Leeds Conservatoire has a range of fantastic in-house performance opportunities, coupled with high-profile partnerships to enrich your performance study experience.
Our students regularly perform at our state-of-the-art 350-seat concert hall and events space The Venue, or at one of the acclaimed pathway showcases in the 120-seat Recital Room. The conservatoire is also firmly rooted within the thriving local music and drama scenes, presenting countless opportunities across the city to demonstrate your talent.
Ensembles
Whatever your specialism, Leeds Conservatoire has an ensemble for you.
They include Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, LC Pop Choir and the New Music Collective.
The ensembles all perform regularly at The Venue and are in demand further afield, having performed with the likes of Marc Almond or taken to the stage with conductors and musical directors such as Mark De Lisser and Natalia Luis-Bassa.
View our EnsemblesRewind
The Rewind sessions at Leeds Conservatoire are a collaborative project bringing together performance, composition (including Film, TV & Games) and production students to create high-quality, professionally recorded live sessions. Working in a real-world environment, performers are filmed and recorded by production students, resulting in polished audio and video content that reflects current industry standards. The sessions provide invaluable early-career experience, giving artists ready-to-use material for electronic press kits (EPKs) while fostering creative collaboration and practical skills across disciplines.
Platforms for performance
Whichever pathway you study, we have a platform for performance.
Drama students can expect a range of in-house, studio-based performance projects throughout their training, which are designed to develop professional practice working with guest industry professional directors, choreographers and musical directors.
Music students frequently perform at our in-house pathway showcases, and our many other regular nights, as well as further afield.
The Venue Concert Series
The Venue and Recital Room play host to Leeds Conservatoire eclectic concert season. Students play a vital part in the season, with many of the conservatoire's ensembles appearing in a varied programme that encompasses jazz, classical, contemporary and world music, orchestral, choral and big band concerts and small ensemble and solo recitals.
The concert season allows students to rub shoulders with global names through showcasing the work of graduates and alumni alongside emerging and international artists.
Past seasons have seen appearances from the likes of Frank Turner, Django Bates, Kathryn Stott, Giovanni Sollima, Charles McPherson, Mark Lanegan, Emily Portman, Gabriel Prokofiev and more.
Leeds International Concert Season
In conjunction with Leeds International Concert Season, Lunchtime Chamber Music is presented every Wednesday at The Venue, while an International Chamber Series is held throughout the year.
Gala Concert
Our end of year Gala showcase is the event of the year at Leeds Conservatoire, showcasing the breadth of talent across each pathway of study.
Crosswire
Crosswire is the bi-monthly showcase for Popular Music & Music Production. A hugely popular event amongst students, it is held in the Recital Room and often attracts local media attention.
Watch performances from the Crosswire Sessions
B-Side
B-side is our monthly jazz night at the Café Bar where students, staff and alumni are all on the bill and the audience can listen to and spin tunes from our jazz vinyl archive.
Professional Relationships
We have a history of working with large industry partners to offer high profile performance opportunities to our students.
Leeds Conservatoire students have performed at prestigious venues including the Royal Festival Hall, Steinway Hall, London Jazz Café and 606 Club, as well as high profile events including Sound City Liverpool, Leeds Festival, Alternative Great Escape, Manchester Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Eurosonic in the Netherlands, to name just a few.
Leeds Conservatoire Agency
The Leeds Conservatoire Agency provides our student and graduate community with a wide range of paid and experiential performance opportunities all year round.
We work with both local and national promoters as well as festivals to showcase new music and talent, and on average we generate over £40,000 worth of paid performance work per year with private bookings, weddings, parties and functions.
