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’s universities this summer. Rich heritage The will take place across Ãå±±½ûµØ, 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 Ãå±±½ûµØ 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 Ãå±±½ûµØ, 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 Share: Latest News Ãå±±½ûµØ expert highlights climate crisis in a new film A leading Ãå±±½ûµØ climate scientist is featured in a new film about how the climate and nature breakdown will affect the UK. published on: 14 April 2026 Neolithic tombs reveal ancient kinship ties Male individuals buried in Neolithic chambered tombs in northern Scotland were often related to each other through the paternal line and some were interred in the same or nearby tombs, research shows. published on: 14 April 2026 We are our Memories New exhibition by Fine Art graduate Trish Hudson-Moses, 22 April – 4 May 2026 published on: 10 April 2026 Facts and figures