Brecon Choir Festival returns this July for its fifth edition, bringing leading choirs, new music, talks, workshops and free performances to venues across the town.

The Festival runs from Thursday, July 16 to Sunday, July 19 and takes its theme from the words of the Powys-born George Herbert: “Let all the world in every corner sing.” Over the four days, concerts and events will take place in Brecon Cathedral, Theatr Brycheiniog, Christ College, Plough Chapel, St Mary’s Church, St David’s Llanfaes and public spaces across Brecon.

This year’s highlights include Brahms’ A German Requiem, The Gesualdo Six, a lecture by Rowan Williams, Continuum, Germany’s Cappella Lacensis, several new premieres, Welsh choirs, children’s singing projects and the free In Every Corner Sing Festival Choir Trail.

Thursday, July 16

The Festival opens at St David’s Llanfaes with Wounded I Sing, a lunchtime recital from Welsh singer Erin Thomas, winner of the 2023 BCF Young Singer Award.

At 5pm, Helen Wilcox and Chris Hodgkins introduce the life and poetry of George Herbert in Till…my musick shine at the Tithe Barn, Brecon Cathedral.

The opening night concert is Brahms’ A German Requiem in Brecon Cathedral, performed by Brecon Singers, the BCF Festival Chorus and Brecknock Sinfonia, with soloists Julie Cooper and Ben Davies from The Sixteen.

Friday, July 17

Friday begins with a walking tour of Brecon, followed by Contrepoint at Brecon Cathedral. The ensemble, drawn from leading youth choirs, will perform Love From, including a new George Herbert setting by William Cox.

In the afternoon, The Lyons Mouth perform Winged Voices at Penpont Chapel, including a rare performance of the Penpont Antiphon, the earliest-known Welsh manuscript.

Friday evening’s main event is Made in Wales: A Choral Celebration at Theatr Brycheiniog, featuring Côr Llundain, Aberhonddu & District Male Choir and Erin Morgan, the 2026 BCF Young Singer Award winner. The concert will close with the audience joining the performers in Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.

Saturday, July 18

Saturday includes a Festival Hike up The Crug, a singing workshop with Gigi Galletta, a South Powys Youth Music flash mob at y Gaer, and Bute Voices at Plough Chapel.

At Christ College, Rowan Williams gives the lecture George Herbert and Our Modern Afflictions. Later, Bruegel Consort perform Behold Our Affliction! in Christ College Chapel, a programme of sacred lamentations from Renaissance England.

There will also be community singing throughout the day, including Dare to Sing at the Guildhall Theatre and a Gospel Choir Workshop at St Mary’s Church.

A major free event on Saturday is the In Every Corner Sing Festival Choir Trail, which brings choirs into venues and public spaces across Brecon.

Festival Choir Trail schedule

• 2:15pm – Theatr Brycheiniog: Nova Singers

• 2:45pm – y Gaer: Contrepoint

• 3:15pm – St Mary’s Church: Scratch Gospel Choir

• 3:45pm – The Guildhall: Aberhonddu & District Male Choir

• 4:15pm – Town Centre: Brecon Shanty Crew present Landlocked in Brecknock!

• 5:15pm – Plough Chapel: Finale with Octave Cymru

Saturday evening brings The Gesualdo Six to Brecon Cathedral for the Festival’s Grand Concert. Their programme includes English and Welsh motets by composers including Byrd, Tallis and Tomkins, alongside new music written for the Festival, including premieres by Blake Morgan and Owain Park.

Sunday, July 19

Sunday begins with services at St Mary’s Church and Brecon Cathedral, followed by the pre-concert panel One Harmonie: George Herbert, Music and the Soul at the Cathedral’s Tithe Barn.

At 1pm, Continuum return to Brecon Cathedral with George Herbert: The Journey of the Soul, featuring Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs and new commissions by Richard Barnard and Stuart Beer.  

Continuum, one of the UK’s best young choirs, also boast two singers originally from the area with Áine Smith from Crickhowell and Lowri Bufton from Brecon.

The afternoon continues with Festival Evensong in Brecon Cathedral, including Vaughan Williams’ Let All the World in Every Corner Sing. 

At Plough Chapel, Sing the Great Welsh Hymn Book offers a bilingual Cymanfa Ganu, with English and Welsh hymns sung by the audience.

The Festival closes in Brecon Cathedral with Cappella Lacensis from Germany, performing Bach & Mendelssohn: The Eternal Legacy.

Joshua Games, Founder and Artistic Director of Brecon Choir Festival, said: “Brecon Choir Festival was founded to bring outstanding choral music into the heart of Wales, but also to make it open, participatory and alive in the town itself.

“For our fifth edition, George Herbert’s words ‘In Every Corner Sing’ give us the perfect invitation. This year’s programme brings together Brahms, The Gesualdo Six, Rowan Williams, Continuum, Cappella Lacensis, Welsh choirs, community singing and several exciting new commissions. It is a celebration of world-class music, local pride and the simple joy of singing together.”

Tickets for the main concerts are available at www.breconchoirfestival.co.uk, with many free events across the weekend, including the Festival Choir Trail.