I am delighted that the
internationally renowned pianist Roger Vignoles agreed to be our Artistic
Director in 2007. He devised some fascinating programmes and brought some of the
world’s greatest singers to
As well as bringing
performances of the very highest quality to
At the Welcome Party we
saw performances by some of the young people who had been taking part in our
four education projects. Some of the
project participants joined us for Discovering
Lieder+, an innovative and interactive concert specially devised for a
young or inexperienced audience which was signed for the deaf by Paul
Whittaker.
Another highlight of the
weekend was the Showcase of the Composers and Poets Forum. Nine creative
partnerships were formed in June 2007 and they produced some very interesting
new songs.
We continued our
tradition of celebrating the art song of other cultures and were delighted to
welcome some prize-winning musicians from the Sichuan Conservatory in
LEEDSLIEDER+ has already
been credited with leading a revival of interest in the song recital and we
hope to be able to extend this work in the coming years; plans for 2009 are
already well advanced!
We are most grateful to
all the Sponsors, Patrons and Friends of LEEDSLIEDER+
who make the Festival possible and would ask all song lovers to consider
joining us to help in our aims of re-establishing the song recital in the
hearts and minds and experience of audiences around the country.
Founder
and Festival Director, Leeds Lieder+