Guest curator to lead Sheffield Chamber Music Festival for the first time in 2022

Music in the Round have announced that this year's Sheffield Chamber Music Festival, which features works by Brahms, Beethoven and Chopin, will be guest curated for the first time.

The organisation have invited composer Helen Grime to programme this year's edition, which runs from 13 to 21 May and is based in the intimate surroundings of the Crucible Studio Theatre.

As well as work by Grime's favourite composers, including Ravel and William Byrd, each concert will feature works by female composers including Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Judith Weir.

"Sheffield Chamber Music Festival is the highlight of our year-round programme, as it has been since Peter [Cropper] founded it 38 years ago," said Music in the Round's Jo Towler.

"As we approach our 40th anniversary we thought we would take it to the next level by inviting amazing musicians to curate each year, bringing their own personal perspective to the Festival."

Over a third of the programme features chamber works by living composers and women composers, including the world premiere of 'The Light Blinds' by Angela Slater on 21 May.

Another highlight will be a special sunrise concert at 5:15am at the Samuel Worth Chapel, with a programme inspired by the natural world featuring Bach and Haydn.

On 19 May, experimental four-piece Bastard Assignments will appear at Site Gallery, integrating theatre, spoken word, choreography and visuals into their music-making.

Other performances include work by Mozart, Schumann and Copland, with many tickets for students and under-35s available for £5.

Founded in 1984, the festival now acts as a showcase for the eleven-strong Sheffield-based group Ensemble 360, which formed in 2005 and has quickly become one of the UK's most sought-after chamber groups.

They will perform 15 concerts in total in several combinations, including as duos, trios, string quartets and wind quintets.