Festival Closing Recital - Kathleen's Songbook: Ailish Tynan and Joseph Middleton

We regret to announce that Dame Sarah Connolly has fallen ill and so has no choice but to withdraw from her closing recital at Leeds Song Festival. We send her our very best wishes for a speedy recovery and we hope to reschedule this recital later this year.

In the mean time, we are indebted to the acclaimed soprano Ailish Tynan, and Joseph Middleton, who have kindly agreed to replace Dame Sarah Connolly at short notice.

Irish soprano Ailish Tynan came to prominence when she won the 2003 Rosenblatt Recital Song Prize at BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. She was part of the Vilar Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and a BBC New Generation Artist, where she actively recorded and performed with BBC Orchestras and in recital.

Ailish’s programme will include songs by Grieg, Schubert, Ravel, Duparc, and a selection of English and Irish song to bring the 2026 Leeds Song Festival to a rousing finale.

Tonight’s performance by the winners of the Northern Aldborough Festival’s New Voices Singing Competition 2025 is generously supported by the Yorkshire Music Future Fund.

Performers

Ailish Tynan soprano  
Joseph Middleton piano

With winners of Northern Aldborough Festival’s New Voices Singing Competition 2025:

Rachel Munro soprano
Jia Ning Ng piano