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In 2026, Gloucester Cathedral presents a landmark Year of Music - a year-long celebration of musical excellence. At its heart lies the unveiling of the Cathedral’s new organ, celebrated through a dedicated festival in June, alongside hosting the prestigious Three Choirs Festival (25 July – 1 August 2026) and launching new music academies.
All of this sits within the Cathedral’s In Tune Music & Organ campaign, securing the Cathedral’s musical future through performance, outreach and participation.
Keep reading for more details...
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13–15 June 2026
The beating heart of the Year of Music is the unveiling of Gloucester Cathedral’s grand organ, revealed after an extensive project to build a new instrument and restore the 17th-century organ cases that house it. The Cathedral Organ Festival (13–15 June) marks this milestone with a celebratory series of festival events and performances: providing an opportunity to hear the new instrument’s mighty voice filling the Cathedral.
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25 July – 1 August 2026
One of the world’s oldest annual classical music festivals comes to Gloucester Cathedral for eight days of extraordinary music-making. From flagship evening concerts to intimate recitals, the Three Choirs Festival is sure to be an incredible week of music, set within the magnificent surroundings of Gloucester Cathedral.
Image credit: James O’Driscoll
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Alongside major festival moments, Gloucester Cathedral is putting learning and participation at the heart of its musical ambition. New music academies will nurture young musicians and support emerging talent. Meanwhile services, workshops and outreach projects create opportunities for people of all ages to experience and take part in music.
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The Year of Music forms part of the Cathedral’s In Tune campaign: an ambitious initiative (which has raised over £2million to date) supporting the new organ, education programmes, community outreach and world-class performance. Together, these projects ensure music remains central to worship, culture, and community life at Gloucester Cathedral.
Musical highlights for the year are listed below. For more information on specific events, please visit the Cathedral Calendar here.
February
1 February | 6pm – Candlemas Carol Service, with the Cathedral Choir and Trinity Singers
28 February | 11am – Choristers in Concert, Chapter House
March
28 March | 10.15am – Children’s Service, Lady Chapel, with the Junior Choir
April
3 April | 7pm – Good Friday Performance
Bach’s St John Passion performed by the Cathedral Choir and Serenissima
May
16 May | 10.15am – Children’s Service, Lady Chapel, with the Junior Choir
June
13–15 June – Cathedral Organ Festival
27 June | 10.15am – Children’s Service, Lady Chapel
July and August
25 July – 1 August – The Three Choirs Festival, hosted at Gloucester Cathedral
September
A dedicated programme of organ concerts and meditations launches, showcasing the new instrument.
October
3 October | 10.15am – Children’s Service, Lady Chapel, with the Junior Choir
November
21 November - Cathedral Choir performs Messiah by Candlelight
25 November - Junior Voices Project
26 November - Teenage Voices Project
December
Advent and Christmas 2026
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Find out more about our In Tune campaign and help us to unlock musical opportunity and potential.
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A choral tradition dating back 500 years that continues to thrive today.
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Securing a musical tradition for the 21st century.
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Every month, we publish a services and music list which you can view here.