NPS Annual Concert 2026 (IN PERSON) (*TICKETS ON THE DOOR*)

IN-PERSON TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON THE DOOR ONLY - CASH OR CARD. PLENTY OF ROOM AT THE VENUE!

TICKETS - £15 ADULT / £8 CHILD 16 OR UNDER. 

FEATURING:

• ANDY & MARGARET WATCHORN 

• CAROLYN ROBSON 

• ALEX BARRASS & JONATHAN PEARSON

**PLUS**  

• NEWCASTLE KINGSMEN

This year features a top-class lineup of musicians and performers, a mix of old blood and new, including some leading lights of Northumbrian traditional music, song and dance.

Andy & Margaret Watchorn - Northumbrian pipes and fiddle

Andy and Margaret have been playing together for over 30 years, and are widely known as masterful exponents of harmony playing on pipes & fiddle. Their repertoire encompasses tunes from across the British Isles and Scandinavia, plus self-penned works. 

Drawing inspiration from past piping greats such as Joe Hutton, and Margaret's lifelong exposure to dialect song and the music of the Northumberland coast, they have long been two of the region's most sought-after traditional performers. 

Read more about them at: https://www.pipesandfiddle.co.uk/

Carolyn Robson - song

Carolyn Robson is a folk singer of renown, with over 50 years of experience as a performer. Hailing from the North East, Carolyn has built her repertoire around both traditional and contemporary folk songs, sourced from Northumberland and further afield.  

Having recorded a number of solo albums and collaborated with such names as Kathryn Tickell, Karen Tweed, and Martyn Wyndham-Read, Carolyn was awarded the English Folk Dance and Song Society's prestigious Gold Badge for her outstanding contribution to folk music. 

Read more about Carolyn at: https://carolynrobson.wixsite.com/music

Alex Barrass & Jonathan Pearson - pipes and more!

Two up-and-coming young pipers, Alex Barrass and Jonathan Pearson, have burst onto the traditional music scene as a duo in recent years, both having enjoyed a spate of piping competition victories early in their piping careers. The pair met in Leeds whilst at university, and made their debut as a duo at the Rothbury Traditional Music Festival in 2025. 

Building on a repertoire rooted in Northumbrian dance music and airs, and complemented by Jonathan's self-penned works, they have produced an album together, which was released earlier this year to widespread acclaim. With melodies centred around Alex's pipes, accompanied by Jonathan on mandocello or box, and interspersed with pipes duets, the pair create a distinctive and innovative sound. Read more at:   https://jonathanpearsonmusic.org/ and https://alexbarrassnorthumbrianpipes.wordpress.com/

Newcastle Kingsmen - Rapper dance

Award winning dancers and musicians specialising in rapper sword, longsword, Morris and clog dancing, the Kingsmen have built a sterling nationwide reputation as mainstays of traditional dance over some 70+ years. We look forward to welcoming them back to the NPS annual concert - prepare to be blown away by masterful displays of agility, coordination and stamina, accompanied by pithy (albeit questionable...) commentary!

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VENUE

After the success of last year's concert, we return to St. James's Church, in central Newcastle. It's very close to Haymarket Bus & Metro stations, providing great transport links. There is also plenty of parking nearby.

Details to follow about online viewing, so keep an eye on this site or the website!