A warm welcome to vibrant Gloucester

It is a privilege for me once again to introduce a Three Choirs Festival programme. I have, quite deliberately, created a programme centered on magnificent choral works. I feel sure this will be popular with artists and audiences alike and bring great joy to the Gloucester 2026 festival. I hope very much that you will share in our musical celebration!

Adrian Partington
Artistic Director for Gloucester

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Dramatic Evening Concerts

We've got a stellar programme of evening concerts at this year's Festival. The week opens with the visceral power of Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast and Elgar’s Symphony No. 1, setting a majestic tone for the days to follow.

Contemplation and calm takes center stage with Ex Cathedra’s late-evening performance of Rachmaninov’s Vespers, while mid-week highlights include a rare, period-accurate staging of Monteverdi’s Vespers.

The Festival reaches its emotional zenith in the closing days with Mozart’s Requiem and a definitive performance of Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, ensuring that the legacy of the English choral tradition remains as resonant as ever within Gloucester's ancient walls.

Thrilling Daytime Performances

Highlights of our daytime programme include the much-anticipated Sydney Philharmonia Choirs making their first UK appearance in fifteen years to deliver a "barnstorming" program of choral anthems by Parry, Ireland, and Vaughan Williams. The Festival’s keyboard tradition is equally celebrated through the RCO (Royal College of Organists) recitals and a headline Celebrity Organ Recital by the virtuosic Thomas Ospital. These sit alongside performances by critically acclaimed groups VOCES8 and APOLLO5, ensuring that the hours between our morning talks and Evensong are filled with an unparalleled breadth of global talent.

Magnificent Venues

Experience world-class choral music as it fills the soaring acoustics of Gloucester Cathedral and the city’s historic churches. Beyond the performances, the Festival Village offers even more to explore: enjoy community music at the Bandstand, browse exhibitions by local artists, or simply unwind with friends in our Bar and Café. For a behind-the-scenes look, our open rehearsals provide a free taste of the Cathedral’s evening magic, inviting everyone to discover the spirit of the Three Choirs Festival.