The coming months in the Howard Assembly Room in the heart of Leeds celebrate the power of music to move, inspire and entertain, with concerts spanning a host of musical genres and traditions.
Isla Mundell-Perkins, Director of Artistic Administration: “Having our very own venue gives us the opportunity to programme artists that we admire from across the musical spectrum and to celebrate artistic excellence in all its forms. Many artists – and audience members – return time and again to the Howard Assembly Room, simply because they love such a beautiful space, the intimacy it offers and the fabulous acoustics.”
International Artists
To mark World Refugee Day on 20 June, Whispers from Damascus features four leading musicians from Syria who are now based in the UK. Distinguished Oud player Basel Saleh, current leader of both the Arab Orchestra and the Orchestra of Syrian Musicians in London, acclaimed Qanun player Taim Saleh, international percussionist Walid Zaid and vocalist Hamsa Mounif will share their passion for the evocative music and traditional instruments of their home country, while exploring what it means to play contemporary Arab music today. This event is ‘pay as you can’, celebrating Opera North’s position as the only UK opera company to be awarded Theatre of Sanctuary status.
Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty is the latest in a long line of renowned artists to come to the venue in partnership with South Asian Arts-uk. This towering figure in Indian classical music has been guided in his musical journey by legendary mentors such as Padmabhushan Pandit Jnan Prakash Ghosh and Ustad Munawar Ali Khan. With over 100 albums to his name, he also has an enviable performance history which includes such iconic venues as Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. He plays the Howard Assembly Room on 20 July.
Invitations to Dance:
Our standing gigs are designed for everyone who loves to dance the night away – but seats are also available to book in the gallery for anyone who would prefer not to spend the evening on their feet.
Making a welcome return to the Howard Assembly Room on 18 July is Los Angeles artist Jessica Pratt, who has become one of the most singular and distinctive songwriters of her generation. Her graceful, dreamlike melodies combine with the bewitching sound of her acoustic guitar and vocals to offer a mystical, elusive blend that has won her many die-hard fans. This concert celebrates her new album Here in the Pitch, her first release in half a decade.
On 22 August, HAR Late is back with the hugely successful A Night in Havana from DJ Lubi Presents. The all-star 15-piece Latin orchestra Tristan Butler y Timba Británica is dedicated to performing the intricate, groove-based arrangements of modern Cuban Salsa, winning over audiences worldwide with their seductive rhythms. There will be a chance to learn the moves beforehand with a salsa dance class, while a DJ will follow the headline act with the best Cuban vinyl, taking people all the way through to midnight.
Rooted in Texas Funk, Alabama Gospel, New Orleans Jazz, and Nashville Soul, trumpeter Philip Lassiter is a multiple Grammy award-winning horn/string arranger, and former section leader and arranger of Prince and the New Power Generation. Currently based in Amsterdam, Philip makes his Howard Assembly Room debut on 30 August.
Welsh Mercury-nominated multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and collaborator Cate Le Bon defies any easy labels. Her seventh album, Michelangelo Dying, emerges from a place of raw emotion and reluctant vulnerability, offering a shimmering song cycle that meditates on love, loss and the unknowable self. She brings her electrifying vocals, spellbinding musical arrangements and bilingual approach to music-making to the Howard Assembly Room on 11 October.
Soul, Folk and Jazz:
On 5 September, Judith Hill takes to the stage to play tracks from her latest album Letters from a Black Widow, a phrase coined by the tabloids after the tragic deaths of her two high-profile collaborators, Michael Jackson and Prince. Finding the courage and strength to face the many nay-sayers who took to the internet with conspiracy theories and shaming campaigns, Hill has returne with a collection of new songs that speak of discovery, resistance, and redemption, grounded in her unshakable soul and funk foundations.
Gerry Diver is a well-known and highly-regarded figure on the British folk scene. He comments: “Folk
music isn’t static – it stretches, bends and warps with the world around it. That’s what excites me – the freedom to reshape it, make it raw and real and unrestrained”. Together with singer-songwriter Lisa Knapp, he brings Hinterland, a remarkably varied and powerfully original collection of songs, to Leeds on 17 October. Expect a soundscape that weaves together folk horror, remembrance and the landscapes, both rural and urban, that inspire their art.
