WHATS ON
AT THE NCEM
NCEM Autumn Season 2026
Our autumn season welcomes a host of artists from across the world – bringing the highest quality of music-making to the city.
Opening with the legendary Andy Irvine, sharing the stage with the award-winning Swedish band Quilty, we invite you to spend an evening (or two) with us in the company of some of the finest jazz, folk and traditional music specialists on the circuit today. Guitarist Martin Taylor, saxophonist Tim Garland, jazz supremo Denys Baptiste, folk hero Martin Simpson and Bellowhead veteran Sam Sweeney, join us alongside a host of innovative and hugely talented artists from across Europe and beyond.
The season is creative, engaging and will be truly rewarding. We look forward to welcoming you all.
Our thanks are due to Arts Council England, Mayfield Valley Arts Trust, John Feldberg Foundation and our ever vital ‘band’ of NCEM Patrons. Sadly the City of York can no longer offer financial support – if you believe in what we do – and want to see us continue to present such a brilliant series of concerts – then please do join us and help to make a difference –
ncem.co.uk/supporters
Thank you.
Delma Tomlin MBE Director
CUPPA AND A CHORUS
Book now for the NCEM’s Community Singing Group
Mondays at 2.00pm
21 Sept, 19 Oct, 16 Nov, 14 Dec, 18 Jan
EXTERNAL PROMOTIONS AT THE NCEM
KRISTIN HERSH
Saturday 17 October 7.30pm
The NCEM is available to hire for all kinds of musical events – just contact the Events Team for information on events@ncem.co.uk
Booking Information
Tickets are available to buy online, by telephone or by post from
Online: ncem.co.uk
Box Office 01904 658338
Email: boxoffice@ncem.co.uk
Or in person from
National Centre for Early Music,
St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate,
York YO1 9TL
Tickets will be available online as Print at Home Tickets up to 2hrs prior to the concert.
Remaining tickets will be available to purchase on the door 30 mins prior to the concert starting.
Seating: Seats are unreserved unless otherwise indicated.
Offers: Please note that money saving offers cannot be combined with any other discount.
Sunday 27 September 6.30pm - c.8.30pm
£24 (£22 concessions | £8 under 35)
ANDY IRVINE
bouzouki, mandola, vocals
with
Quilty
Dag Westling guitar, vocal, 5-string banjo, tin whistle
Gideon Andersson bouzouki, mandolin, bodhrán, vocal
Esbjörn Hazelius fiddle, guitar, vocal
Staffan Lindfors double bass
Andy Irvine is one of the great Irish singers; his voice gets to the very soul of the country. Renowned as a ‘tradition in himself’, this acclaimed musician, singer and songwriter has maintained his highly individual performing skills throughout his 60-year career – a masterful teller of tales, and maker of music.
Following a tour of Sweden with the Swedish folk band Quilty – designed to celebrate their 30th anniversary year – Andy and Quilty return to the UK with a concert programme consisting of both Irish and Swedish traditional music – adding a new facet to the world music influences that have been Andy Irvine’s trademark throughout his career.
“The night ended with a thoroughly deserved standing ovation. Andy along with Quilty gave a performance that won’t easily be bettered or forgotten.” The Seantí , Ireland.
Sunday 4 October 6.30pm - c.8.30pm
£24 (£22 concessions | £8 under 35)
MARTIN TAYLOR
Multi-award-winning guitarist Martin Taylor MBE has been described by Jeff Beck as “the best guitarist in the world” and by Pat Metheny as “one of the most awesome solo guitar players in history.”
Renowned internationally for his warm stage presence, dazzling fingerstyle technique, and unforgettable interpretations, Martin has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning six decades, including collaborations with Stéphane Grappelli and Tommy Emmanuel. In 2026, Martin Taylor returns to the stage with his brand-new solo show “Standards”, celebrating the golden age of jazz through fresh and evocative arrangements of classic tunes from the Great American Songbook. Audiences can expect an evening of breath-taking musicianship, rich harmonies, and stories that transport you behind the music—from smoky jazz clubs to concert halls around the world.
