Jack Liebeck

World-renowned British/German violinist Jack Liebeck returns as Artistic Director for AFCM 2027 in Cairns-Gimuy - his sixth Festival at the helm, and the first to welcome vocal ensemble VOCES8 as ensemble-in-residence, continuing a partnership Jack has built with the group over several years on stages including the Sydney Opera House.

About Jack

A violinist, and a builder of festivals

Jack is the Royal Academy of Music's first Émile Sauret Professor of Violin, and plays a 1785 J.B. Guadagnini violin known as the 'Ex-Wilhelmj'. Alongside AFCM, he directs his own festivals - Oxford May Music in the UK and Alpine Classics in Grindelwald, Switzerland - and has a long-standing interest in the intersection of music and science, having had two concertos written for him exploring that theme alongside physicist Professor Brian Cox.

His recent recordings include Retrospect, featuring the world premiere recording of Vaughan Williams' rarely performed Concerto Accademico - named an Editor's Choice by Gramophone - and a 2025 release of Malcolm Arnold's Double Violin Concerto recorded with fellow violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky (2026 Alumni) and the London Choral Sinfonia. Reviewers have described his playing as possessing "flawless technical mastery" (BBC Music Magazine).

Jack's 2026 festival program was recognised by the Strad as building a new chapter for AFCM - read the full article here.

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Jack & VOCES8

A partnership years in the making, now live in Cairns-Gimuy

Jack's relationship with the British vocal ensemble VOCES8 goes back several years, spanning concerts at Kings Place and a sold-out Sydney Opera House performance alongside the Moorambilla Voices' MAXed Out youth choir. In 2023 he gave the premiere of Taylor Scott Davis's To Sing of Love: A Triptych, a concerto for violin, choir and orchestra written for him - described as "goosebump material" (Limelight) - with the VOCES8 Foundation Choir and Orchestra under conductor Barnaby Smith. The recording was released on VOCES8 Records in June 2024.

Jack and VOCES8 have also recorded a new choir-and-violin arrangement of Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending, marking the composer's 150th anniversary. With VOCES8 joining AFCM as ensemble-in-residence for 2027, Cairns-Gimuy audiences may get to hear this partnership performed live as part of the Festival program. Sign up to the Priority List to be the first to find out.