Recorder31 Day 13 | A Look Back at Recorder Festival 2025 with Kate Allsop

Back in May, we welcomed a large contingent of recorder players to one of The Early Music Shop’s homes in Saltaire, West Yorkshire, for the Recorder Festival 2025. Presented in partnership with the Society of Recorder Players, it was a special few days of playing sessions, performances and much more. For Recorder31, today we have a behind-the-scenes look at the festival with Kate Allsop, and a small photo gallery.

A huge thank you to everyone who came to the festival – and if you missed out, make sure you’re signed up to our mailing list so you don’t miss out on news of future events hosted by The Early Music Shop.

Festival tutor Kate Allsop gives us a behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life of a course tutor, plus a few highlights of the festival:

Plus, our resident photographer Rowan Collinson captured the festival from start to finish, and here are a handful of pictures which have not yet been released to the public, to give a snapshot of the atmosphere at the festival...

The Early Music Shop staff Peter, Eli and Robert setting up our Pop-Up Shop in the festival venue.

The festival began on Friday evening with a reception for attendees including plenty of drinks and nibbles!

The reception also included two sets from recorder quartet Palisander, who delighted audiences after their journeys to Saltaire.

Richard Harvey and Bill Connor at the helm of our opening massed playing session, introducing the festival's commissioned work, 'The Saltaire Variations' to a packed room.

Our festival Junior Day included workshops with Chris Orton, Annabel Knight and, pictured, Palisander, who used movement to aid the young players to memorise music.

Society of Recorder Players Chair Moira Usher conducting one of many playing sessions on Saturday.

Sarah Jeffery performed our headline concert in Saltaire United Reformed Church – a delightful and engaging programme with plenty of audience participation!

Happy faces as the participants returned to playing sessions on Sunday morning.

Palisander's Miriam Monaghan leading one of our Sunday workshops.

A fringe performance by the RCM Recorder Consort taking place in Salts Mill.

Festival tutor Tom Beets browses the range of sheet music available from The Early Music Shop...

...before joining forces with Joris Van Goethem for a performance as Flanders Recorder Duo before the final massed playing session.

A tired, but happy, festival team celebrating the end of a successful weekend. Thank you to all the festival attendees for making our jobs such a pleasure!

The Early Music Shop produced a range of merchandise for the event – and there is still some stock remaining! You can purchase t-shirts, water bottles, socks and tote bags online by clicking here.

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If you're not ready to commit to a wooden recorder, there are plenty of very high-quality plastic and resin instruments available. The Aulos 709W Haka Alto is based on the design of a C18th Dutch instrument by Haka, and offers an inexpensive, yet reliable, resin alternative to wooden instruments. Check out the audio clips below or follow this link to find out more about this instrument.

Listen to this recorder! 

Vivaldi La Notte:

Bach Sarabande:

Scale: