The object is not to defeat a rival, but to pace each other on the road to excellence
H. Walford Davies

HandbookEligibility to the Festival Weekend and to the appropriate classes will be determined by the performer’s age on 31 January 2025. Performers will receive further and more specific details of the timetable, procedures etc., after the final date of the receipt of the Entry Form. Winners of classes in the 2024 Festival are not eligible to enter the SAME class in 2025 unless moving to a different age category. Performers in the Singers’ Platform are not eligible to enter this part of the Festival. Similarly, any 1st study singer aged either between 19 and 28 years studying at conservatoire or university, or between 14 and 19 years at a specialist music school or junior conservatoire, will only be eligible for the Singers’ Platform section of the Festival.

Venues for The Festival

6th, 7th and 8th February 2026 | Dore and Totley United Reformed Church, Totley Brook Road, Sheffield, S17 3QS
and
8th February Evening| Tapton Hall, Shore Lane, Sheffield, S10 3BU

RUNNING ORDER 2026

FRIDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 2026  (Dore and Totley United Reform Church, Totley Brook Rd, S17 3QS)

Time

Class Number

Class Title

No. of singers in class

Official Accompanist

5.00pm

13

Vocal Solo (age 7-8years)

3

Nigel Gyte

5.20pm

14*

Vocal Solo (age 9-11 years)

19

Nigel Gyte

6.10pm

15*

Vocal Solo: Songs from the Shows 

(age 9-11 years)

10

Nigel Gyte

7.00pm

 

BREAK

 

 

7.20pm

22

French or German Song 

(age 15 years and under)

6

Nigel Gyte

7.55pm

25

World Song (any age)

8

Nigel Gyte

 

8.45pm End of Day

 

SATURDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 2026  (Dore and Totley United Reform Church, Totley Brook Rd, S17 3QS)

Time 

Class Number

Class Title

No. in class

Official Accompanist

9.30am

16*

British Song (age 12-15 years)

14

Alan Eost

10.20am

9

Preparatory Recital (age 12-13 years)

5

Alan Eost

11.15am

10*

Junior Recital (age 14-15 years)

2

Alan Eost

11.45am

11

Intermediate Recital (16-18 years)

3

Alan Eost

12.30pm

 

LUNCH

 

 

1.30pm

27a

Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals pre 1960 (age 12-15years)

10

Philip Collin

2.30pm

27b

Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals post 1960 (age 12-15years)

12

Philip Collin

3.20pm

30

Ensemble Class (any age)

6

Philip Collin

4.05pm

26

Songs with Words by Shakespeare 

(any age)

2

Philip Collin

4.30pm

 

TEA

 

 

5.00pm

28a

Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals pre 1960 (age 16-18 years)

11

Nigel Gyte

6.00pm

28b

Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals post 1960 (age 16-18 years)

10

Nigel Gyte

7.00pm

17

British Song (age 16-18 years)

8

Nigel Gyte

7.40pm

19

Oratorio or Sacred Song/Light Opera

(age 16-18 years)

6

Nigel Gyte

 

8.30pm End of Day

 

 

DAVID CLOVER FESTIVAL WEEKEND CLASS RUNNING ORDER 2026 cont.

 

SUNDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 2026  (Tapton Hall, Shore lane, S10 3 BU)

Time

Class Number

Class Title

No. of singers in class

Official Accompanist

10.00am

29a

Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals pre 1960 (age 19 years and over)

4

Alan Eost

10.30am

29b

Songs from the Shows, Films and Musicals post 1960 (age 19 years and over)

3

Alan Eost

11.00am

20

Oratorio or Sacred Song

(age 19 years and over)

4

Alan Eost

11.40am

12

Open Recital (age 19 years and over)

4

Alan Eost

12.50pm

 

LUNCH

 

 

2.00pm

24

Lieder (age 16 years and over)

7

Philip Collin

2.40pm

23

French Song (age 16 years and over)

6

Philip Collin

3.15pm

21

Opera and Light Opera (age 19 and over)

6

Philip Collin

4.05pm

18

British Song (age 19 years and over)

5

Philip Collin

 

 

4.45pm End of Classes

6.30pm  GALA FINALS EVENING BEGINS

  2026 Festival Weekend Handbook

  2026 Festival Weekend Entry Form