About the Venue
Upper Chapel is one of Sheffield’s most historic and distinctive venues, combining over 300 years of heritage with a thriving programme of cultural events. Located on Norfolk Street in the city centre, Upper Chapel is a Grade II-listed Unitarian chapel and the first non-conformist place of worship built in Sheffield, completed in 1700. Today, it is widely recognised not only as a place of worship, but also as an atmospheric and much-loved venue for concerts, talks, film screenings and festivals.
Architecturally striking and rich in character, the chapel features a rebuilt 19th-century interior, raised roof, and notable stained glass windows, including works by Victorian artist Henry Holiday. The building has a long tradition of progressive thought and civic engagement, rooted in the city’s history of religious dissent. Alongside regular services, Upper Chapel regularly hosts cultural events including Music in the Round concerts and screenings linked to Sheffield Doc/Fest, making it a unique crossover venue for arts, culture and heritage in Sheffield.
Key details
Completed: 1700
Type: Unitarian chapel & events venue
Listing: Grade II
Affiliation: General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
Materials: Brick
Location: Sheffield City Centre
Intimate, historic and full of character, Upper Chapel offers a unique setting for live music, cultural events and community gatherings, making it a standout venue on Sheffield’s events calendar.
Upcoming Events
An Introduction to Live Coding and Music is a hands-on creative workshop led by Alex McLean, offering a welcoming entry point into the world where music, patterns, and code meet.
Taking place at Sheffield’s historic Upper Chapel, this relaxed daytime session is designed for complete beginners — no prior experience in coding or music-making is required. All you need is curiosity and a willingness to experiment with sound.
What is live coding?
Live coding is a creative practice where music is made by writing and changing code in real time. In this workshop, Alex introduces Strudel, the open-source platform he co-instigated, which allows complex rhythms and musical patterns to be created using just a few lines of simple, readable code.
Participants will explore:
How musical patterns can emerge from code
Creating and modifying rhythms by listening and adjusting live
The relationship between repetition, variation, and sound
How coding can be an expressive, playful musical tool
The emphasis is on learning by listening and experimenting, rather than technical theory.
Who is it for?
This workshop is suitable for:
Beginners with no experience in coding or music
Musicians curious about new creative tools
Coders interested in sound and rhythm
Anyone interested in pattern, creativity, and digital art
What to bring
Participants should bring a laptop or similar device with:
A web browser
Audio output (able to make sound)
Access to: https://strudel.cc/
Part of Music in the Round Sheffield
This event forms part of Music in the Round Sheffield’s Percussion, Pattern & Primes weekend.
Booking offers
Save 20% when booking 10 or more Music in the Round Sheffield events in one transaction
Save 10% when booking 5 or more events in one transaction
🎟 Tickets & full details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/an-introduction-to-live-coding-and-music
An elegant afternoon of chamber music awaits as Catrin Finch and Juliette Bausor come together for Fantasies for Flute & Harp, a special concert presented as part of Music in the Round Sheffield.
Widely described as the “queen of harps”, Catrin Finch is a chart-topping, multi-award-winning artist, while Juliette Bausor is the principal flautist of Ensemble 360. Long-time friends and collaborators, the pair reunite for a programme that showcases the lyrical beauty, colour, and expressive range of this classic instrumental pairing.
The programme
Spanning Baroque elegance, French lyricism, and South American fire, the programme includes:
Johann Sebastian Bach – Flute Sonata in G minor, BWV 1020
Gabriel Fauré – Fantasie, Op.79
William Alwyn – Naiades Fantasy Sonata
Nino Rota – Sonata for Flute and Harp
Astor Piazzolla – Bordel 1900 from Histoire de Tango
François Borne – Carmen Fantasie
Together, these works offer a rich and immersive journey through centuries of music, from intimate lyricism to dazzling virtuosity.
A welcome return to Sheffield
The concert marks Catrin Finch’s long-awaited return to Music in the Round, following her memorable sold-out appearance with Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita in 2018.
Following the performance, audiences are invited to stay for a free post-concert Q&A with both performers — no booking required.
🎟 Tickets & full details:
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/fantasies-for-flute-harp