Celebrating the joy of song at Encounter Festival 2026 in Preston .

“Some words they can’t be spoken, only sung”… Join Encounter Voices’ Loz Kaye for a free workshop of songs celebrating singing itself – the power of lyrics to lift the spirits, and the joy of finding your voice through music.We’ll explore accessible voca lexercises to set the scene, and cover a range of pieces new and familiar. The session is inspired by the work Lancashire’s choirs are doing to make singing more inclusive and boost health, well-being and social connection.

You don’t need any particular experience or to read music, just be willing to have a go. Material will be provided, and you can have access to it ahead of time digitally. We are happy for families and young people to join. People under 15 should be accompanied by an adult. Do let us know of any access needs through Eventbrite.

The venue for the workshop is theStudio on the ground floor of the Harris Museum, next to the family library. You can find the museum’s accessibility information at: https://theharris.org.uk/accessibility/

Venue –The Studio, Harris Museum, Market Square, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2PP

Date –Saturday 5th September

Time –11 AM – 1 PM

This workshop is leading up to a fun, relaxed sharing by Encounter Voices,Heartbeat Choir, Songbirds and Connect Community Choir in the splendid setting of the newly reopened Harris Museum at The Encounter Festival .This event will be at 2PM on Saturday September19th. All participants will be able to take part, though you are more than welcome just to come and enjoy the workshop alone.

This workshop also forms part of “Lean on Me”, a season showcasing inclusive singing across Lancashire led by County of Song. You can read read more about County of Song here: https://artslancashire.org.uk/county-of-song/ , and stay up to date with the latest news on : https://countyofsong.substack.com/ .

Loz Kaye is a musical director and composer with a passion for the public power of music. He is specialist in community based vocal projects, and is current leader of Hope Mill Community Choir andDirector of the project County of Song. Previous work at Lancashire Encounter has included the participatory projects “Right Here, Right Now”,“The Last Rose”,“Lights That Lead Us There”and “Let it Shine”.

Description supplied by the event organiser.