York Early Music Festival
Established in 1977 the York Early Music Festival is designed to celebrate York’s myriad of medieval churches, guildhalls and historic houses through historically informed music making of the highest international standard.

☀️Summer festival
When
☀️Summer festival
Fri, 3 July 2026 — Sat, 11 July 2026
About
The York Early Music Festival was established in 1977 in order to celebrate music from the medieval to the baroque presented within an array of historic venues across the city of York. Supported by the Arts Council of England and the City of York, the festival is administered by the National Centre for Early Music.
Opening with Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers presented by I Fagiolini and closing with Solomon’s Knot in their extraordinary rendition of Bruhn’s St Mark Passion, internationally acclaimed guests also include The Sixteen, B’Rock Orchestra & Vocal Consort and Imago Mundi. Our Dowland Day on Monday 6, commemorating the 400th anniversary of one of England’s most celebrated composers, invites you into John Dowland’s very particular world of music, poetry and melancholy, and later in the week we move to the delicate world of French air de cour inspired by the poetry of love with tenor Paul Agnew, mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston and lutenist Sergio Bucheli.
Events

Monteverdi Vespers of 1610
I Fagiolini
Fri, 3 July 2026
Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall
7:00pm
£10 - £40
York Early Music Festival

YEMFRIENDS Coffee Concert
[hanse]Pfeyffery
Sat, 4 July 2026
National Centre for Early Music, York
10:30am
£15 (free for YEMF friends and patrons)
York Early Music Festival

Anacronía
Anacronía
Sat, 4 July 2026
National Centre for Early Music, York
1:30pm
£22 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: York
The Sixteen Choir
Sat, 4 July 2026
York Minster
7:30pm
£15 - £35
York Early Music Festival

Le Baiser de la Rose
Contre le temps
Sun, 5 July 2026
National Centre for Early Music, York
8:30pm
£22 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

The Rarest Musician
Thomas Dunford
Mon, 6 July 2026
St Olave’s Church, York
1:00pm
£30 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

Teares of Sorrowe and Gladnesse
Rose Consort of Viols
Mon, 6 July 2026
Merchant Adventurers Hall, York
6:30pm
£35 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

Tears into Light
Imago Mundi
Mon, 6 July 2026
National Centre for Early Music, York
8:30pm
£30 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

The Music Party
Ensemble Hesperi
Tue, 7 July 2026
National Centre for Early Music, York
12:30pm
£15 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

Da Pacem
B'Rock Orchestra & Vocal Consort
Tue, 7 July 2026
Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall
7:30pm
£10 - £40
York Early Music Festival

Preludes, Fugues and Fantasies
Steven Devine
Wed, 8 July 2026
All Saints Church, York
12:30pm
£25 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

Amphion Anglicus
Yorkshire Baroque Soloists
Wed, 8 July 2026
Chapter House, York Minster
7:30pm
£35 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

all’improvviso
Duo Gambelin
Wed, 8 July 2026
Merchant Adventurers Hall, York
9:30pm
£25 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

A Gentle Air
Helen Charlston
Thu, 9 July 2026
Merchant Taylors' Hall, York
7:00pm
£30 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

Love From Afar
Siglo de Oro
Thu, 9 July 2026
Holy Trinity Church, York
9:00pm
£22 (conc. available)
York Early Music Festival

Bruhns: St Mark Passion
Solomon's Knot
Fri, 10 July 2026
The Quire, York Minster
7:30pm
£10 - £35
York Early Music Festival
Location
National Centre for Early Music, York




