31/07/2026
All of us at Leicester MusicFest are devastated by the terrible fire at St Andrew’s, Jarrom Street. St Andrew’s has been a long-term friend and partner venue of Leicester MusicFest, and has hosted many of our events including our Carols by Candlelight concerts with Leicester Pro Arte, ‘Just for Fun’ concerts, Organ Day, and other fundraising recitals. Leicester MusicFest was closely involved in both fundraising for the recent organ rebuild, and in bringing the grand piano into church through our Instrument Rehoming Scheme - full assessment is yet to come, but both instruments will have sustained very serious damage.
St Andrew’s has been growing rapidly as an important musical hub in the city, with many initiatives including a thriving organ scholarship programme, major choral projects bringing in a large and diverse pool of enthusiastic singers, and an increasingly busy diary of concerts, supporting both local amateur groups and touring professionals. As a musical community, please let’s do everything we can to support Fr Johannes and the St Andrew’s community as they start the long process of rebuilding. Please consider donating to the St Andrew’s Fire Recovery Fund here: https://givealittle.co/c/standrewsfirerecoveryfund
On a personal level, many of the MusicFest Team are staff, volunteers and members of the congregation at St Andrew’s, so this is a particularly difficult time. Please bear with us and look out for updates as we work out plans for those upcoming events which were due to take place in the church.
Pictured:
1. Top picture - Leicester Pro Arte Singers concert in aid of the Leicester MusicFest Instrument Rehoming Scheme
2. Top picture - One of the Organ Day competitions at Leicester MusicFest 2026 at St Andrew’s Church, Jarrom Street
3. Organ Day at Leicester MusicFest 2026, at St Andrew’s Church, Jarrom Street
4. Top picture - Three of St Andrew’s Church, Jarrom Street’s Organ Scholars
Bottom picture - Image from the Leicester MusicFest Organ Day 2026
5. Pictures from the Leicester MusicFest Just For Fun Concert in 2025 at St Andrew’s Church, Jarrom Street
