Experience the breathtaking opening of The Bradford Progress

In May of this year, Paraorchestra and Charles Hazlewood joined forces with Jeremy Deller and hundreds of musicians from across Bradford for The Bradford Progress: an 36-hour musical journey through Bradford District featuring a plethora of free performances in unannounced and unusual spaces. 

You can now watch a full capture of opening performance of that signalled the beginning of the journey: a dawn rendition of Handel’s Eternal Source of Light Divine in a former quarry high up on Ilkley Moor by Paraorchestra and counter-tenor Magid El-Bushra, followed by a sonic ramble across the moors led by Bradford’s Commoners Choir.

The Bradford Progress was created collaboratively by Bradford UK City of Culture 2025, Paraorchestra, Charles Hazlewood, Jeremy Deller and the people of Bradford District. 

Thanks to our partners at Bradford 2025 and our colleagues who worked tirelessly on its creation, the amazing musicians who brought it to life, and everyone who turned out to experience it. 

Lead image credit: Andrew Benge