The Soloists’ Choir with legendary conductor Peter Phillips

For the closing concert, we present an exciting collaboration between the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir and the legendary English conductor Peter Phillips. Together, they will perform music by the two central English Renaissance composers William Byrd and Thomas Tallis – composers who represent a highlight in 16th century English church music, with their spiritual sound and complex polyphony. The relationship between Tallis and Byrd was both professional and personal. They met at a young age and developed a close, life-lasting friendship. In their day, Tallis and Byrd were the most prominent composers in England, and Queen Elizabeth I was the patron for both of them. In 1575, she gave them exclusive rights to print music – a privilege that gave them financial security as well as promoting English music. They used these rights to create a series of works together, among them 34 Latin motets dedicated to the queen. Peter Phillips is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on English Renaissance music, and this concert is a rare opportunity to experience him in collaboration with Norway’s leading choir of this repertoire. On the program, we also find works by Arvo Pärt and the American contemporary composer Nico Muhly.