleton, 44, was very much a ‘catch’ when he was appointed.

His career was in the ascendancy, he was the keyboard talent that singers were delighted to have as their accompanist. And, for him, it’s getting better with every day. He is constantly travelling the world, but he is also totally dedicated to Leeds Lieder.

He’s the perfect man for the job – easy-going, approachable, with a sense of humour and flair, a formidable knowledge of the lieder repertoire (and far beyond) and a gift for both collaboration and the innovative.

The title of this year’s Festival is “Song, is the secret of eternity,” the words are by poet Khalil Gibran. Another “reputation on the rise” is BBC New Generation artiste Katharina Konradi, the first-ever soprano from Kyrgyzstan to sing opera, lieder and appear in concerts internationally.

Like so many of the performers assembled by Joseph Middleton, Katherina is “one to watch.” Joseph accompanies her recital, which includes works by Mendelssohn and Schumann, and they both appeared together recently in a sell-out concert at the Wigmore Hall in London.

This year’s title perfectly sums up the ethos and purpose of the week, that singing (whether listening or doing it for ourselves) and lyrics have a meaning for us all. Middleton himself recalls that he was in his early teens when he heard a voice that sent shivers down his spine.

“I’d been in a church choir for many years,” he says, “and I knew that I loved taking part, but – like all lads, my voice broke. Then I found a recording of Jacqueline du Pre playing the glorious Elgar cello concerto, which I loved. What was on the other side of that LP?

"Well, it was Sea Pictures, the five-song cycle, also by Elgar, which set poems to music. And, in the version that I’d found, it was Dame Janet Baker who was singing it, the first time that she had recorded it. And to my ears then – and now – it was sublime.

"It gave me the goosebumps, with its changes in colour, and emotional tone. The wonderful thing is that Dame Janet is a Leeds lass, no stranger to the Festival, and a great friend and champion of it. She’s been very kind to me, to us all.”

Another musical legend who returns yet again this year, is the extraordinary Dutch soprano Elly Ameling – a supporter since the Festival’s inception, and now an incredible 92 years old.

Her career spans the decades, and she’s President of the Festival itself. She’ll be giving two of this year’s Masterclasses, and it is in The Howard Opera Centre.

Other venues include spaces as varied as the Springwell Taproom at North Brewing, the Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, and The Attic, on Sheaf Street.

At the Taproom event, you can enjoy some prize-winning ales and also the Erda Ensemble – Marta Fontanals-Simmons, the mezzo-soprano, the flautist Chloe Vincant, and harpist Olivia Jageurs – the doors open at 7pm, the music starts an hour later.

Who could ever describe songs as “stuffy”? As Middleston puts it: “Music and drinking have always made good bedfellows.”

The Attic evening recital promises to be something special, and it features tenor Freddie Ballantine with Kunal Lahiry at the piano.

Lahiry is an alumnus of the Leeds Lieder Young Artist Programme, and he and Ballantine have curated a programme born out of the troubles surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement – it’s an eclectic and powerful evening of much that includes spirituals, Schubert and Nina Simone, Billie Holliday, Copland and the contemporary composer and musician John Musto.

Middleton also recommends listening to this year’s commissioned composer, Helen Grime. And he quotes her as writing that “despite genre stereotypes, all great music has something revealing to say.” He laughs and observes: “I wish that I’d written that, because it is so true!”

As well as Ms. Ameling, there are many other masterclasses by stellar names such as Sir Thomas Allen, Dame Felicity Lott, Amanda Roocroft and Julius Drake.

Two of the most popular events are bound to be a rehearsal for Bring and Sing! and the actual Bring and Sing! Concert, both in Leeds Minster. TV’s Gareth Malone will be training the Leeds Lieder Chorus in Faure’s Requiem, which most people regard as his ultimate masterpiece.

Unbelievably, the rehearsals will begin at 3pm, and Malone has less than three hours to knock his singers into shape, for the concert performance begins at 6pm. Each singer will be asked to pay £15 to take part – but it will obviously be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Music, says Middleton, “communicates in an open and honest way. It’s direct. If you haven’t been to one of our recitals, concert or talks before, please come over and join us. It’s all about life and love, and death and nature, it touches every part of the human experience.

"It’s by no means a passive art form, it requires some thought – and please don’t be put off by thinking that you won’t understand what is being sung, because at every event we have an accessible screen which translates every word into English. It touches each and every one of us.”

A perfect example is that, last year, an ex-offender took part, as a poet, in sessions where prose was matched to new music, and vice vera. For this young man, in his late twenties, music suddenly came alive, and made some sort of sense – a relevance to him.

"He was so converted to the idea of making music, and listening to it, that Middleton spotted him later at several of 2024’s events, “and he even brought some of his mates along, to show them where they’d been missing out!”

Middleton and his team are determined to open every possible door to young artists and performers, so that there are many events which are free to students.

In years gone by, Joseph Middleton reckons, Lieder and concerts were perhaps considered “dry,” or “safe,” and for the few. He rubbishes those opinions these days by urging everyone to pick up a brochure, and to see what an extraordinary range of music, talks, and demonstrations are on offer.

"You’d be amazed what incredible friendships have been forged,” he says. “There is an incredibly broad sweep of music, all of it absolute top quality. It is the boldest and most colourful programme to date, and I cannot thank our friends and supporters enough. Everyone is welcome, please come and be immersed in song.”

Leeds Lieder from from April 5 to April 12. For more information visit https://leedslieder.org.uk/ or call the Box office: 0113 243 4438.