Passiontide at Merton
"The Passiontide Festival at Merton College, Oxford, remains one of the treasures among musical events heralding Easter. Its choir is now rightly famed as one of the best in Oxford and Cambridge." - Church Times
The Passiontide at Merton 2025 Festival will run from April 11-13. Tickets available now!
“an unmissable event on Oxford’s musical calendar”
BBC Music Magazine
A three-day festival of concerts, talks and services, the annual Passiontide at Merton festival is a highlight of Oxford's musical year.
The first Passiontide at Merton festival took place in 2010. The festival has become a popular musical and liturgical event, attracting a large following, with many visitors staying in the College for the duration of the festival. The festival usually takes place over the Palm Sunday weekend.
Although the resident College Choir is the featured ensemble, visiting performers have included The Tallis Scholars, The Marian Consort, Oxford Baroque, Carducci Quartet, Emma Kirkby, and Elin Manahan Thomas. A number of works have been premièred at the festival, including Gabriel Jackson’s The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and Emily Levy’s In Paradisum.
2025 Tickets are available now: Booking Form 2025.pdf!
Single room for one guest (£505) or Twin room for two guests (£860) including:
- Tickets and reserved seats for all festival events
- Breakfast, lunch, and the Festival dinner on Saturday
- Breakfast and lunch on Sunday
- A drinks reception with the artists on Sunday evening
Non-residential festival tickets (£255):
- Tickets and reserved seats for all festival events
- Lunch and the festival dinner on Saturday
- Lunch on Sunday
- A drinks reception with the artists on Sunday evening
Friday 11 April
17.00 Choral Evensong
Choir of Merton College
Benjamin Nicholas conductor
Saturday 12 April
11.00 Choral Matins
Girl Choristers and Lower Voices
Benjamin Nicholas conductor
18.00 Choral Evensong
Choir of Merton College
Benjamin Nicholas conductor
21.30 Compline
Choir of Merton College
Francois Cloete conductor
Sunday 13 April
10.30 Procession and Sung Eucharist for Palm Sunday
Choir of Merton College
Benjamin Nicholas conductor
Friday 11 April
13.00 Matthew Owens Organ Recital
19.30 Stile Antico: Stabat Mater
Saturday 12 April
14.30 Bach: The Goldberg Variations
Stephen Farr, Harpsichord
Sunday 13 April
18.00 JS Bach: St John Passion
Choir of Merton College
Britten Sinfonia
Gwilym Bowen, Evangelist
Lucy Cox, soprano
Helen Charlston, alto
Bradley Smith, tenor
Florian Stortz, bass
Benjamin Nicholas conductor