Two nights later, it is the turn of one of the stars of the international jazz scene. Guitarist Tom Ollendorff will be joined by Jeff Ballard on drums and Conor Chaplin on bass to create the band’s highly distinctive sound, blending virtuosic technique and sophisticated harmonic concepts with nuance and sensitivity.
The spirit of Scottish folk infuses the work of jazz pianist Fergus McCreadie who crafts music inspired
by his homeland’s breath-taking landscapes. Mercury Prize shortlisted, winner of Jazz FM’s
Instrumentalist of the Year Award, as well as the Scottish Album of the Year Award and an official Yamaha Artist, he remains firmly at the forefront of contemporary jazz. Having previously performed at the venue with Manchester Collective, McCreadie returns on 16 November with Stream, his sonic exploration of nature and the fluid beauty of water.
Another welcome returnee to the Howard Assembly Room is the inimitable Penguin Café who will be bringing the music of the legendary Penguin Café Orchestra to life in Leeds on 21 November. Founded in the 1970s by English guitarist Simon Jeffes, Penguin Café Orchestra was born from Jeffes’ desire to create an ‘imaginary folklore’ from his own eclectic tastes. His son Arthur founded Penguin Café in 2009 to further his father’s project – something he continues to do to this day.
Fast forward to 2026 and February will see British folk staple Lucy Rose making her venue debut. Having been diagnosed with a rare pregnancy illness, Lucy Rose was reawakened to the power of music during her gradual recovery. A week spent in the US with rapper and producer Logic, and the influence of British producer/ artist Kwes, has helped her take her music in thrilling new directions which are reflected in her latest album, This Ain’t the Way You Go Out.
Featuring the Chorus and Orchestra of Opera North:
Our Distilled series of concerts features musicians from Opera North playing the music they love in the Howard Assembly Room’s intimate surroundings. Held at the weekend, they are perfect for whiling away a Sunday afternoon while listening to world-class performers.
Over the coming months, there are opportunities to hear ensembles of wind, strings and brass from the Orchestra of Opera North, as well as a selection of love songs in the company of soprano Amy Freston and baritone Andrew Randall. New this year is a multibuy offer with discounts for purchasing two concerts or more.
The full force of the Chorus of Opera North can be heard in a special concert on 1 July. Sounds of
Summer offers an evening of light-hearted tunes from madrigals to folk songs, and the opportunity to join the singers afterwards for a drink. The event will feature special guest appearances by the BBC Leeds Bantam of the Opera choir, a group of Bradford City AFC fans who are being taught to sing opera during Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
Tickets for all events at the Howard Assembly Room are available to book online now, with Under 30s able to get tickets for just £10 each: howardassemblyroom.co.uk
Performance Diary:
Howard Assembly Room, 32 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU All performances start at 7.45pm unless otherwise stated.
2025:
Friday 20 June Whispers from Damascus for World Refugee Day
Tuesday 1 July 6.30pm Sounds of Summer with the Chorus of Opera North and special guests, the BBC
Leeds Bantam of the Opera choir
Friday 18 July Jessica Pratt
Sunday 20 July 5.30pm Pandit Ajoy Chakrabaty, in partnership with SAA-uk and Geetanjali
Academy of Fine Arts
Friday 22 August HAR Late: A Night in Havana (standing gig) with DJ Lubi Presents
Saturday 30 August Philip Lassiter (standing gig)
Friday 5 September Judith Hill
Sunday 14 September 3.00pm Distilled: Ensembles of Opera North
Sunday 11 October Cate Le Bon
Saturday 17 October Lisa Knapp & Gerry Diver
Monday 19 October Tom Ollendorff with Jeff Ballard and Conor Chaplin
Sunday 26 October 3.00pm Distilled: Clarinet Sextet & Trio
Sunday 16 November Fergus McCreadie
Friday 21 November Penguin Café
Sunday 23 November 3.00pm Distilled: Trombone Trio
2026:
Sunday 8 February 3.00pm Distilled: Love Songs
Thursday 26 February Lucy Rose in association with Future Sound
Sunday 8 March 3.00pm Distilled: Clarinet Quintet
Sunday 29 March 3.00pm Distilled: Cellos of Opera North
Tickets for all events at the Howard Assembly Room are available to book online now, with Under
30s able to get tickets for just £10 each: howardassemblyroom.co.uk
