Soundstage Festival
Celebrating the music of film, TV, and gaming, Nottingham’s Soundstage Festival will take audiences on a two-week adventure from 22 March to 5 April.
Journeys, Nottingham’s biggest Soundstage Festival yet, will take audiences across the globe this spring, on famous railway routes, to far-off galaxies, and deep into the imagination. Featuring great orchestras, vibrant bands and acclaimed solo artists, this two-week adventure through the music of the moving image will fill Nottingham with unforgettable music, from epic cineconcerts to intimate jazz performances. The festival starts on Saturday 22 March with a family orchestra event where all ages, instruments and abilities are welcome and concludes on Saturday 5 April with a mixed media event blending the worlds of cinema and sound in a gloriously eclectic mix.
The festival will take place across the city, presented by the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall in partnership with Lakeside Arts, the University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, Metronome, Nottingham Contemporary, Broadway, and the Ukrainian Cultural Centre.
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall’s resident orchestras, The Hallé and the BBC Concert Orchestra, have headline concerts in the festival, plus there will be several free events, from outdoor performances in University Park to a lunchtime movie singalong. Families have the chance to make their own soundtrack with members of the BBC Concert Orchestra and video gamers have the rare opportunity to play against each other accompanied by a live jazz quintet.
Festival co-ordinator, Neil Bennison, is proud that Nottingham will be hosting its most ambitious Soundstage festival yet, with twenty events across eight city venues: “It’s been quite a journey putting this Festival together, but the collective energy and imagination of everyone involved, from orchestras and solo artists to venues, promoters, and music education hubs, has meant that we’ve been able to create something really rich and exciting. Soundstage is a place where you’ll be able to experience timeless movie classics as never before and discover more about the stories behind the screen. It’s also a showcase for the amazing artists in our city, particularly for young creatives, and there are opportunities for everyone to get involved, whether they’re playing a violin or a game of Super Mario. We can’t wait to see how it all comes together in March and April.”
Soundstage 2025 is presented in association with the Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham, BBC Concert Orchestra, Hallé, University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, Lakeside Arts, Inspire Music, Nottingham Music Hub, Metronome, Broadway, Nottingham Contemporary, Music for Everyone, Orchestras Live and Nottingham Ukrainian Cultural Centre.
Soundstage Cineconcerts
Soundstage Live In Concert
Soundstage Free Fringe
Late night Son et Lumière
Tue 25 Mar, 10pm
Royal Concert Hall
Immerse yourself in a live music and light spectacular as NTU music and film production students turn the Royal Concert Hall into a mythical realm inspired by the heroic quests of Classical literature.
Admission free – booking not required.
Soundstage in the Park
Sat 29 Mar, 11.30am – 1.45pm
Lakeside Amphitheatre, University Park
Soak up some lunchtime cinematic sounds in the open air as young musicians from the Robin Hood Youth Orchestra Inspire Advanced Ensemble and the University of Nottingham perform in the scenic setting of the Lakeside Amphitheatre in University Park.
11.30-12.15pm Robin Hood Youth Orchestra
12:30 – 1pm Inspire Advanced Ensemble
1.15-1.45pm University of Nottingham student ensembles
Admission free – booking not required
Ukrainian Voices: A Journey through Film and Music
Sun 30 Mar, 3pm
Ukrainian Cultural Centre
Discover the moving history of Nottingham’s Ukrainian community in this live music and video event. Acclaimed singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Iryna Muha performs her evocative folk-infused songs in response to video interviews with people who have travelled far from home in search of a new life in our city.
Admission free – please book in advance:
Able Orchestra Pioneers – Unlocked
Tue 1 Apr, 7pm
Doors open 5.30pm for a sensory exploration experience.
Nottingham Contemporary
Inspire Youth Arts presents this immersive live performance showcasing original music and epic visuals by the Able Orchestra Pioneers, young leaders and artists from Able Orchestra’s inclusive music and digital arts project. They’ve collaborated with Producer Kirk Spencer, Artist and Mentor Kris Halpin and Nicci Craig (Dyskinetic), and Digital Artist Bec Smith (Urban Projections), to develop tracks, artwork, and visuals. The Pioneers’ performances are followed by ensemble performances with musicians from Orchestra of the Swan, inspired by Spring from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
Admission free. Please book in advance
Lunchtime Movie Singalong
Thu 3 Apr, 12.30pm
Royal Concert Hall, Level 4 Foyer
Enjoy a more musical lunch with this fun singalong of movie favourites, joining our Lunchtime Voices. This drop-in session is open to all, both seasoned singers and first timers.
Admission free – booking not required.
You Ain’t Scene Nothin’ Yet
Sat 5 Apr, 7.30pm
The Carousel, 25 Hockley
Our festival finale comes from DJ Alex Traska, one half of LOOSE JOINTS and founder of the gloriously eclectic MHYH Radio Network. A passionate record collector and film afficionado, he’ll be creating a fabulous mixed AV set, blending the worlds of cinema and sound, and selecting from the world’s most iconic movie scenes.
Admission free. Please book in advance