The West Meon Music Festival 2026, 10th – 13th September 2026

From mediaeval to modern, and a chance to hear one of the world’s ten best.

With music spanning almost seven centuries – from Guillaume Dufay (born in 1397) to György Kurtág, who celebrated his 100th birthday earlier this year – there will be works to appeal to everyone at this year’s West Meon Music Festival from 10th to 13th September.

Festival founders, The Primrose Piano Quartet, will be joined by guest musicians to perform some of the best-loved works in the repertoire including Robert Schumann’s Piano Quintet and Franz Schubert’s last great chamber work, the much-loved String Quintet in C. A highlight will be Schubert’s Winterreise song cycle with internationally-renowned tenor, James Gilchrist.

This year’s Festival also includes a piano recital by Amiri Harewood, Classic FM Rising Star and Grand Prize winner of the Young Classical Artist Trust. The Daily Telegraph’s classical music critic, Ivan Hewitt, named Amiri as one of the “ten most exciting young musicians in the world”.

Hewitt singled out British pianist Amiri Harewood in his top ten for the “huge variety of colours he conjures from the piano, and a sheer delight in music-making”. Amiri will be performing at this year’s festival on Friday 11th September with a programme that includes works by Bach, Schumann and Shostakovich. Certainly a rising star not to be missed. Amirir’s recital is followed by a late-night musical journey to Hungary, from tuneful Dohnányi to folk-inspired Kodály.

While most of the festival’s eight concerts are held at the Church of St John the Evangelist in West Meon the neighbouring churches of All Saints in East Meon and Our Lady in Warnford also play host. On the afternoon of Saturday 12th September “Flutes and Frets” – Beth Stone and Daniel Murphy – take a journey through 400 years of music from Dufay to Couperin at Warnford, while the Sunday morning concert at East Meon will find The Eden Stell Guitar Duo spanning 300 years from Rameau to Ida Presti.

The evening concerts are candlelit and the ticket price includes a glass of wine or soft drink, the daytime concerts include coffee and biscuits or tea and cake. Full details of all the festival events can be found at www.westmeonmusic.co.uk. Ticket prices are from £16, with substantial discounts for under-16s and students, and good value festival passes.