DATE OF RELEASE: May 31st 2009
PRESS CONTACT:
For more information, publicity photographs and tour details visit the Christ’s College
Choir website at www.cambridgechoir.co.uk. The Choir Director, Professor David
Rowland, is available for interviews by email or phone. Contact the tour organizer,
Edward Turnham ejat3@cam.ac.uk.
Christ’s College Choir celebrates 800th Anniversary of University of
Cambridge, England with Tour of Eastern US, June 29th – July 15th
Tour includes New England, NYC, Philadelphia & Washington, DC
The Choir of Christ’s College, University of Cambridge, UK, is to celebrate the 800th
anniversary of the University of Cambridge with a three-week tour of the Eastern
United States. The critically-acclaimed choir, widely recognized as one of the best
mixed choirs in Cambridge, will perform throughout New England and further south,
including at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City and the
Washington National Cathedral. The full performance itinerary is at the bottom of this
press release.
The tour repertoire will span the range of English and European choral traditions
from the Renaissance to the 20th century and include Scarlatti’s Stabat Mater,
motets by J.S. Bach, Parry’s Songs of Farewell, and Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and
Hymn to St Cecilia.
As well as singing Evensong twice a week in the College, the Choir of Christ’s
College performs frequently in Cambridge and London, broadcasts regularly on BBC
Radio, and undertakes an international tour every year. In recent years, the choir has
toured Australia, Canada (singing at St James’s Cathedral, Toronto), and the West
Coast of the USA (singing at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco).
The Choir has recorded many albums. Recent compact disc releases include Of a
Rose: Carol settings by Britten and Leighton (2007); Stanford Magnificat for Double
Chorus, Parry Songs of Farewell (2004); Howells Requiem, Britten Rejoice in the
Lamb (2002). In December 2008 Sir Philip Ledger (www.sirphilipledger.com)
conducted the choir in a CD recording of his music.
Christ's College is famed among the Cambridge colleges for its exceptional
academic record, and has over the past 28 years had the best average exam results
of any of the 29 colleges. It also provides an environment in which music and other
extra-curricular activities flourish among its students. This year the College is also
celebrating the bicentenary of its alumnus Charles Darwin, and the 500th
anniversary of the death of its foundress Lady Margaret Beaufort.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR THE CHOIR OF CHRIST’S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
"Truly excellent performances…beautifully accomplished" -- International Record
Review
"Fresh voices, precise pitching and chording, expert pacing" -- BBC Music Magazine
"Worthy of comparison with the best" -- Gramophone Magazine
"Utterly polished professionals: a triumph" -- San Francisco Classical Voice
"A group of unquestioned talent…a sheer delight" -- Church Times
"Splendid ... perfectly judged ... tremendous conviction and attention to detail ... fullblooded and extremely sensitive." -- Birmingham Post
FULL TOUR PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
June 29: 7.30pm concert, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 4 Ocean Street, Beverly, MA
01915 www.stpetersbeverly.org. Tickets $20. To purchase tickets in advance, phone
978-922-3438, e-mail trish@stpetersbeverly.org or mail to the church address.
June 30: 7.30pm concert, First Parish Congregational Church, One Church Street,
Wakefield, MA 01880 www.fpccwakefield.com. Free admission, with a free-will
offering.
July 2: 7.30pm concert, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, 2 Cherry St, Burlington, VT
05401 www.stpaulscathedralvt.org/. Adult $20, Student/Senior $15, under age 15
$10. Tickets are available at the Hopkins Bookshop 877-287-2422 or through the
Flynn Box Office 802-863-5966, or on the door.
July 3: 7.30pm concert, Church of St. Katharine Drexel, Hidden Springs Road, Alton,
NH 03809 www.stkdrexel.com. Tickets $20. This concert is part of the ‘Arts on the
Edge Wolfeboro’ festival: to purchase tickets in advance, visit
http://www.artsedgewolfeboro.org/
July 4 - 5: Liturgies at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, 61 Poplar St, Newport
RI 02840 www.saintjohns-newport.org. Saturday July 4: 6pm Evensong. Sunday July
5: 10am Sung Mass, 6pm Evensong.
July 7: 7.30pm concert, First Congregational Church of Nantucket, 62 Centre St,
Nantucket, MA 02554 www.nantucketfcc.org. Adult $20, Student/Senior $15. To
purchase tickets in advance, phone the church office 508-228-0950.
July 8: 8pm concert, First Congregational Church of Falmouth, 68 Main St,
Falmouth, MA 02540 www.firstcongfalmouth.org. Free admission, with a free-will
offering.
July 9, 7.30pm concert, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 70 Maple Ave, Morristown, NJ
07960 www.stpetersmorristown.org. Adult $15, Student/Senior $10. To reserve
tickets, email Brian Harlow bharlow@stpetersmorristown.org or phone 973-5380555x18.
July 12: 11am Eucharist, Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, NYC
www.stjohndivine.org. Featuring Kodaly: Missa Brevis, and Parry: I Was Glad.
July 12: 8pm concert, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 313 Pine Street, Philadelphia,
PA 19106 www.stpetersphila.org. Tickets $15. Contact the church office: 215-9255968
July 13: 8pm concert, Christ Church Christiana Hundred, 505 E. Buck Road,
Wilmington, DE 19807-0510 www.christchurchde.org. Free admission, with a freewill offering.
July 14: 5.30pm Evensong, Washington National Cathedral
http://www.nationalcathedral.org/
July 15: 8pm concert, Memorial Baptist Church, 3455 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA
22207 www.memorialbaptistchurch.org. Free admission, with a free-will offering.