The Tung Auditorium’s Autumn/Winter 2026 Season returns this September – and as ever, the programme is shaping up to be another incredibly diverse lineup of live music and performance…
Just announced for Autumn 2026, British pop trailblazers Cleopatra bring infectious energy, soulful harmonies and powerhouse vocals on Friday 25th September, presented in partnership with BlackFest. The Tung also welcome back five-time Grammy-winning pianist Bill Laurence for a masterclass in jazz improvisation on Saturday 31st October. Join legendary Smiths’ drummer Mike Joyce and co-producer Stephen Street for an insightful and joyful conversation, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Queen Is Dead on Sunday 8th November.
Shining a spotlight on international artists and diverse genres, The Tung Auditorium partners with African Night Fever and Africa Oyé to present a special collaboration between Mali’s legendary guitarist, singer and composer Habib Koité, and charismatic Gambian kora maestro, Sura Susso on Sunday 25th October.
Presenting new music from their upcoming album Manding Melodies, Koité and Susso – both internationally celebrated and modern griots – delve into the rich heritage of traditional Manding folk tales and songs, reinterpreting them for contemporary audiences. Their creative approach honours the roots and legacy of the griot tradition while forging new musical expressions that speak to the diaspora and younger generations.
Returning for Autumn 2026, Manchester Collective collaborate with percussionist Sidiki Dembélé and his band for Constellations on Friday 2nd October.
Dembélé will present a joyful musical journey of folksong and storytelling from the Ivory Coast, Mali and Senegal, while Manchester Collective’s violinist Rakhi Singh breathes new life into familiar classical pieces. The ensemble will also be complemented by new works from composer and multidisciplinary artist Nwando Ebizie, filtered through her very own Afrofuturist vision and sonic rituals, hurtling us into the future.
The Tung Auditorium’s longstanding partnership with Milap also continues this Autumn, as incredible sitarist Roopa Panesar makes her Tung debut on Friday 27th November, alongside Merseyside’s favourite tabla maestro, Kousic Sen. Originally collaborating on Roopa’s debut album Khoj in 2011, the pair continue to create a musical dialogue onstage that is both incredibly nuanced and striking in its versatility.
New for 2026, Music meets ‘Industry’ in the upcoming programme…
Kicking things off on Friday 18th September, the Heswall Concert Band commemorate 200 years since the start of the construction of the Liverpool–Manchester railway with new works by alumnus composer Matthew Holroyd. The project is especially fitting at The Tung Auditorium, as the world’s first modern inter-city railway began nearby at Crown Street in 1826, just around the corner from the venue!
Returning favourites Solem Quartet present Industry on Saturday 10th October, with a programme inspired by the communities central to the industrial revolution, the undeniable beating heart of the UK since the nineteenth century. Also returning in October is Liverpool Philharmonic’s 10:10, revisiting Steve Reich’s poignant Different Trains. Ten years since the project’s debut at Edge Hill station, they will perform alongside Bill Morrison’s film accompaniment.
This Autumn, the season will see an exciting fusion of music & the wider arts in a variety of capacities…
Shattering the boundaries between concert hall and cinema, the silent film Metropolis is given a theatrical rock workout by award-winning ensemble Vox Lumiere on Saturday 19th September. Expect an explosive live music experience, with thrilling original new music, a live band and powerhouse vocals.
Then on Friday 23rd October, Divine Intimacies by Tangram combines music, philosophy and a multi-faceted art installation in a mesmerising exploration of the earliest texts of Chinese philosophy. During the performance, the musicians will be surrounded by both visualisations of the I-Ching, generated in real time by visual artist Chang Meng and a responsive LED art installation by Ke Peng. The concert will be an array of colour, sound and light – a true multi-sensory experience.
Get closer to live performances with an intimate folk-rock feel…
Back on tour by popular demand, Crash Test Dummies return on Friday 9th October with their distinctive folk-tinged sound and unmistakable baritone vocals. Set to deliver another high-energy show, the original band members will play their most iconic songs, alongside longtime collaborators and newcomers.
Also in October, Folk-Rock legends Fairport Convention are back for a third visit ahead of their 60th Anniversary celebrations as a band; not to be confused with Fairground Attraction, as Eddi Reader also makes a solo appearance later that weekend!
The Tung Auditorium is also delighted to welcome back both of their Affiliate Ensembles for a second year.
Dr Jazz and the Cheshire Cats explore jazz luminaries on Saturday 14th November with leading saxophonist Alex Clarke (BBC’s Young Jazz Musician of the Year (2020) finalist and 2019 British Jazz Awards Rising Star winner), whilst Liverpool String Academy are making two appearances – the first with phenomenal oboist Fabio Bagnoli on Sunday 4th October and then on Wednesday 18th November, with their very own Chamber Ensemble.
One of the liveliest and most loved parts of The Tung Auditorium’s programme is back for Autumn 2026 – the free Yoko Ono Lennon Lunchtime Concert Series platforms local and emerging musicians, international artists and creative projects from a multitude of genres and styles.
Due to such high demand, the venue is changing how tickets are released going forward. Whilst booking your free ticket via the Tung Auditorium website or Box Office will remain the same, tickets will now be available in two stages rather than all at once; half when the season went on sale, and the remaining half four weeks before each respective concert.
This change follows feedback from audience members and The Tung are hopeful that this new system will make it easier for more people to attend, including both those who like to plan ahead and those who want to book spontaneously for a musical lunchtime treat!
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Whether you like jazz, folk, pop, hip-hop, classical, Indian ragas or experimental music, the lunchtime concerts offer something for everybody, inviting you to take a risk and explore new live music that you might not have ever considered going to before.