Welcome to the Bliss Song Series
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Bliss Song Series here at Pembroke College, Cambridge.
Song has always struck me as the most direct and personal of all musical forms. With just a voice and a piano, worlds of emotion, imagination, and history unfold before us. These performances create a rare kind of intimacy—between artist and listener, between past and present, and between the many cultures and stories that song embraces.
Whether you are a long-time devotee of Lieder, Mélodie, and Song, or experiencing this repertoire for the first time, these concerts are for you. They are for students, Fellows, University staff, Cambridge residents, and visitors alike. Above all, they are for anyone who wishes to be moved, provoked, and uplifted by the extraordinary fusion of poetry and music.
Do come and join us—we would love to welcome you. I look forward to seeing you at a Bliss Song Series concert very soon.
With warmest wishes,
Joseph Middleton
Artistic Director, Bliss Song Series
Why Bliss?
The Bliss Song Series, run under the auspices of Pembroke College, Cambridge, is the leading song recital series in the East of England. Founded and directed by internationally acclaimed pianist Joseph Middleton, the series takes its name from Sir Arthur Bliss, the celebrated English composer and former Master of Pembroke.
Dedicated to the art of song, the series presents a vibrant programme of recitals throughout the year, showcasing many of the world’s most distinguished singers alongside exceptional rising stars. Past guest artists include Sir Simon Keenlyside, Dame Sarah Connolly, Dame Felicity Lott, Sir Thomas Allen, Iestyn Davies, Christoph Prégardien, Angelika Kirchschlager, Roderick Williams, James Newby, Carolyn Sampson, Louise Alder, and many more.
Concerts take place in Pembroke’s state-of-the-art Auditorium, an intimate and acoustically superb space equipped with a new Steinway piano—an ideal setting for experiencing song at its most immediate and powerful.
While Cambridge is world-renowned for its choral tradition, the Bliss Song Series fulfils a different and vital role: placing the art song at the centre of the city’s cultural life. Beyond public concerts, the series also offers masterclasses and mentoring for talented University singers through the Cambridge University Lieder Scheme, nurturing the next generation of recitalists.
At its heart, the Bliss Song Series seeks to celebrate the timeless power of song—its ability to connect us with poetry, history, and the breadth of human experience—while offering audiences world-class performances in the unique atmosphere of Pembroke College.
History of Series
Now in its 20th year, the series has become a cherished part of Cambridge’s musical life. Having spent its first years in the atmospheric Old Library at Pembroke, we were delighted in September 2023 to move into our new permanent home: the College’s beautifully designed 200-seat Auditorium. This purpose-built chamber hall, with its superb acoustics and intimate scale, provides an ideal setting in which to experience the art of song at its most immediate and revealing.
Our Patron
Patron of the Bliss Song Series – The Rt Hon the Lord Smith of Finsbury PC MA PhD, Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
Read more about Lord Chris Smith
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Address
Pembroke College
Trumpington Street
Cambridge
CB2 1RF
Via Email
Box Office
Cambridge Live
Email: [email protected]
Phonelines*: 01223 357851 (Monday-Friday: 10am – 5pm)