Every year, on the weekend closest to the date of his birth, the Elgar Festival celebrates the life and music of Sir Edward Elgar, with an immersive, accessible and engaging week of concerts, exhibits, talks, films and more. From relaxed concerts to family events, free performances in iconic building and walks on the Malverns, to oerformances by their resident orchestra, the English Symphony Orchestra in Worcester Cathedral.

Each year the festival, taking place in and around Worcester, celebrates not only its namesake, but also the music of a featured living British composer. In 2026, the festival showcases a fellow icon of British music, Thea Musgrave as their Visiting Composer, featuring a range of her works – which abound in colour, emotion, drama and impact – across concerts with the English Symphony Orchestra, as well as recitals by world-renowned guest artists.

The main festival programme runs from Saturday 23 May to Sunday 31 May, with pre-festival events including relaxed concerts and come and play events on 9, 19, and 21 May. 

Across the festival, you can hear the following works by Thea Musgrave: 

Snapshots, performed by I Fagiolini as part of their 40th anniversary programme on 26 May

Night Windows, performed by Nicholas Daniel and ESO String Orchestra on 28 May, with a pre-concert talk with Nicholas Daniel in conversation with Kenneth Woods

Dawn, performed by Nicholas Daniel and Huw Watkins in a lunchtime concert on 29 May 

The Seasons, performed by the English Symphony Orchestra in their Gala Concert on 30 May

These performances are supported by the RPS Thea Musgrave Fund, which champions composers and performers dedicated to contemporary music. RPS Thea Musgrave Performance Grants help performers, ensembles, festivals and venues to put Thea’s music at the heart of their UK programming, and distinctively promote it to captivate audiences. We are grateful to composer Thea Musgrave and her husband, conductor Peter Mark, for their generous support of these grants, and to RPS Members, who make all of our charitable work possible.

Click below to find out more and to book for the festival.