Inclusivity is important to us here at hcmf//. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the festival and the fantastic palette of music and sounds from the cream of contemporary music, locally to globally.
Tons of events are free to attend! You can choose from an intriguing programme of installations, workshops to hone your skills and more workshops for the whole family to enjoy, talks and discussions, a day dedicated to environmental politics expressed through sound, and our now legendary hcmf// shorts. A non-stop day of free concerts, running from 12 noon to 12 midnight and featuring some of the top names appearing at this year’s festival. An entire festival in a day, and all we ask for is your time and open ears and an open mind.
Saturday 22 November
There is a rare opportunity in the UK to see the beautiful and moving documentary on the life of the father of Estonian modern music Arvo Pärt, in his 90th year. Including rare photographs and video footage, the film was commissioned by the Arvo Pärt Centre in 2018 and has until now, being shown exclusively at the Arvo Pärt Centre in Estonia. Following the film Anu Kivilo, Managing Director of the Centre, will give a short talk.
Photo: Arvo Pärt © Priit Grepp
Monday 24 November
It’s back – hcmf// shorts and maybe our best line-up ever. A rare opportunity to join the composer and creator of some of the greatest contemporary music theatre of our times Heiner Goebbels, as he takes us back to his roots as a performer and improviser playing in three duo concerts across the day. Master organist Christopher Bowers-Broadbent makes a long overdue return to hcmf// performing iconic works by Pärt and Glass in the amazing acoustic of St Paul’s Hall. Japanese performance artist Tomoko Hojo brings her inner Yoko Ono to the fore. Irish violinist, Darragh Morgan hailed as a ‘new music wizard by The Strad presents a mesmerising virtuosic performance including works by Shiva Feshareki and Frankie Lyons. Composer in Residence Sarah Hennies, rings her collection of flea market bells, and Lithuanian vocal trio Edgy Palates draw from metal, rock, grunge, techno, frenchcore, and phonk!
Photo: Sarah Hennies © Mara Baldwin
Thursday 27 November
As part of the collaboration between Perempuan Komponis and hcmf// (more on this below), two of Indonesia’s leading women composer’s Dinar Rizkianti and Gema Swaratyagita guide us through Resonances of Nusantra – a participatory vocal workshop exploring Indonesia’s diverse traditions, heritage and sonic knowledge through improvisation inspired by Nusantara voices.
*This event is for women and gender minority participants only. Participants must be over 18
Friday 28 November
Last year, in a unique collaboration between hcmf// and Perempuan Komponis: Forum & Lab, a women’s composer collective based in Indonesia, and supported through the British Council’s Connections Through Culture programme, we brought together artists Debbie Armour, Nadya Hatta, Maria Sappho, and Arum Dayu to premiere their collective performance-installation Marlaut. Following its acclaimed success, the work receives its UK premiere at hcmf//. Drawing together non-traditional stories, songs, and patterns from Indonesia, Puerto Rico and the UK, it seeks to evoke a contemporary folklore.
Photo © Marlaut
Sunday 30 November
Launched in 2022, The Current Climate is hcmf//’s ongoing exploration of the cultural world’s far-reaching influence on sustainability, considering artistic responses to the climate crisis.
This year’s festival closes with a full day of sound walks, film, installations, and performances brought to you through a collaboration with the University of Huddersfield’s Centre for Cultural Ecologies in Art, Design, and Architecture (CEADA) and the Centre for Research in New Music (CeReNeM).
Between us, we explore the power of art in all its forms to emphasise and amplify our relationship with and to the environment.
For all the above events and more, see our 2025 programme here: hcmf.co.uk/2025-programme/