Guildhall Jazz Festival 2026, in association with EFG London Jazz Festival

The Guildhall School of Music & Drama is set to host its 2026 Jazz Festival from November 18 to 22, featuring a comprehensive program that highlights the institution’s extensive jazz community. This series of 19 events, offered free of charge, forms a key segment of the broader EFG London Jazz Festival, providing a platform for emerging and established artists alike to engage audiences across four days.

The festival’s programming emphasizes a continuum of jazz education and performance, bridging the gap from young musicians at Junior Guildhall through to advanced students, junior fellows, and faculty members. This inclusive approach offers audiences a rare glimpse into the developmental journey of jazz artists within a renowned conservatoire setting.

Among the standout engagements is a performance by Cleveland Watkiss MBE, who is currently in the second year of a multi-year artist residency that commenced in late 2024 following his appointment as a Guildhall Fellow. His involvement exemplifies the festival’s commitment to integrating influential guest artists into its fabric, enhancing the learning environment for students and enriching the public experience.

The festival also underscores its openness to the wider jazz ecosystem through collaborations with prominent youth jazz organizations. The National Youth Jazz Orchestra (NYJO) will make its London Jazz Festival debut with the NYJO Blueprint Orchestra, directed by Olivia Murphy, while the National Youth Jazz Collective will also participate, signaling a dedication to fostering young talent beyond Guildhall’s immediate community.

Musical offerings during the festival showcase a range of thematic projects and inspirations. Drummer Natan Kedzierski, a senior student at Guildhall, leads a tribute to Polish jazz, tracing its evolution from icons like Tomasz Stańko and Michał Urbaniak to contemporary figures such as Leszek Możdżer. Kedzierski's program reflects a personal lineage of influence, providing insight into the cultural roots informing his compositions and improvisational style.

Another highlight is a band named after "Hatchling," a composition by bassist and composer Linda May Han Oh, whose 2023 album "The Glass Hours" left a profound impact on Guildhall students. Under the leadership of vocalist Molly Davis, this ensemble of junior fellows and postgraduates will perform Han Oh’s works, demonstrating the festival’s capacity to inspire and cultivate new interpretations of contemporary jazz repertoire.

The festival further balances innovation with tradition through a revival of Palle Mikkelborg’s orchestration of "Aura," a work last performed widely in the 1980s. This Guildhall-exclusive restoration symbolizes the institution’s dedication to preserving jazz heritage while encouraging creative reimaginings.

Connecting the past with the present, the festival also features a project led by Brazilian musician and educator Itiberê Zwarg along with UK multi-instrumentalist Stuart Hall. Both artists have close ties to the late Hermeto Pascoal, providing audiences and students with a rare opportunity to engage directly with the legacy of this influential figure through live performance and educational dialogue.

The event schedule spans a variety of ensembles and styles, from the Junior Guildhall Big Band to the Guildhall Jazz Orchestra’s tribute to Miles Davis’s centenary, alongside performances by groups like The Hornsmen of the Apocalypse Big Band and the National Youth Jazz Collective. This diversity underscores the festival’s role as a microcosm of the contemporary jazz scene, encompassing emerging voices and established musicians.

Overall, the 2026 Guildhall Jazz Festival represents a significant moment in London’s jazz calendar, fostering community, education, and artistic exchange. Its free access policy invites broad public participation, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to making jazz accessible and vibrant. Details on specific performances and times are available through Guildhall’s official communications and the EFG London Jazz Festival listings.