Leeds International Organ Festival

Welcome to the Leeds International Organ Festival 2025

As Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds, it is my pleasure to be the Artistic Director of this year’s Leeds International Organ Festival featuring Leeds Cathedral’s wonderful four-manual Klais organ and some of the finest players from around the world. 

I am looking forward to sharing with you the varied and exciting programmes of this year's recitalists, which will showcase the power, versatility and subtlety of the organ along with the players' musicality and technical prowess. Their repertoire takes in some of the very earliest music written for organ, well known favourites, modern works and, I hope, some new discoveries for all listeners. 

As part of the Festival’s continuing support of buddings organists, I’m delighted to announce that this year’s recital series is part of the Royal College of Organists' Play the Organ Year 2025 and includes a special recital for children given by David Pipe – though don't let that put you off if you're no longer a child! We're particularly proud to be showcasing our home-grown talent in the final recital of the season: a recital given by Leeds Cathedral Organ Scholar, Frankie Tempest.

I hope you'll enjoy hearing the recitals as much as I will, I look forward to seeing many of you there.

Benjamin Saunders
Artistic Director