OSJ concerts in Holywell Music Room

Holywell Music Room

Holywell Music Room in Oxford is thought to be the oldest custom-built concert hall in Europe. Designed by Thomas Camplin, Vice-Principal of St Edmund Hall, the Holywell Music Room was probably the brainchild of William Hayes (1708–1777), Heather Professor of Music at Oxford from 1741. The project was funded by public subscription (established in 1742) and built on land that was part of Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham’s original benefaction to Wadham College.

Situated on Holywell Street and part of Wadham College, today the Holywell Music Room is much beloved as an intimate and acoustically beautiful chamber music space in the heart of Oxford. It has played a unique part in musical history and is thought to be responsible for the popularisation of the music of Haydn, who was the most performed composer at the hall between 1788 and 1791.