Byrd Takes Flight

Corvus Consort
vocal ensemble
directed by Freddie Crowley

Music on the Edge
Susie Hodder-Williams (flute, alto flute)
Chris Caldwell (alto sax, tenor sax, bass clarinet)

“Byrd Takes Flight” sees vibrant vocal ensemble Corvus Consort join forces with instrumental duo Music on the Edge to present a groundbreaking convergence of old and new, where voices and instruments intertwine to create a timeless blend of soundworlds spanning centuries.

Commemorating 400 years since the death of William Byrd in 1623, four newly-commissioned works explore the enduring strength of Byrd’s influence, which stretches right through to the 21st century. Each new commission is a response to a particular work by Byrd, placing Byrd’s musical voice in direct dialogue with the voices of some of today’s most exciting young composers.

Stunning new music by young composers Shruthi Rajasekar, Derri Joseph Lewis, Harry Baker and Anna Semple sits alongside glorious vocal polyphony by William Byrd, one of Renaissance England’s greatest musical masters. Byrd's music is also paired with works by his mentor Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585), to reveal the ways in which Byrd's own musical voice was shaped by his great teacher and partner.

Photo © Matthew Johnson Photographer

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* = new work, commissioned by Corvus Consort specially for "Byrd Takes Flight".

The concert will last approximately 75 minutes, with no interval.

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Described as “one of the most innovative and adventurous vocal ensembles presently performing”, Corvus Consort is a UK-based vocal ensemble with a fast-growing reputation. Founded and directed by Freddie Crowley, Corvus’s refreshing combination of musical excellence, passionate performance and unstuffy presentation makes them hugely popular with audiences up and down the country.

Music on the Edge is a collaboration between Susie Hodder-Williams and Chris Caldwell, two musicians who live in the national park of Dartmoor, in the South-West of England. They have been creating landscape and nature inspired music since 2005, and have released seven albums to date (six on the FMR label). Their music reaches across musical boundaries and geographical borders, and is frequently broadcast on radio stations around the world.

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