Barnes Music Festival

Barnes Music Festival returns from 7–22 March 2026 with its most ambitious season to date, built around the theme Musical Roots. Over two richly varied weeks, the Festival explores the origins, influences and connections that shape the music we love — from early traditions and folk heritage to the living composers and performers of today.

Set across much-loved venues in Barnes, the Festival presents 40 events spanning orchestral and chamber music, opera, choral works, jazz, film, and participatory concerts. At its heart is a unique blend of internationally renowned artists, outstanding emerging talent, and the vibrant local groups that give the Festival its distinctive sense of place.

Early Music Highlights

Choral enthusiasts are warmly invited to take part in the Come & Sing Bach St John Passion, led by Hilary Campbell. Sung in English, this day-long event offers singers a rare opportunity to engage directly with one of Bach’s most powerful works, culminating in an informal performance for friends and family.

The acclaimed Fieri Consort return on International Women’s Day with Freeing the Muse, a richly imaginative programme celebrating female composers of the Renaissance and early Baroque. Known for their vivid storytelling and beautifully blended sound, Fieri bring to life music that places women not as muses, but as creators in their own right.

Award-winning trumpet ensemble Natrio explores the surprisingly wide-ranging roots of trumpet repertoire, from Renaissance fanfares to later transcriptions and folk-inspired works. Their inventive programming and virtuosic playing reveal the trumpet trio as a genre of remarkable colour and expressive range.

The innovative Swedish ensemble Barokksolistene, led by violinist Bjarte Eike, present two contrasting concerts. Purcell’s Playground offers a musical portrait of one of England’s great composers, combining historical insight with Barokksolistene’s distinctive flair. Later the same evening, The Alehouse Sessions transform the concert hall into a 17th-century tavern, blending Purcell, Playford, folk song and improvisation in a memorised, immersive performance that breaks down the barriers between performers and audience.

Completing the early music strand, harpsichordist Katarzyna Kowalik presents a recital of Handel and Scarlatti, two giants whose paths crossed in Italy and later in London. Her programme traces shared musical roots and divergent journeys, while also celebrating Barnes’ own composer Stephen Dodgson, linking local heritage with international tradition.

Visit www.barnesmusicfestival.com to explore the full programme.