MONEY SAVING OFFER
Book with Tim Garland & Geoffrey Keezer or Martin Simpson in the same transaction and save £5, book for 3 and save £9.
Friday 9 October 7.30pm - c.8.45pm
£22 (£20 concessions | £8 under 35)
HAJDA BANDA
Daria Butskaya violin, voice
Kuba Zimończyk three-row accordion, voice
Paweł Iwan hammered dulcimer, voice
Mateusz Dobrowolski frame drum, voice
Hajda Banda is a Polish-Belarusian band specializing in traditional dances and songs from eastern Poland’s Podlasie region, the western provinces of Belarus, and the wetlands of Polesye, a cultural crossroads on the Poland-Ukraine-Belarus border. The group performs exclusively on acoustic village instruments, blending the rural music of the borderlands with their own distinct style.
Presented in association with Songlines Encounters
This is a mixed seated and standing event. Audience members are warmly encouraged to dance if they wish. 14+, under 18s must be accompanied by an adult .
Saturday 10 October, 7.30pm
Tickets £24 (£22 concessions | £8 under 35)
CITY OF POETS
This concert reunites musicians across the Soviet-Chinese divide through an original exploration of the stunning maqām-based classical repertoire of the Central Asian Uzbek and Uyghur peoples.
A group of leading musicians from different sides of the border, led by Abror Zufarov and Saniyem Ismail, draw on the musical and poetic connections that have been deeply submerged by the forces of 20th century nationalism to create an extraordinary and inspiring original concert repertoire.
The programme is centred around the 17th century mystic poet and wandering dervish Baba Rahim Mashrab, who travelled across the cities of Central Asia from Namangan to Kashgar, Bukhara to Khotan, and whose poetry continues to inspire musicians on both sides of the divide.
Promoted in association with Nava Arts
Supported by the London-based research project, Maqām Beyond Nation.
Monday 12 October 7.20pm – c.9.30pm
£24 (£22 concessions | £8 under 35)
TIM GARLAND
saxophone
& GEOFFREY KEEZER
piano
These two Grammy-winning artists return to the NCEM stage with their striking new duet album Mezzo – capturing the full intensity of their 25-year musical partnership. Celebrated by peers for its deep communication, the album has already drawn praise from jazz icons Gary Burton and Joe Lovano, who highlight the duo’s rare unity, breathtaking interplay and fearless creativity.
Recorded in New York in a single 5 hour session, Mezzo distils decades of shared experience into a set that moves effortlessly between lyricism, rhythmic fire and bold re-imagining.
The project also marks Garland’s first release showcasing the rare mezzo-soprano sax.
Mezzo stands as a powerful testament to what can happen when two master musicians meet with total freedom and shared purpose.
MONEY SAVING OFFER
Book Martin Taylor or Martin Simpson in the same transaction and save £5. Book for 3 and save £9.
The NCEM is proud to work with young jazz players across the city and of our developing relationship with York Music Forum. Students will be working with Tim and Geoffrey from earlier in the day and sharing their work with us on stage 7.20pm – 7.40pm.
Tuesday 20 October 7.30pm – c.9.30pm
£24 (£22 concessions | £8 under 35)
MARTIN SIMPSON
One of England’s most revered folk performers, widely acknowledged as one of the finest acoustic and slide guitar players in the world, Martin’s interpretations of traditional songs are masterpieces of storytelling. His remarkable solo shows are intense, eclectic, spellbinding and deeply moving. Always prolific, and never one to rest long without a guitar in his hands and a song in his head, Martin Simpson continues to travel the length and breadth of the UK and beyond giving rapt audiences passion, sorrow, love, beauty, tragedy and majesty through his intimate solo performances. Martin has been nominated an astounding 32 times in the 18 years of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards – more than any other performer – and has won numerous awards. A true master of his art.
“One of the virtuoso instrumentalists of the English music scene… sounds better than ever” **** The Guardian
MONEY SAVING OFFER
Book Martin Taylor or Tim Garland in the same transaction and save £5. Book for 3 and save £9.
