Part of the Roman River Festival 2024 - See all concerts here.

Concluding the Roman River Festival 2024, we bring you the glorious five voice ensemble Catching Voices, performing at one of our concerts for the first time. As individuals, they are each freelance singers, working with groups such as The Monteverdi Choir, The Sixteen, Tenebrae, London Voices, Chamber Choir of London, the Tavener Consort, BBC Singers, Britten Sinfonia and the London Symphony Orchestra. As Catching Voices, they come together to voice their own artistic ideas freely, creating innovative and immersive performances.

Field recordings in which the songs of birds echo with church bells, the rhapsodic tunes of folk melody come together to explore themes of faith, nature, and love, in music that sounds at the same time avant garde and distinctly ancient. At the end of the programme, after the day close of Vaughan Williams’ Rest, the singers will invite the audience to congregate, like our dwindling bird populations, and sing with us in Weir’s moving and hypnotic My Guardian Angel.

Every year, the Roman River Festival offers young musicians a spotlight performance at one of our events. Ned Bell, who is Colchester Rotary Club's Young Singer of the Year, will be taking part in this concert. We have fostered a collaboration between Catching Voices and Ned, so that his solo will be part of the overall performance. 

This wonderful programme is a celebration of the divine and the cycle of nature as well as an homage to the English countryside in song and seems a truly fitting choice to round off another festival, reminding us of Wild Arts' aim to bring world class music to Essex - and share that joy with younger people - while taking care of the beautiful planet which has been entrusted to us.

PROGRAMME

(offstage) Benjamin Britten Sacred and Profane I. St Godric’s Hymn
field recording*
Trad. arr. Catching Voices Oh love, sweet, love
Gerald Finzi Haste on, my joys!
Benjamin Britten Sacred and Profane II. I Mon Axe Wod
Gerald Finzi Clear and Gentle Stream
Gerald Finzi Nightingales
field recording*
Benjamin Britten Sacred and Profane III. The Long Night
Benjamin Britten Sacred and Profane IV. Lenten is Come
Healey Willan Rise up, my Love, my Fair One
Benjamin Britten Sacred and Profane V. Yif Ic of Luve Can
Benjamin Britten Sacred and Profane VI. Carol
Benjamin Britten Sacred and Profane VII. Ye that Pasen by
Gabriel Jackson I am the rose of Sharon
Benjamin Britten Sacred and Profane VIII. A Death
Judith Weir Vertue
Ralph Vaughan Williams Rest
Judith Weir My Guardian Angel

Total programme length: 75 minutes

Duration: approx. 1 hr 15 minutes

Planning: Doors open from 3pm. Please allow ample time for parking.

Performers
Hilary Cronin | Soprano
Gabriella Noble | Mezzo Soprano
Lauren Macleod | Mezzo Soprano
Jacob Ewens | tenor
Peter Edge | baritone

Tickets £25 – £35 (£15 for under 30s)

Reduced visibility seats available.