The world’s longest-running choral music festival is back from Saturday 26 July until Saturday 2 August 2025, with Hereford Cathedral being home to the prestigious Three Choirs Festival this year.
The week-long celebration features a lineup of world-renowned singers, musicians and composers, with large-scale concerts, daytime recitals, late-night shows and family-friendly events.
There's also a lively festival village outside the cathedral, with free live music on the festival bandstand, street food and drinks — and even the chance to see rehearsals at the cathedral for free.
Here are some of SoGlos's highlights from the 2025 lineup...
Premieres and new commissions at Three Choirs Festival 2025
Three Choirs Festival features some notable premieres in 2025, with one piece commissioned especially for the event from composer Richard Blackford.
His new work, 'The Black Lake', takes inspiration from the great Welsh novel One Moonlit Night and is being performed, aptly, by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on Sunday 27 July at Hereford Cathedral.
Then there's the premiere of Bob Chilcott's new work, 'Mass for Peace and Reconciliation' at Hereford Cathedral on Monday 28 July, as part of a concert including mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston, Flowers Band and the Three Choirs Festival Youth Choir; with the National Youth Choir also premiering a new work by festival regular Roderick Williams on Saturday 2 August, too.
Flagship concerts Three Choirs Festival 2025
Opening night at Three Choirs Festival is always a highlight — and 2025 is no different with a joyous performance of 'This Worlde's Joie', filling Hereford Cathedral with uplifting music from the combined forces of the Three Choirs Festival Chorus, Hereford Cathedral Choristers and the event's orchestra in residence, Philharmonia Orchestra.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, with a revival of 'The Atonement', which was first performed at Hereford Three Choirs Festival in 1903, being brought to life once more on Thursday 31 July.
On Wednesday 30 July, audiences are treated to what Three Choirs describes as 'possibly one of the greatest English choral pieces ever composed' with Howells's 'Hymnus Paradisi', accompanied by Arthur Bliss's 'Mary of Magdala' transforming grief into wonder in what promises to be an emotive event.
Renowned as one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written, audiences can hear Fauré’s 'Requiem' in full voice on Friday 1 August.
Then a Three Choirs Festival favourite closes the event on Saturday 2 August, as soprano Katherine Broderick, contralto Jess Dandy, tenor Anthony Gregory and bass-baritone Matthew Brook join the Three Choirs Festival Chorus and Philharmonia Orchestra for Mendelssohn's masterpiece 'Elijah'.
Daytime recitals at Three Choirs Festival 2025
Celebrated clarinetist, Emma Johnson, is joined by the Carducci Quartet for an afternoon performance at St Francis Xavier’s Church on Saturday 26 July, with music from Mozart, Bliss and Shostakovich.
Popular baritone Roderick Williams sings with American choir VocalEssence at Leominster Priory on Sunday 27 July, performing an hour of uplifting and inspiring music with a gospel theme.
Vocal ensemble and 'early music masters', Stile Antico, transport audiences to a Renaissance garden with music that once rang out through the Sistine Chapel on Monday 28 July.
On Thursday 31 July, The King's Singers take listeners on a trip around the world with Sounds of the City, showing off their technique and versatility as they showcase music from some of Europe, America and Africa's most dynamic cities, from Paris to Johannesburg.
There's also a series of organ recitals from talented students of the Royal College of Organists at Holy Trinity Church on various days.
Family events at Three Choirs Festival 2025
For the youngest music fans, Three Choirs Festival has plenty to get involved with — and the standout event is one families won't want to miss, with a musical reinvention of beloved children's story Babar the Elephant taking place at Holy Trinity Church on Wednesday 30 July.
Ideal for babies and toddlers, the Lilliput Duo invite little ones to try out some tiny violins as part of their event on Saturday 26 July; for children aged seven to 12, the Marsyas Trio pair engineering and creativity to show children how musical instruments make their sounds on Monday 28 July; while Keats at the Keyboard introduces little listeners to one of England's best-loved romantic poets, blending lyrical stories with live piano on Saturday 2 August.
For more information, or to book tickets to Three Choirs Festival 2025, visit 3choirs.org.
