Sound Out Leeds 2024/25

Johnny James, Managing Editor

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Sound Out Leeds 2024/25

Leeds Conservatoire, Leeds Hyde Park Book Club, Leeds The Wardrobe, Leeds and other venues...
16 October 2024-15 June 2025

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

A black woman sat down looking to the left.
NikNak by Em Obeng.
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Leeds International Concert Season is on a mission to push boundaries, expand horizons, and ask the question: ‘What haven’t we heard?’ as it presents its city-spanning Sound Out Leeds series.

Born out of a desire to challenge the historic conventions of the classical music scene, the series reimagines how and where music can be experienced, with a diverse array of artists performing everywhere from pubs to churches, as well as Leeds’ finest concert halls. The idea is to break down barriers that might prevent people from connecting with classical music, whether that’s placing it in a more informal setting or by featuring artists and composers who reflect the rich tapestry of modern Leeds. Here we present some of our highlights from the series, which stretches right through to summer 2025.

Following concerts by everyone from Antal Zalai and Adam Heron to Rushil Ranjan and Manchester Camerata, more cultural cross-pollination comes courtesy of Manchester Collective and cellist Abel Selacoe and their internationally acclaimed show Sirocco, in which original South African folk rubs shoulders with western music. Taking place at Howard Assembly Room on 13 November, expect the unexpected as classical strings dance to the beat of African drums and electric bass guitar. And do keep an eye out for other appearances by Manchester Collective – they’re bringing three different shows to the series!

Sirocco with Rakhi and Abel. Image courtesy of Sound Out Leeds.

Into the new year and Meliora Collective’s flexible ensemble of wind and string players take to The Old Woollen at Sunny Bank Mills with an all-female programme featuring indigenous storytelling and music by ethnically diverse composers. The wide-open landscapes of Australia are depicted in Aboriginal Australian Deborah Cheetham’s tapestry-inspired Ngarrgooroon, while on the other side of the world, a quintet by Valerie Coleman vividly depicts the bluesy dialect of the Mississippi delta region.

As for those non-traditional venues we were talking about, try the Chineke! Orchestra at The Wardrobe on 23 February and Aaron Azunda Akugbo (trumpet) with Milo Harper (harp) at Hyde Park Book Club on 7 May. We also thoroughly recommend Leeds-based turntablist, DJ and producer NikNak and her brand new work Parable commissioned by Leeds International Concert Season and featuring Chike! Orchestra. Taking place on 1 May at TESTBED, a cavernous space that often plays host to some of the city’s most exciting club nights, this unique work is written for turntables and orchestra, and features responses and reflections on the graphic novel adaptation of Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. It’s fair to say you won’t have heard anything like it before.

Meliora. Image courtesy of Sound Out Leeds.

And that’s the beauty of Sound Out Leeds – it feels like a new and utterly contemporary expression of classical music, one that will appeal to both longstanding classical fans and those who’ve never been to a traditional concert before. That’s pretty special.

Explore the full programme via the button below.

Where to go near Sound Out Leeds 2024/25

Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre building
Leeds
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Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre

The Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre is located in Leeds’ thriving cultural quarter on Quarry Hill, offering an exciting programme of dance, theatre and family-friendly shows.

Leeds
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Leeds Print Workshop

The workshop is a co-operative, membership-based printmaking studio, open to all those with an interest in print.

Yorkshire Dance
Leeds
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Yorkshire Dance

With three well-equipped studios, Yorkshire Dance HQ is a super performance venue for dance, theatre and spoken-word events.

Leeds
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The Wardrobe

Located in the city’s Art Quarter, The Wardrobe has been contributing to Leeds’ rich live music offering since its opening in 1999.

Leeds
Theatre
Leeds Playhouse

Leeds Playhouse is a hub for world class theatre and hosts a wide range of productions throughout the year.

Leeds
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East Street Arts

East Street Arts showcases parts of the city that many people don’t even know exist, inviting visitors to participate and engage with artists on an entirely different level.

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Leeds
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BLANK_

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Colours May Vary Leeds
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Colours May Vary

You can spend hours browsing in Colours May Vary for unique and hard-to-find greetings cards, stationary, homeware and magazines. Of especial interest are the one of a kind ceramic ornaments.

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Sarto Leeds

Sarto, Leeds’s long-awaited pasta restaurant is a joint project between Laynes Espresso and The Brunswick.

The Gallery at 164, Leeds
Leeds
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The Gallery
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The Gallery at 164 is an independent gallery in Leeds City Centre, exhibiting an eclectic mix of styles and media from both established and emerging talents.

Leeds Kirkgate Market
Leeds
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Leeds Kirkgate Market

Leeds Kirkgate Market is Europe’s biggest covered markets, featuring over 800 stalls, with goods ranging from clothing to fresh produce.

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