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You can audition for Leeds Conservatoire’s core ensembles (Chamber Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Chamber Choir, New Music Collective). The Students’ Union also runs an additional SU orchestra, wind ensemble and chorus, while Leeds Conservatoire also hosts the Leodian Concert Orchestra, which students are able to join and play alongside external musicians.

Public ‘showcase’ concerts are held once a semester, featuring some of the pathway’s most exciting performers.

The annual Opera Scenes Project brings together singers and instrumentalists to perform in local theatres and performance spaces.

Performance opportunities are also numerous for solo and chamber music playing. There are lunchtime concerts once a week which are very popular with students. Staff often collaborate with students for joint performances, sometimes featuring visiting artists. Leeds Conservatoire students regularly play in external venues in Leeds and in the local region. Often these are arts centres, churches and cathedrals with strong local audience support, allowing students the experience of performing in a variety of contexts.

Students often collaborate with dance and arts students from Leeds institutions also, taking part at times in more unusual site-specific performances.

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You are able to be a part of the Leeds Conservatoire Folk Ensembles (Old Time, Bluegrass, Irish and English) and audition for all of Leeds Conservatoire’s core ensembles – Contemporary Pop Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Contemporary Jazz Orchestra etc.

Formal public showcases are held twice a semester in our pinnacle Crossroad Sessions events and include performances from the Leeds Conservatoire Folk Ensembles, plus solo and group performances from some of the pathway’s most exciting performers. We also run tune and song sessions attached to these events where students can perform in the café afterwards.

Folk students regularly play in external venues in the local region, sometimes extending to national performances in Manchester (Folk Expo), London and further afield. We have strong connections with national Folk Festivals and students have performance opportunities at Folk By The Oak, Cambridge Folk Festival, Whitby Folk Festival, Sidmouth Folk Festival and Otley Folk Festival. These are part of our enrichment programme which seeks to support performance students with the chance to develop stage skills as well as developing a rapport with different audiences. Reflection on these performances and events is incorporated into Creative Environments ensemble sessions and Performance Craft workshops. Performances can be filmed in order to help students critically reflect on their performance abilities.

Students are able to apply to perform at a variety of Conservatoire events such as Crosswire, utilising our biggest performance spaces and collaborating with students from other pathways to perform and record using all of our in-house professional venues, recording and production technology. The Conservatoire runs in-house and external open mic sessions that students are able to participate in throughout the year.

There are often opportunities to promote students’ work by appearing live on BBC broadcasts. The conservatoire has an excellent working relationship with the BBC and students are invited to play live in the studio as part of BBC Introducing and local broadcasts to promote their own releases and upcoming performances.

There is a wealth of jazz nights happening across the city and beyond for our students to attend and participate in throughout the year. These include nights at Hyde Park Book Club, Sela Bar, Howard Assembly Rooms, Seven Arts, Heart Headingley, The Attic and regular events put on by Leeds Jazz, Wakefield Jazz and Sheffield Jazz​. The scene is always changing and evolving and this year jam sessions have started across the city run by students and alumni at Northern Market Jam, Howard Assembly Rooms Bar Jam, The Domino Club Jam, with many more residencies and jams starting as the academic year progresses. 

The Jazz Team run an event called B-Side on Fridays throughout the year, where guest artists who have been delivering masterclasses and workshops during the afternoon then perform a set for students, followed by a student or alumni group performing, followed by a Jam Session open to all including the artists and staff. You can watch and play with other students and staff members and this night happens four times in Semester 1 and four times in Semester 2. 

We also run a series of Lunchtime Jazz Concerts starting in week 4 where you can perform with your timetabled ensemble group in an informal setting of room 219 just off the main bar area in the building. Year 1 and Year 2 groups play alongside each other for 1 hour during semester 1, showcasing material and music they have been developing during the semester with their group tutors. Year 3 Final Project groups feature in Semester 2 showcasing material and original compositions they have been developing. These concerts are video recorded and available for students and staff to watch so you can evaluate your performances during your sessions with your tutor and peers. The concerts are well attended by students and staff and faculty members attending often give informal feedback to students who have performed. 

