Southern Cathedrals Festival

The Festival brings together the combined choirs of Chichester, Salisbury and Winchester Cathedrals for four days of concerts, recitals and services in the Cathedral and venues across the city centre. 

One of the most enduring collaborations in English cathedral music, the Festival reflects decades of shared artistry and a continuing commitment to musical excellence. 

This years Festival celebrates the legacy of Samuel Sebastian Wesley (18101876), Organist of Winchester Cathedral and a pivotal figure in the revitalisation of English cathedral music during the nineteenth century. The programme also marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of American Independence, exploring the breadth of early and modern American composition. Highlights include Aaron Coplands In the Beginning, alongside works by Charles Griffes and Earl Wild. 

Two headline concerts form the centrepiece of the Festival. On Friday 17 July at 6.30pm, Wesley, Parry & Brahms explores Romantic and Anglican choral repertoire, while on Saturday 18 July at 6.30pm, Vivaldi, Copland & Hussey culminates in the world premiere of a newly commissioned work by Christopher Hussey, set to a text by Rowan Williams, alongside Vivaldis Gloria and music from Purcells King Arthur. 

The wider programme includes performances by soprano Natasha Page with pianist Ella ONeill, a late-night recital by Tim Rumsey, Baroque specialists Duo Dorado, and organist Markus Eichenlaub, as well as a conversation with Organist Emeritus Dr Alan Thurlow and long-serving Chichester Lay Vicar David Riley. Tickets are available to book now.