Echoes of Eternity: Music for Choir and Organ
A powerful celebration of choral grandeur, from Parry’s resplendent I Was Glad and Blest Pair of Sirens to Vierne’s magnificent Messe Solennelle, written for the spectacular surroundings of Notre Dame. The ancient Gregorian chant Ave maris stella meets Judith Weir’s vivid reimagining and Anna Thorvaldsdottir’s Heyr þú oss himnum á offers an otherworldly moment of contemplation. We’re delighted to include music with strong Yorkshire connections – motets recently written by Daniel Justin and Anthony Gray – and we’re joined by the brilliant organist William Campbell, Assistant Director of Music at Bradford Cathedral, for this programme.
Organiser
Established in 1856, Bradford Festival Choral Society is one of the oldest and most exciting choirs in the North of England. Performing at least four concerts per year, we have a fascinating past and a vibrant future. Throughout our illustrious history we’ve worked with the outstanding musicians of the day including conductors Edward Elgar, Charles Parry, Charles Halle, Malcolm Sargent, David Willcocks, Richard Hickox and Peter Maxwell Davies and composer John Rutter; our soloists have included such legends as Kathleen Ferrier and Peter Pears. We’ve worked with composer Duncan Druce – known for his completion of the Mozart Requiem – and jazz sensation Will Todd, composer of the acclaimed Mass in Blue. We are committed to diverse programming, performing music by women in every concert (apart from single-work performances) and passionate about our community.
Since 2008 the choir has been led by Musical Director Thomas Leech, who has taken us enthusiastically into new territory while constantly encouraging excellent performances of choral classics. During the Covid-19 pandemic we maintained weekly rehearsals online, led by our team and guests including opera singer Rachel Nicholls and composers Paul Mealor and Roxanna Panufnik. We recorded numerous virtual choir videos to maintain our focus, community and vocal skills, including a complete performance of Haydn’s Nelson Mass with orchestra and soloists:
Venue
The main Cathedral nave can seat up to 500 people for a seated concert. Enjoy the best arts and culture in the beautiful historic Cathedral building.