Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, with their director Graham Ross, wound up their North American tour with music for Advent at Fairmount Presbyterian Church, Cleveland, with music by Howells, Britten, Tavener, Rutter, and Roderick Williams's haunting "O Adonai et Dux domus Israel."
The Coro de Manos Blancas (White Hands Choir) of Venezuela, one of the leading group of the Special Education Programme, was founded by Johnny Gómez in 1995 to include children and young adults with disabilities. The White Hands Choir is part of the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras and Choirs, known as “El Sistema”.
For this Christmas concert we were transported from the Auckland Philharmonia’s usual venue at the Auckland Town Hall to the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell. It was interesting to compare the sound of the orchestra; the cathedral has a slight echo that seemed to boost the richness of the orchestra’s sound, at times (like at the climax of Bizet’s Farandole) becoming almost shockingly loud.
World renowned harpist Catrin Finch has gained respect not only for her playing but for promoting this undervalued instrument in the classical music world. This concert was to celebrate the release of her new CD Blessing, a collaboration with celebrated composer John Rutter.
To sit directly under the splendid chiaroscuro dome of St Paul's Cathedral, with angels, apostles and Christ himself glittering down from mosaiced arches, is to be in the middle of astonishing beauty.
We trudged through the snow to Kings Place, full of anticipation for an evening of beautiful music and festive cheer. The Barts Chamber Choir, conducted by Ivor Setterfield provided this, with a wonderful program from traditional audience carols to lesser known pieces by Berlioz, Howells and Vaughan Williams.
Where better to find the spirit of Christmas than in a church associated with the Knights of Jerusalem since 1185. Just off Fleet Street, lays an oasis of choral music: Temple Church.
While Iain Farrington’s Animal Parade provided the fun and fireworks of this extraordinary recital at Brentwood Cathedral there is no doubt that it was the world premiere of Dobrinka Tabakova’s Diptych that stole the show.
