Artistic director Louise Thomson is pleased to announce that the 2027 MANCHESTER HarpFestival and Competition will take place from 6th – 7th March 2027 at the Royal Northern College of Music.

The festival will welcome harpists from across the UK and beyond for two days of concerts, workshops and activities. Headline Artist, Russian-Swiss harpist and composer Alexander Boldachev, will open the festival with a recital in the RNCM’s concert hall. The concert will be preceded by a performance in the Concourse.

This showcase will feature the Stratos Duo (Louise Thomson and Anne-Marie O’Farrell) performing the world premiere of O’Farrell’s arrangement for four pedal harps of the Concerto for Four Harpsichords BWV 1065 by J.S. Bach, alongside the Chroma Duo and students from the RNCM.

The competition’s two classes offer an opportunity for harpists to present their skills for an expert panel of adjudicators, with generous prizes supplied by Salvi Harps. The open class welcomes applications from harpists of all levels and ages, while the advanced class accepts applications from harpists of all nationalities aged 26 or under on 7th March.

This edition of the festival follows the success of the inaugural MANCHESTER HarpFestival and Competition, which took place in 2024. Described by Louise as “an extraordinary weekend filled with inspiration, energy, and inclusivity”, it established the festival as a major event in the harp world. 2027’s festival is supported by sponsors Salvi Harps, the RNCM and Withington Girls’ School, as well as individual supporters and donors.