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First annual Queen Mary Music Festival held at Mile End

This spring, we were delighted to host Queen Mary’s first ever Music Festival at our Mile End campus, thanks to the generous support of alumnus Andrew Dawber (BSc Geography, 1984) and Constructive Music.

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Student musicians performing at the Queen Mary Music Festival in March 2025

Student musicians performing at the Queen Mary Music Festival in March 2025

Students from Queen Mary, Imperial College, Cambridge University and Royal Holloway came together under the guidance of Queen Mary’s Head of Music Engagement, Frank Zielhorst, for a weekend that celebrated music and performance.

The Festival launched with a concert in the Octagon, featuring performances by Music Scholars from Queen Mary, Royal Holloway and Cambridge, with a programme that ranged from Mendelssohn to Brahms, from I’ll Remember April to Chega de Saudade.

The QMBL (Queen Mary, Barts and The London) Orchestra delivered an electrifying performance of the Euryanthe Overture by Weber, and the Legend for Orchestra by Scottish composer Helen Hopekirk. After its world première in 1910 in Boston, this work disappeared until it was recently rediscovered by Frank Zielhorst, who made a new edition especially for the QMBL Orchestra. Originally inspired by the King Arthur legends, Legend evokes a serene quest for the Holy Grail that leads to a spiritual triumph.

Thanks to support from Constructive Music, we had the opportunity to present Chris Watson’s Namib, a soundscape where the audience was immersed in sounds from the Namib desert. We were also delighted to welcome the Centre for Digital Music to Queen Mary, presenting some of their leading research on the cutting edge between live performance and Artificial Intelligence, in addition to a special performance of new works composed for and performed by CoMA (Contemporary Music for All).

The Festival’s Grande Finale saw students from all four universities coming together for a roof-raising and unforgettable closing performance. Preparation for this special concert took place over the course of the Festival, under the expert guidance of a member of Britten Sinfonia.

We are very proud of all the students who came together to share their talents throughout the weekend, and would like to thank everyone who joined us to make our first Music Festival such a success. Events like these are only possible with the help of our supporters, and we’re incredibly grateful to all those who brought the festival to life.

This was the first of what we hope will be an annual event in the Queen Mary calendar, so stay tuned for more information on our plans for 2026. If you’re interested in getting involved, please do get in touch with us at alumni@qmul.ac.uk.

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