It was established as a registered charity in 2004 in order to create a new platform for Lieder and other forms of art song.
Leeds Lieder conducts its work through the promotion of concerts and through a range of education and outreach activity.
Many distinguished singers have appeared at the festivals, including Sir Thomas Allen,[5] Dame Margaret Price, Florian Boesch, Robert Holl, Barbara Bonney, Christiane Karg,[6] Dame Felicity Lott, Mark Padmore, Carolyn Sampson, Angelika Kirchschlager, Dame Sarah Connolly[7] and James Gilchrist.
These included pianists Iain Burnside (2005), Roger Vignoles (2007), Julius Drake (2009), Malcolm Martineau (2011), Graham Johnson (2013), and baritone Roderick Williams (2016).
Leeds Lieder is committed to new music, and has commissioned works from a number of eminent composers, including Sally Beamish, Judith Bingham, Gavin Bryars, Mark Simpson, Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Gabriel Jackson.