Sunday 25 October 6.30pm – c.8.30pm
£22 (£20 concessions | £7 under 35)
SAM SWEENEY & GRACE SMITH
Sam Sweeney and Grace Smith are two of the most exciting and sought-after fiddle players on the English folk scene today. Deeply rooted in tradition yet constantly pushing musical boundaries, they bring together a shared passion for reimagining archive material, championing new compositions, and creating music that is both authentic and forward-looking.
Sam Sweeney – “one of the defining English fiddle players of his generation” (Mark Radcliffe) – is a multiple BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner, a founding member of Leveret and a veteran of the iconic Bellowhead – his influence on the English folk revival is profound.
Grace Smith is a compelling fiddle and viola player whose distinctive sound draws from English tradition while embracing innovation. With her trio – featuring Sam Partridge and Bevan Morris – she released the acclaimed album Overleaf in 2023, hailed by Klof Mag as “the exciting future of instrumental folk music.”
Together, Sam and Grace form a dynamic musical partnership, offering audiences an intricate blend of tradition and creativity, shaped by deep expertise, mutual respect, and an infectious love for English traditional music.
samsweeneymusic.com | gracesmithmusic.co.uk
Wednesday 28 October 7.30pm – c.9.30pm including interval
£21 (£19 concessions | £8 under 35)
NORTHERN SILENTS:
THE WOMAN MEN YEARN FOR
Directed by Curtis Bernhardt. Germany, 1929.
A silent film with live music featuring Jonny Best piano
Marlene Dietrich ignites the screen in a tale of passion, danger and desire.
Henri, a young man adrift, marries a wealthy heiress to save the family business. On the eve of his honeymoon, he glimpses a mysterious woman through a frosted train window. Their eyes meet — a fleeting, spellbinding moment of silent‑film perfection — and from it unfolds a chain of passion and betrayal that hurtles toward disaster.
Sunday 1 November 6.30pm – c.8.30pm
£24 (£22 concessions | £8 under 35)
SHE’KOYOKH
Çigdem Aslan vocals
Meg Hamilton violin
Susi Evans clarinet
Matt Bacon guitar
Živorad Nikolić accordion & vocals
Christina Borgenstierna percussion
Paul Moylan double bass
She’Koyokh’s line-up is as diverse as their music making. Their members hail from Turkey, Serbia, Spain and the UK. Three members are graduates from London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Music, two are esteemed jazz musicians, accordionist Živorad Nikolić is one Serbia’s finest players of traditional folklore. Singer Çigdem Aslan, is a celebrity in the world of rembetiko music and Susi Evans was hailed “the Queen of klezmer clarinet” by the Clarinet & Saxophone Society of Great Britain. All seven are virtuoso musicians with two decades spent absorbing and performing the rich folk music traditions of Jewish Eastern Europe, Turkey and the Balkans.
Four globally acclaimed albums have earned She’Koyokh rave reviews in the Guardian, Evening Standard, Gramophone, Songlines fROOTS ad BBC Music Magazine.
“One of the finest and most entertaining British-based exponents of global music” The Guardian
Wednesday 11 November, 7.30pm – c.9.30pm
£23 (£21 concessions | £8 under 35)
Talking Spirits
James Lascelles keys, dulcimer, melodica, percussion
Richard Bailey drums
Tim Herniman sax, violin
Michael Bailey bass
A lively blend of world‑jazz, folk, and Caribbean grooves that offers a fresh listening experience.
Led by composer, musician and visionary James Lascelles, Talking Spirits is less a band and more a musical convergence — a collective of world-class artists whose combined experience reads like a hall of fame of modern music. Between them, members of Talking Spirits have performed, recorded, and collaborated with an astonishing roster of legends: from the avant-garde genius of Frank Zappa to the pioneering violinist L. Shankar; from rock theatricality with Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel to the soulful songwriting of Joan Armatrading.
It’s a network of influence that spans continents, genres, and generations — yet somehow converges in a single, unexpected place.
