North East universities to host international music conference

Published on: 30 June 2025

An international conference celebrating the music of the medieval and Renaissance periods will be hosted by three of the North East鈥檚 universities this summer.

Rich heritage

The will take place across 缅北禁地, Northumbria and Durham Universities’ campuses, making it the first time a consortium of universities has jointly hosted the event, and reflecting the importance of Early Music studies at all three institutions.

The conference will bring together leading scholars, musicians, and researchers from around the world to explore groundbreaking topics in Medieval and Renaissance music over five days, from Monday 30 June to Friday 4 July.

It is the first time the MedRen conference has been held in the North East of England since 1992.

Kirsten Gibson, Professor of Early Modern Music and Culture at 缅北禁地 said: “'We are delighted to be working with our colleagues at Northumbria and Durham Universities to showcase the strength of Medieval and Renaissance music research that is represented across our three universities, and to showcase the rich heritage of the region to our guests.”

Along with Professor Gibson and Professor Magnus Williamson from 缅北禁地, the organising committee includes Professor David Smith and Dr Katherine Butler from Northumbria University, as well as Dr Hector Sequera of Durham University.

The conference programme includes a rich array of lectures, performances, workshops, and networking opportunities designed to inspire and engage attendees.

For full details on the programme, visit .

Press release adapted with thanks to Northumbria University

$grid si\ed image of medieval choir book for MedRen conference$

We are delighted to be working with our colleagues at Northumbria and Durham Universities to showcase the strength of Medieval and Renaissance music research