Winchester Chamber Music Festival

Friday 1 – Monday 4 May 2026

International performers present live classical music in its most intimate form

This Bank Holiday (1 – 4 May), Winchester welcomes an exceptional line up of world-class musicians, exciting emerging artists and young talented performers to present another wonderful array of classical concerts and events in the heart of Winchester. We look forward to welcoming you.

Kate Gould – Artistic Director

Festival Features

Evening Concert – Theatre Night

A more relaxed programme featuring music from Hollywood composers, the stage and the American songbook featuring American-Dutch soprano, Katharine Dain. Bar open from 7.30pm

St Paul's Church, 3 May

Festival Gala Concert

Join us at the Theatre Royal Winchester on Saturday evening for our Festival Gala Concert which features popular works and showstopping songs with a broader appeal in mind.

Theatre Royal Winchester, 2 May

Family Concert

Join us at the Nutshell for an interactive musical event with a weathery theme. Guaranteed fun for all the family.

The Nutshell, 2 May

Emerging Quartet-in-Residence

We are delighted to welcome the Karelia Quartet as our 2026 Emerging Quartet-in-Residence. Throughout the week the quartet will receive daily coaching from the resident Festival musicians, will go out to two local primary schools to deliver fun…

Benjamin Britten

In our 2026 Festival we celebrate the British composer, Benjamin Britten, who died fifty years ago this year, by featuring some of his exquisite chamber pieces: his Cello Suite No 3 Op. 87 in Friday's Late Night concert, On This Island Op. 11 in…

Masterclass

Gain greater insight into the fascinating process of rehearsing and interpreting classical music at Karelia Quartet's Masterclass where they will be working on about Ravel's celebrated String Quartet with violist, Hélène Clément, in advance of their…

The Nutshell, 2 May