Saturday 14 November, 7.30pm
£24 (£22 concessions | £8 under 35)
THE TREMBLING LAND
Samin Ghorbani Persian classical voice
Rouzbeh Esfand electronics, clarinet and arrangement
Vahid Taremi composer, shurangiz
The soulful voice of Samin Ghorbani, the enchanting sound of the Shurangiz of Vahid Taremi, and the modern elements and clarinet of Rouzbeh Esfand, brings to York what the Persian Trio refers to as “the sound of their shadows from a Trembling Land.”
The three prominent musicians from Iran, spread in three separate cities across Europe, yet connected through a shared artistic language, bring classical Persian music and contemporary elements together to create a telling atmosphere of what remained unspoken rather than a pure retelling of the past.
Promoted in association with Nava Arts
Supported by the London-based research project, Maqām Beyond Nation.
Tuesday 17 November 7.30pm – c.9pm
£24 (£22 concessions | £8 under 35)
Pre-show talk, 6.50pm
LORENA PAZ NIETO
soprano
& HELEN GLAISHER-HERNANDEZ
piano
The Secret Art
Enter the captivating world of Spanish and Latin American art song as conceived by its most outstanding and beguiling women composers.
Award-winning Spanish soprano, Lorena Paz Nieto, is a winner of the Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform Award, the Ludmilla Andrews Russian Song Prize, and ‘Vocalist of the Year’ at the LUKAS awards. British Hispanic pianist, Helen Glaisher-Hernández, is part of a new generation of Latinx practitioners elucidating the cultural diversity of classical music.
Sunday 22 November 1.30pm – c.5.30pm
£25 (£15 under 35) Please book by 8 Nov.
COME & SING
with Odaline de la Martinez
As part of The Secret Art: Mujeres ¡Presentes! project join us for a half day workshop focusing on this rare and wonderfully vibrant music led by the inimitable Odaline de la Martínez guiding us through the sounds of 17th-century Mexican convents, irresistible Afro-Cuban beats, and the toe-tapping rhythms of the Rio Carnival. Odaline will be joined by specialist Ibe/rican pianist and accompanist Helen Glaisher-Hernández.
Sheet music will be available to download in advance of the event.
Tea & coffee will be served, but please bring snacks for the break. The workshop will finish with a short run-through for family and friends at 5pm.
MONEY SAVING OFFER
Buy tickets for both events and save £10
With thanks to Instituto Cervantes Manchester and The Iberian and Latin American Music Society.
Tuesday 24 November, 7.30pm
£21 (£19 concessions | £8 under 35)
Screening of GRASS (1925)
With live music
Grass, one of the canonical greats of the silent era by the directorial team of Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack—today mostly remembered for their iconic sound-era cult film King Kong—is a documentary on the heroic annual migration of the nomadic Bakhtiari tribes of Iran. It is an epic film about people who live epic lives. The restless filmmakers identify with the people they follow, transforming their journey into some of the grandest vistas of silent cinema ever captured on film.
The film will be accompanied by Peyman Yazdanivan, an acclaimed Iranian pianist and composer renowned for his film scores and contemporary classical works. His music, blending Western and Persian influences, has been featured in the soundtracks of films by Abbas Kiarostami and Asghar Farhadi. For this screening, he will be joined by Adib Rostami on kamancheh and tonbak, adding a rich musical dimension to the experience.
Wednesday 25 November 7.20pm – c.9.30pm
£28 (£26 concessions | £10 under 35)
DENYS BAPTISTE
sax
& GARY CROSBY
double bass
A Love Supreme
Bassist, band leader and co-founder of Tomorrow’s Warriors, Gary Crosby OBE teams up with Mercury Prize nominee and MOBO award winning saxophonist Denys Baptiste to lead an all-star quartet for this celebration of what is widely regarded as the greatest jazz album of all time, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme.
Marking the 60-year anniversary of the recording of the album, Gary and Denys will be joined by Andrew McCormack (piano) and Rod Youngs (drums).
Discussing the impact that Coltrane’s magnus opus had on him, Gary Crosby explains: “Hearing A Love Supreme for the first time was a life-changing moment for me as a young musician. There were so many complexities in the compositions and the arrangements, but the groove and directness were real. It is musically as close to a spiritual moment as I have ever had – a message from the mountain top, mind-blowing but completely rooted in everything I believed music could be. Coltrane stands above all others as a musician. A jazz deity? Possibly. All I know is that with A Love Supreme, he preached, and we all listened!”
