The Leith Hill Music Festival (LHMF) continues a long-standing tradition of bringing “the joy of singing” to the heart of Surrey. Since its founding in 1905, the festival has provided a unique platform where amateur choirs perform alongside international singers, conductors and professional orchestras, creating world-class musical experiences for local audiences.

The 2026 Festival begins on Sunday 8 March at Dorking Halls with the Festival’s Spring Concert – a massed-choir performance of Joseph Haydn’s great oratorio The Creation. Under the baton of the “ebullient” conductor Neil Ferris, this concert features around 150 singers together with soloists Ellie Laugharne (soprano), Jonathan Cooke (tenor) and Trevot Eliot Bowes (bass), and specialist professional baroque orchestra, Canzona.

Competition and Collaboration

The flagship two-day competitive festival takes place on Friday 10 April and Saturday 11 April 2026, the style of which has remained largely the same as when founded.

Giving choir members an unparalleled opportunity – out of reach for many choirs – to sing major works in the choral repertoire, this unique event balances the “fun of competing” for cups and trophies in morning sessions, judged by a professional adjudicator, followed by evening performances. After the competitions, the choirs come together for a combined rehearsal, taken by the Festival Conductor, ahead of the evening concerts, held at Dorking Halls.

Friday 10 April

Suffolk Suite Doreen Carwithen

Da Vinci Requiem Cecilia McDowall

The Lark Ascending Vaughan Williams

Five Mystical Songs Vaughan Williams

Participating choirs include Capel, Dorking, Epsom, Leatherhead, and Oxshott, accompanied by Southern Pro Musica.

Saturday 11 April: A celebration of Baroque masters

Zadok the Priest George Frideric Handel

Dixit Dominus Antonio Vivaldi

Dixit Dominus Isabella Leonarda

Concerto for two violins Johan Sebastian Bach

The King Shall Rejoice George Frideric Handel

Participating choirs include Beare Green and Newdigate, Bookham, Buckland and Betchworth, Holmbury St Mary, Horsley, and Mickleham, accompanied by baroque orchestra Canzona.

The LHMF is more than a series of concerts. It revels in the bonhomie – even the ‘bon-harmony!’ – of voices from all walks of life coming together to celebrate in sound, with regular rehearsals and local concerts. A stress reliever and mental health workout like no other, it brings singers and audiences together to experience the excitement and joy of massed voices performing on a professional stage.

LHMF website