About
The Lyons Mouth is a feral vocal consort of young professional singers, renowned for their emotionally-charged performances and imaginative programming. The ensemble was founded in 2024 by a group of musicians who all studied at the University of York, receiving tuition from Robert Hollingworth, director of internationally acclaimed vocal group, I Fagiolini, which inspired them to create an ensemble that would bring audiences into the dramatic and emotional heart of vocal music.
“Having all studied at the University of York, we share a foundation of training and a vision of what vocal music can be. The origin of the name can be found in the University's Jack Lyons Concert Hall, and while we are not named after the person, that spelling of Lyons is a nod to our York heritage. The name itself feels dramatic and biblical - libera me de ore leonis (‘save me from the lion's mouth’) appears in Psalm 22 and the Requiem - but also has a storybook quality, which reflects our narrative ethos and playfulness as well as indicating something animalistic that signifies our wish to portray music at its most immediate and raw.” — Thomas Lowen, bass.
Since its formation, The Lyons Mouth has quickly established itself on the UK and European music scene. They have performed in the finals of two international young artists competitions in York, UK and Coudenberg, Belgium, and went on to win both the jury prize and the audience prize at the National Centre for Early Music 2026. Festival appearances include Utrecht Early Music Festival (2026), Brighton Early Music Festival as part of their Emerging Artists Scheme (2025/26), Bedford Sings Festival (2026), Cambridge Early Music Festival (2027), and York Early Music Festival (2027).
Emotionally-charged performances and imaginative programming.
The ensemble's mission is rooted in storytelling—drawing listeners into the narrative of each performance. Their concerts span Renaissance madrigals, Baroque masterpieces, and cutting-edge new works, often presented with theatrical flair. The ensemble has appeared at prestigious venues across the country, with recent performances at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Manchester's Stoller Hall, St John's Waterloo, and the Stour Music Festival. They continue their presence on leading UK concert series, including York Concerts, and will be leading a course at The Music Summer School at Gresham’s 2026.
Their growing discography reflects their wide musical curiosity. They have released striking performance films, including Young Again (John Wilbye's madrigal Thou art but young) and Monteverdi's Lamento d'Arianna, alongside their contributions to the album A Plastic Theatre and Selected Choral Works by Joanna Marsh (Signum Classics, 2025), which also features Voces8, I Fagiolini, and Stile Antico. Their music video of Joanna Marsh's In Winter's House was featured as Gramophone Magazine's Video of the Day, further cementing their reputation for imaginative presentation. Their new disk featuring the music of contemporary composer Stef Conner will be released in 2026.
Rooted in storytelling — drawing listeners into the narrative.
Through their artistry, The Lyons Mouth is carving out a unique space in the choral landscape: a young ensemble with the energy, skill, and imagination to bridge tradition and innovation, inviting audiences into a profoundly human encounter with music.
Meet performers, voices, and collaborators on theMembers page.
