On Saturday 7th November, the Chapter House Choir will perform some of the world’s most beautiful, uplifting choral music written for remembrance in the atmospheric acoustic of York Minster’s Chapter House by candlelight.
The programme features the piece famously sung at Princess Diana’s Funeral – Song for Athene – as well as the second performance of Arcadia, a piece by distinguished composer, Judith Bingham, commissioned by The Chapter House Choir last year to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the first world war.
These pieces will be performed alongside more traditional choral works, including Guest’s For the Fallen – composed for the annual Remembrance Day service in Westminster Abbey – as well as pieces by Parry, Purcell, Tomkins and Vaughan Williams. One of the concert’s most heart-wrenching works is the Three Prayers of Dietrich Bonhoeffer written by Philip Moore, former organist at York Minster. Bonhoeffer was a German pastor who was executed by the Nazis. The Three Prayers perfectly capture the faith and anguish of his writings during his imprisonment.
From Darkness to Light is presented in support of Amnesty International and aims to increase awareness of the work of the charity as well as raising funds via a retiring collection.
Stephen Williams, Musical Director of The Chapter House Choir comments “We are thrilled to be presenting this concert in the gorgeous surroundings of York Minster’s fourteenth century Chapter House. The combination of beautiful music, evocative poetry and the unique acoustic of the Chapter House will make for a very special evening.”
The concert takes place on Saturday 7th November at 7.30pm in the Chapter House, York Minster. Tickets are £15 (adult), £13.50 (concession) and £5 (under 19s) and are available in advance from the York Minster Box Office in the Minster, on 01904 557208 or online at www.boxoffice.yorkminster.org. Tickets also available on the door.
- The Chapter House Choir is a vibrant and dynamic mixed-voice chamber choir based in York. The choir performs accessible and beautiful – yet challenging – programmes from the full breadth of the choral repertoire. It is committed to commissioning new music and recently premièred new choral works by eminent British composers Gabriel Jackson, Alexander L’Estrange, Paul Mottram and Judith Bingham.
- This year the choir celebrates its 50th Anniversary and the concert on 7th November is the first concert of its 50th Anniversary Season. Forthcoming events include three Christmas carol concerts in York and Malton and a rare performance of Francis Jackson’s dramatic work Daniel in Babylon. In November 2016 the choir will perform with the world-famous Kings Singers in York Minster.
