Warwickshire Singers return to the Old Shire Hall for their Summer Concert

Warwickshire Singers Summer Concert, Sunday 6 July 2pm at The Old Shire Hall, 5-9 Northgate Street, Warwick, CV34 4SP.  Running time around an hour 30 minutes including a break for refreshments.

Preview

Warwickshire Singers will return to the beautiful setting of The Old Shire Hall for their summer concert – “For the Beauty of the Earth: A choral journey from dawn to dusk”.

Jim Bate, Musical Director, has once again come up with an exciting programme, which will centre around the wonders of the Earth and its orbit around the sun, with a mix of mainly contemporary pieces.  Local ensemble, The Beauchamp Sinfonietta, will provide string accompaniment. 

In “Stars” by Ēriks Ešenvalds, choir members will use wine glasses containing precise amounts of water tuned to different notes, which are then played in a repeated chordal pattern, producing an ethereal and mystical sound appropriate to the lyrics “heaven full of stars”.

The full programme comprises:

“The Sunrise Mass” by Ola Gjeilo, a contemporary Norwegian musician who studied at The Juilliard School in New York and the Royal College of Music in London.  His influences are cited as film composer Thomas Newman, jazz legends Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny, glass artist Dale Chihuly, and architect Frank Gehry.  Gjeilo describes The Sunrise Mass as a musical journey that evolves from transparent and spacey to something earthy and warm; from nebulous and pristine, through more emotional landscapes, to ultimately solid groundedness.  It can be seen as a metaphor for human development from child to adult – or as a spiritual journey.

Three songs of worship and thanksgiving for the gift of the natural world:

“For the Beauty of the Earth” by John Rutter;

“Abendfeier in Venedig” by Clara Schumann, with words by Munich romantic poet Emanuel Geibel;

“O Thou the Central Orb” by Charles Wood, in which God is referred to as “Sun of Righteousness”, symbolising kingship and eternal light.

"Sing to the Moon” by Laura Mvula.  Born in 1986 in Birmingham, her 2013 debut album reached number nine in the UK album chart. 

This event also offers the rare opportunity to spend time inside The Old Shire Hall, which has a great acoustic and is one of the hidden gems of Warwickshire.

Tickets are £15 (under 18s/students £5) from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwickshire-singers