The NCEM is proud to work with young jazz players across the city and of our developing relationship with York Music Forum. Students will be working with members of the band earlier in the day and sharing their work with us on stage 7.20pm – 7.40pm.
York Early Music Christmas Festival 2026
4–13 December
Echo Vocal Ensemble
Yorkshire Bach Choir
Bellot Ensemble
Portrait Players
Artesonado
Spiritato
Ruby Hughes & Jonas Nordberg
Ex Corde & The York Waits
Allyn Wu & Sergio Bucheli
A Winter Union
Nocturnalia
Ceruleo
Tickets on sale now! NCEM.CO.UK/YEMCF
2027 York Early Music Festival
2–9 July
Enjoy glorious music in the stunning surroundings of this ancient city
Guests include:
Gabrieli Consort & Players | Rachel Podger | Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment | Apotropaik | Elizabeth Kenny | Nardus Williams
2027 Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival
21–23 May
Beautiful Music in Beautiful Beverley
Guests include:
Consone String Quartet | The Gesualdo Six | Bellot Ensemble | Chelys Consort of Viols
Saturday 12 December 7.30pm – c.9.30pm
£25 (£23 concessions | £10 under 35)
A WINTER UNION
Hailed by Folk on Foot’s Matthew Bannister as “a festive folk supergroup” and “just fantastic” by Katie Derham on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune, five leading lights of the UK folk scene have been reconvening each December to share their joyous Christmas party with audiences across the country since their initial one-off pilot in 2015. Expect reimagined Winter classics from both sides of the Atlantic, some little known Yuletide gems, and plenty of songs direct from the pen of these five critically acclaimed songwriters.
“Wonderful… a perfect seasonal musical present!” Laurel Canyon Music
Friday 18 December 7.30pm – c.9.30pm
£24 (£22 concessions | £8 under 35)
AWAKE ARISE
In an unmissable collaboration, five of the English folk scene’s most inventive artists bring you Awake Arise – A Christmas Show For Our Times; celebrating the riches of our varied winter traditions and reflecting upon the hope and resilience in music and song that can bring joy to us all in the darkest season.
In this most uncertain of winters, Awake Arise is more than just a great night out; these are essential songs which remind us who we are and why we matter to each other.
ladymaisery.com | jimmyandsidduo.com | alanbearmanmusic.co.uk
COMING UP IN THE SPRING
Saturday 16 January 3pm–3.45pm & 6pm–6.45pm
Tickets £12.50 | £7.50 under 35
Whistle Stop Opera: Don Giovanni
What happens when a washed-up celebrity reinvents himself as a dating guru? In this fast, funny and razor-sharp reimagining of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, the infamous libertine is now a Z-list star on tour, peddling his dubious advice in a “How to Get a Girlfriend” seminar.
Friday 5 February 7.30pm
Tickets £23 (£21 concessions | £8 under 35)
LULO REINHARDT & YULIYA LONSKAYA
Gypsy Meets Classic. This musical pairing is definitely a ‘cut above’ as these two extraordinary artists share their love of Latin, flamenco, Brazilian jazz and gypsy music.
BAROQUE AROUND THE BOOKS
Monday 7 & Tuesday 8 December
The Portrait Players invite you to a series of informal concerts organised in association with York Explore libraries.
ncem.co.uk/baroque-around-the-books
Supported by John Feldberg Foundation
AESTHETICA FILM FESTIVAL
Games and VR Lab at the NCEM
Interactive Storytelling
4–8 November 2026
Under 35? If you are under 35 you can purchase discounted tickets for selected concerts promoted by the NCEM. Call the box office on 01904 658338 or book online at ncem.co.uk
Please note that these are on a first-come, first-served basis and there is a limited number. When collecting tickets you will need to bring along photo ID which will be checked as proof of age.
More info at www.ncem.co.uk Subject to availability.
BOOKING information
ncem.co.uk/booking-information