Celebrating the very best classic and contemporary choral music, Three Choirs Festival returns to Gloucester this summer 2026, putting Gloucester Cathedral's newly refurbished organ centre stage.
The week-long festival takes place from Saturday 25 July until Saturday 1 August 2026, attracting renowned singers, composers and orchestras from all over the world to perform both beloved classics and premiere brand-new work.
There's a lively festival village outside the cathedral, with free live music from community choirs and groups on the festival bandstand and street food to tuck into, as well as plenty of opportunities to get involved through interactive workshops and guided walks.
Here are SoGlos's highlights from the 2026 programme...
Premieres and new commissions at Three Choirs Festival 2026
Proud to champion and commission new music, Three Choirs Festival features a swathe of premieres in 2026 – including a world premiere from its new associate composer, Gavin Higgins, being broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
The first takes place on Saturday 25 July as part of 'Belshazzar's Feast', with the UK premiere of Gavin Higgins' 'Fanfare Americana' opening the event with 'a whirlwind of orchestra and brass'.
There's a premiere of new work by Lucy Walker on Wednesday 29 July, as part of a performance from acclaimed British vocal ensemble, APOLLO5, with an all-English programme spanning the Renaissance to the modern day.
There's a version premiere of Cecilia McDowall's joyful 'A Song for St Cecilia' as part of the programme accompanying Beethoven's 'Mass in C' on Wednesday 29 July.
Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, organist Jonathan Hope and conductor Brett Waymark present the UK premieres of works by celebrated contemporary Australian composers, Alice Chance and Joe Twist, as part of 'Faire is the Heaven' on Saturday 1 August.
There are two opportunities to see premieres for free, too, with the world premiere of Gavin Higgins' 'Magnificat' and 'Nunc dimittis' at Choral Evensong on Wednesday 29 July; and the premiere of the 'Gloucester Service Anthem' from former Gloucester Cathedral Youth Choir member, Kerensa Briggs, at Choral Evensong on Friday 31 July.
Unmissable concerts at Three Choirs Festival 2026
Gloucester Cathedral and its newly refurbished organ are at the heart of this year's festival, with the venue hosting large-scale concerts and choral evensong services throughout the week.
Standout concerts include the festival's opening service with a dramatic rendition of Walton's 'Coronation Te Deum', and the internationally acclaimed VOCES8 celebrating the 250th anniversary of American Independence on Saturday 25 July.
Audience favourite, Roderick Williams, along with pianist Iain Burnside, take audiences on a journey in song from the Forest of Dean to the Appalachian mountains, and Ex Cathedra present a soaring rendition of Rachmaninov's 'Vespers' on Sunday 26 July.
Three Choirs Festival Chorus and Philharmonia Orchestra are joined by a host of talented soloists for Janáček's 'Glagolitic Mass', followed by a screening of the 1925 filmThe Phantom of the Opera accompanied by live organ improvisation by Jonathan Hope on Monday 27 July.
'Songs of the Sea' promises a dramatic evening anticipating the 200th anniversary of Gloucester Docks, featuring Mendelssohn's 'The Hebrides' Overture 10', Elgar's 'Sea Pictures' and Cecilia McDowall's 'Ave Maris Stella' on Tuesday 28 July.
Thomas Ospital's 'Celebrity Organ Recital' promises 'a feast of French music' including works by Dupré and Ravel, as well as a unique improvisation, really showing off the cathedral's new organ, followed by Monteverdi’s vibrant 'Vespers' performed by the Three Cathedral Choirs, visiting vocal group La Serenissima, and talented soloists, on Thursday 30 July.
The highlight on Friday 31 July is Mozart's 'Requiem', with Gloucester Cathedral providing an atmospheric backdrop to this dramatic and mysterious piece, composed on his deathbed.
Then closing the festival on Saturday 1 August is a performance of Elgar's masterpiece, 'The Dream of Gerontius', promising 'an unmissable evening and a fitting climax to the 2026 festival from one of its greatest sons'.
Workshops, walks and talks at Three Choirs Festival 2026
Aspiring and amateur singers won't want to miss their chance to be a part of the programme at Three Choirs Festival 2026, with workshops and performance opportunities for singers of all abilities.
Composer and musical director, Tim Steiner, hosts two relaxed workshops, inspired by The Sound of Music on Saturday 25 July and 'Let's Call The Whole Thing Off' on Thursday 30 July, where participants will get to sing together and even have a go at writing their own lyrics, with both workshops welcoming families.
Choral singers have the opportunity to take part in two Come and Sing workshops – Mozart's 'Requiem' with Gloucester artistic director, Adrian Partington, on Friday 31 July; and Choral Evensong featuring Stanford and Vaughan Williams with Worcester artistic director, Samuel Hudson, on Friday 31 July, followed by a performance at the evening service.
There are a series of talks and lectures at this year's festival, with highlights including 'A Portrait of Composers’ Wives' on Sunday 26 July, a talk on the Viennese Mass on Wednesday 29 July, a fascinating talk on the new era of Gloucester Cathedral's organ on Thursday 30 July, and an entertaining talk on the life of Edwardian contralto, Dame Clara Butt, who Elgar composed several works for, from her distant relative, mezzo-soprano Jacqueline Edwards, on Saturday 1 August.
Showcasing Gloucester's rich culture and history, there are a variety of guided walks taking place throughout the festival, too, with themed tours on music and poetry, Roman Gloucester, Saxon Gloucester, and monks, canons and friars.
How to book tickets to Three Choirs Festival 2026 in Gloucester
Tickets for Three Choirs Festival 2026 go on general sale on Monday 13 April 2026.
To see the full programme, and to book tickets, visit 3choirs.org.
