Read our Update: Music & Opera in 2026

What is a Martin Randall Festival? First of all, we curate every element in parallel, so not only world-class private and exclusive concerts in magnificent historic buildings, but also excellent accommodation, expert talks, visits with art historians, transport and much more. Many superb music festivals exist, but none other is planned taking into account every element in this way, creating a seamless journey that allows the audience to float above all other considerations and just relax and delight in the music.

Secondly, a foundation of matching music and place underpins every Martin Randall festival. The joy of acting as artistic director, rather than slotting in with someone else’s programme, is the freedom to be creative on a large scale – whether it’s Haydn symphonies in Schloss Esterházy, where he lived and worked for most of his life (Music Along the Danube, 15–22 August 2026); following in the footsteps of Bach’s life, with monumental works such as the B minor mass and St John Passion (The Bach Journey, 28 September–4 October 2026) or the Academy of Ancient Music and I Fagiolini performing Monteverdi operas and the iconic 1610 Vespers (Monteverdi in Venice, 12–17 November 2026).

We work with some of the best musicians in the business, and our access is unmatched – for the finale of our Early Music in Yorkshire festival (6–11 May 2026), the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment presents a Handel programme at Castle Howard – exclusively for our audience, as with every concert on our festivals. And particularly exciting is our first piano festival (The Rhine Piano Festival, 22–29 June 2026), where we have a stellar line-up including Elisabeth Leonskaja, Nelson Goerner and Eric Lu.

Six of these events are planned for 2026, some of which travel by river, and some of which stay in hotels. With a variety of locations, programmes and ensembles, we hope there will be something in each to spark your interest – please do get in touch if you have any questions!

Lizzie Watson
Artistic Director