Apply to play at our regular live event Crosswire. This event showcases the best music from the School of Popular Music and Voice, attracts a big audience from across Leeds Conservatoire, and features a wide variety of styles and sounds. There are several Crosswire nights across the year and each feature four live artists or bands. The performance is attended by staff and students and is always a great opportunity to try out new songs and to get feedback from other people here at the conservatoire.

‘Crosswire Sessions’ is a project that produces live studio session films of the bands and artists who apply for the opportunity. We invite bands and artists into the studio and produce professional quality live performance videos that are then shared across YouTube and social media. You can see these videos at https://www.youtube.com/@LeedsConservatoire

You can audition for all of Leeds Conservatoire’s core ensembles, including the Contemporary Pop Choir. This is a high-octane choral ensemble, showcasing unique and original arrangements of well-known rock and pop repertoire. The choir invites students from all backgrounds and disciplines to audition to join and offers regular diverse performance opportunities.

Twice a year we run Popular ‘Takeover’ Nights at Oporto which is a venue in Leeds City Centre. Invited students are each given the opportunity to perform a set of between 20 – 30 minutes of original songs at this showcase event within the thriving live music scene of Leeds.

Many academic modules that you will do on the Popular Music course involve a significant amount of regular performance in front of your fellow students and tutors. In classes such as Creative Environments, Craft and Technique, performance is central and you will get regular feedback from your peers and tutors on your developing artistry and stagecraft.

‘Crosswire Sessions’ is a project that produces live studio session films of the bands and artists who apply for the opportunity. We invite bands and artists into the studio and produce professional quality live performance videos that are then shared across YouTube and social media. You can see these videos at https://www.youtube.com/@LeedsConservatoire

The Sounds of Leeds Conservatoire is a series of events that showcases a variety of genres and performances from students across the conservatoire, including solo and group performances from some of the pathway’s most exciting performers.

Twice a year we run Songwriting ‘Takeover’ Nights at Oporto which is a venue in Leeds. Invited students are each given the opportunity to perform a set of between 20 – 30 minutes of original songs. We have four performers at each night; one student from each of the three years on the BA programme, and one alumni.

Four times a year we run ‘Open Mic’ nights, both internally in the Leeds Conservatoire building and externally in venues in Leeds. These are a great opportunity for songwriting students to share their new songs and to test them on a live audience. The events are well attended by students and staff alike, and provide a valuable source of feedback for songwriters who are keen to develop the craft of sharing their original songs with their peers.

You can also audition for Leeds Conservatoire’s core ensembles, which are open for all students studying at the conservatoire.

Apply to play at our monthly live event Crosswire. This event showcases the best music from the School of Pop and Production, attracts a big audience from across Leeds Conservatoire, and features a wide variety of styles and sounds. There are six Crosswire nights across the year and each features four live bands and a number of DJs. The performance is attended by staff and students and is always a great opportunity to try out new songs and to get feedback from other people here at the conservatoire.

‘Crosswire Sessions’ is a project that produces live studio session films of the bands featured at the live Crosswire night. We invite bands into the studio and produce professional quality videos that are then shared across YouTube and social media.

Or you can apply to perform/present your work at the Music Production Showcase. This event happens once a year and is a chance for music production students to showcase their best work in front of fellow staff and students. This event is also open to the public so friends and guests can be invited.

You can participate in many of our extra-curricular projects and events. We have extra lectures, masterclasses and other events which you are free to join. You can also participate in Film Night events, which usually happen at Leeds Conservatoire in the evening but could be held externally in theatres in Leeds and other areas.

You are also able to audition to participate in our annual Gala and other events. You are also encouraged to experience writing music for content creators which you can forge relationship at our networking events.

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You can participate in many of our extra curricular projects. These include cross pathway projects that music business students lead and organise:

• Volume Magazine, a student produced music review of releases and gigs.
• DJ Society, which puts on events, live streams and operate as booking agents for shows.

There are also internship opportunities, organising press and promotion for our Marketing, Events and Short Courses departments for those with 20 hours per week of working rights. The Music Business pathway supports the development of students’ projects and ideas and can facilitate and supervise the exploitation of your ideas.

There are numerous performance opportunities for School of Drama students. Please speak with your course leader for more information