This attractive album is a delightful surprise, and not one just for clarinet enthusiasts—there is much to savour on this impeccably performed disc that will appeal to anyone who enjoys warmth, elegance and the distinctive voice of the clarinet.

One of the most influential and provocative voices in global comedy is heading back to the UK. Acclaimed comedian, actor, and writer Jim Jefferies has announced the long-awaited UK leg of his brand-new stand-up tour, Son of a Carpenter, coming in November 2025.

Across its 14 tracks, West End Girl explores the collapse and rebuilding of self with remarkable clarity. Songs like Sleepwalking and Ruminating linger in the fog of denial and confusion, while 4Chan Stan reminds us Allen hasn’t lost her sharp-edged humour — it’s sarcastic, pointed, and impeccably timed. Then there’s the title track, glowing with the bittersweet shimmer of a life that once seemed polished from the outside but was fraying underneath.

One senses the vitality throughout this generously filled double album. The textures and emotions are sustained across both discs, whether in the intimate chamber works with pianist Julian Riem or the orchestral repertoire featured in the second half. There is much to savour here, and Riem's accompaniments are never obtrusive—his well-judged restraint perfectly complements the resonant sonorities of Gromes' cello. Riem's refined touch and gorgeous tone prove every bit as engaging as Gromes' playing.

The emotional core of the album lies in its quietest moments — the ones where the band stops winking and just lets the sadness sit. These flashes aren’t sentimental, but they are deeply human. The Donner Party’s greatest trick is how they make bleakness feel gentle. Not comforting, exactly — but familiar. Real. Something already inside you, recognised rather than discovered.

Harrogate International Festivals, a registered arts charity with a mission to bring accessible arts, literature, community and education projects to Yorkshire and beyond is taking The Big Read on tour for a series of free events in libraries across Yorkshire and the North of England on 22-24 September.

It's been a few years since British country music really exploded onto the charts with the dominance of Ward Thomas and The Shires on the airwaves and in the album charts. In the time since, country festivals have really exploded across the UK, and Blackpool's response, The British Country Music Festival, has grown each year, and it is now in its sixth year.

Summer is festival season, and while many seem to be trying to get ever bigger, Krankenhaus is very much the tiny kid brother. It may be small in size (just 1,500 people), but it’s mighty in scope and ambition.

Normally considered a milestone event for teenagers following their exam results, the Leeds Festival continues to draw one of the country's youngest festival audiences.

A celebrated playwright, a national treasure, and a host of bestselling authors and household names take part in the first ever Whitby Lit Fest. More than 50 authors will take part in venues across the coastal town from Thursday 6 to Sunday 9 November.

Bestselling novelist Elly Griffiths will be honoured with the Theakston Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution Award in recognition of her remarkable crime fiction writing career and ‘unwavering commitment to the genre.’ The award will be presented at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the world’s most prestigious celebration of crime fiction and thriller writing, on Thursday 17t…

Connaught Brass is a vibrant ensemble looking to redefine how brass chamber music is perceived. Despite being relative newcomers, they are already making a name for themselves having made their debut at the Lucerne Festival and played in London’s renowned Wigmore Hall.

Korros Ensemble consists of Eliza Marshall (flute), Nick Ellis (clarinet) and Camilla Pay (harp). They have been performing together since 2001 when they were studying at the Royal Academy of Music. They have played at chamber music festivals across the UK and internationally and have recorded two albums.

Manchester’s grassroots festival Green Island has shared their full lineup for 2025. This year the festival will return to Hulme Community Garden Centre, in the musically rich area of Hulme. The 1,500 capacity festival will house five stages that sprawl across the leafy terrain, creating a haven in the centre of the city.

Eight exceptional classical vocal talents have been selected as semi-finalists for the prestigious Northern Aldborough Festival New Voices Singing Competition, set to take place this June in North Yorkshire.

The cultural calendar of Yorkshire is set to receive a significant boost as the HACS Harrogate Music Festival prepares to launch its summer season with an impressive line-up of international performers, promising young musicians and beloved festival regulars.

CrimeFest, one of Europe’s crime writing conventions, has announced the shortlists for its final annual awards. The awards began 17 years ago when CrimeFest launched in 2008; they honour the best crime fiction and non-fiction books released in the UK in the last year. 2025 will be the final awards as organisers announced this year CrimeFest will come to an end.

Harrogate International Festivals has revealed the full programme for the 2025 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the globally renowned celebration of crime fiction, at a special reception at Hachette, Carmelite House in London.

Tickets for the Northern Aldborough Festival, go on sale on 28 March. Sopranos, operatic stars, jazz vocalists and choral acts turn the idyllic rural North Yorkshire village into an unlikely epicentre for music from 12 to 21 June.

In the hallowed world of string quartets, where emotional depth and technical precision must balance in perfect harmony, the Fibonacci Quartet has emerged as one of classical music's most exciting new ensembles.

Applications are now open for the Jane Gregory Bursaries which offer three under-represented writers a unique opportunity to attend the Creative Thursday writing day at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2025, the globally renowned celebration of crime fiction presented by Harrogate International Festivals.

Dewsbury-based global arts organisation, Manasamitra, will open its new exhibition, ‘Waterfall of Kites’, to the public on Thursday 20th February 2025 at Halifax Minster, as part of Calderdale’s 50th anniversary ‘Year of Culture’ celebrations, CultureDale.

A nationwide hunt is now on for the best UK classical vocal talent of 2025. Hosted by the prestigious Northern Aldborough Festival in North Yorkshire, with a judging panel consisting of some of the most esteemed figures in classical music, the New Voices Singing Competition is now in its third year.

Leeds Lieder Festival proudly presents A Leeds Songbook, an inspiring celebration of the city of Leeds through the power of poetry and song, culminating in a one-of-a-kind performance at the Clothworkers’ Centenary Concert Hall on Wednesday, 9th April 2025, from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm.

Teenage violin prodigy Leia Zhu makes her Harrogate bow next month when she performs as part of the ever-popular Sunday Series concerts. The 18-year-old, who made her musical debut at the age of just four with a performance at Newcastle City Hall, will take to the stage at the Old Swan Hotel on February 9.

Download Festival returns for its 22nd edition, reborn and recharged in 2025 as DLXXII.

Poised to be the North East's largest-ever outdoor music event, Come Together Festival has unveiled the first phase of its huge lineup, with Robbie Williams heading to Newcastle in what is the first of a series of major announcements.

New Writing North has announced its winter programme, featuring a range of opportunities for aspiring and emerging writers across the region. The Newcastle-based charity supports the development of professional skills for writers in the north, as well as encouraging writing and reading for pleasure and wellbeing.

Harrogate International Festivals has announced highly acclaimed, internationally bestselling thriller writer Mick Herron as Programming Chair for the 2025 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the world’s largest and most prestigious celebration of crime fiction.

Bringing the World to the Lakes & the Lakes to the World... Earlier this week, Cartmel Racecourse in general and its grandstand building in particular rumbled to the sound of bold ambition as novelist & creative director Charlotte Fairbairn, alongside historian & journalist Christopher de Bellaigue, unveiled plans for a brand new literary festival based in the South Lakes in Cumbria.