Tonight's recital in Oxford by the legendary mezzo-soprano Dame Ann Murray is sure to be a highlight of this year's Oxford Song Evenings, writes NICOLA LISLE

When Ann Murray appears at the University Church in Oxford tonight she is hoping to arouse a variety of emotions in her listeners with a programme of songs by Fauré, Schubert, Schumann, Britten and Mahler, among others, and a selection of folk songs from her native Ireland to finish.

"I like to take audiences on a journey in my concerts," she told me. "So I always do something touching, something challenging, something whimsical and something silly. Life can be too serious sometimes."

For tonight's audience, the programme may well represent a blend of familiar composers with a leap into the unknown. On offer are Britten's Cabaret Songs, Samuel Barber's setting of poems by James Joyce, settings of Verlaine's poetry by Fauré, Hahn, Poldowski and Bordes, and settings of Rickert's poems by Schubert, Schumann and Mahler. All of these have been a part of Ann's repertoire for many years, and she is clearly relishing the thought of performing them in Oxford.

"I've recorded the Britten, and find that a great challenge vocally. I've always been a devoted fan of Mahler and Schubert - their songs are very beautiful and touch me in a particular way. And I always like to finish with Irish folk songs, and send everybody off in a happy mood. Even when I'm singing abroad people ask me for the Irish songs."

Ann's accompanist tonight is Graham Johnson, with whom she has a long-standing musical partnership. Both were founder members of the Songmaker's Almanac - along with Dame Felicity Lott - which performed regular lieder programmes at a time when the art of lieder seemed to be waning, and found a home at the Wigmore Hall.

"We couldn't have chosen a better founder than Graham," she says, generously. "He has an amazing intellect, and knows so much about poetry and music. It was his idea to build programmes around themes, so we would have lieder and readings pertaining to contemporary themes of the time."

Tonight's recital is the third and final concert in the inaugural Jesus College Visiting Artist series, a series of three song recitals being presented by Jesus College and the Kohn Foundation, in association with the Oxford Lieder Festival.

The series forms part of the Oxford Song Evenings, which were set up by Oxford Lieder to give a platform to young artists, usually from the London music colleges.

"Jesus College was given funding from the Kohn Foundation for musical activities, and they wanted to team up with an existing promoter," said Sholto Kynoch, who founded the Oxford Lieder Festival in 2002. "Ralph Kohn was a singer, so we thought it seemed appropriate to use the money to promote a series of song recitals. Graham Johnson is the constant artist throughout the series, with a different singer each time. He also gives a masterclass after every recital, which he links to the repertoire performed in the concert. So tonight's masterclass will focus on Schubert and Britten.

"It's unusual for a city promoter to link up with Oxford University, but it's nice for us to be able to do educational things.

"It's terrifically exciting for us," said Suzanne Aspen, the Music Fellow at Jesus College. "It means we've got great opportunities for outreach, and for demonstrating the involvement of the college in Oxford's musical activities.

"The masterclasses provide a practical, educational opportunity for students to work with top-flight musicians. The chance to work with someone like Graham Johnson doesn't come along very often, so places are highly sought after."

Suzanne is keen to emphasise that all students within Oxford University can benefit from Kohn's generosity, not just those from Jesus.

"We are hoping to raise the college's musical profile, but our motive is more altruistic than that. We were very lucky to receive the benefaction, and we don't want to keep it to ourselves - we want to use it to help other students as well."

The future of the series is secure for at least three years and includes more names such as pianist Malcolm Martineau and singers Amanda Roocroft and Sir Thomas Allen.

"Sir Thomas Allen is one of our honorary fellows at Jesus and also the Patron of Oxford Lieder," says Suzanne, "so it seemed very fitting that he should also participate. He's coming in 2009, which is very exciting."

Meanwhile, there's Ann's recital tonight to enjoy, and she herself is clearly looking forward to the experience.

"It's a fantastic opportunity for me," she said. "I commend this young association for having the enthusiasm, foresight and talent to put on this programme and give a platform to young artists, and I'm thrilled to be part of it."

Ann Murray's recital is at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin tonight at 8pm, with a free pre-performance talk by Richard Stokes at 7.15pm. Box office: 01865 305305 or visit the www.ticketsoxford.com website. For more information about the Jesus College Visiting Artist Series and the Oxford Song Evenings, visit www.oxfordlieder.co.uk