Marsyas Trio

Live visuals and a trio of amplified flute, cello and piano tell the fascinating story of pioneering women engineers who followed in the footsteps of Leeds’ own John Smeaton.

The Marsyas Trio – Ensemble-in-Residence (University of Leeds) and one of the UK’s foremost mixed chamber ensembles – presents an immersive journey celebrating the 300-year anniversary of the ‘father of civil engineering’.

Instrumental in the construction of the UK’s canal network, Smeaton paved the way for Britain’s first women engineers including Sarah Guppy and Katharine Parsons, whose inventions also centred on water.

The trio, in collaboration with film artist and visual projectionist Julian Hand, connect these brilliant minds and their inventions through a narrative of ‘musical waterways’. This compelling performance will include music across three centuries by Franz Joseph Haydn, Louise Farrenc, Eugene Goossens, Catherine Lamb, George Crumb, and two specially commissioned works by Leeds composers James Creed and Alannah Halay.

The performance at 4pm will be relaxed.

In association with University of Leeds and Smeaton300.

Price

£10 (+£1 booking fee) | Free entry for children

Venue

Howard Assembly Room

Start times
4pm + 7.30pm

Running time
1 hour

Relaxed performance

The performance at 4pm will be relaxed. Everyone is welcome to attend a relaxed performance. The informal atmosphere can be particularly suitable for anyone who would feel more comfortable in this environment. This could include parents with young children, people with sensory or communication needs and people living with dementia.

The performance will have:

a welcoming atmosphere
friendly performers
no sudden loud noises
a range of seating options from chairs to cushions and no pressure to stay still throughout the performance
a quiet area outside the performance space if you want it
information sent out before the show about what to expect
children of all ages welcome

Find out more ahead of your visit by visiting our Access page.

Smeaton300

John Smeaton, a self-taught engineer who built bridges, canals and lighthouses, was interested in the development of machine-based technology to benefit society. He kept most of his work patent-free to allow it to be improved on by others. Smeaton believed that when ideas and systems were freely shared there was no limit to the good purpose they could be applied.

Smeaton300 is a Foxglove project inspired by the work of John Smeaton, the UK’s first Civil Engineer born in 1724. The Smeaton300 creative programme takes Smeaton’s work as a leaping off point to help us understand how engineering has shaped our world today.

In 2024 Foxglove are partnering with the Cultural Institute at the University of Leeds to deliver Smeaton300 events, projects and research. Smeaton300 x University Of Leeds is a Foxglove partnership led by the Cultural Institute and the School Of Civil Engineering.