Highgate welcomes a world premiere choral performance

This is a newly commissioned song cycle in three movements for mixed choir, soloists and organ by composer Christopher Hussey.

It sets the poems of 17th-century Anglican priest and celebrated poet George Herbert.

Commissioned and performed by the Highgate Choral Society, the concert is accompanied by organist Edward Batting, under the baton of Ronald Corp OBE.

Featuring soloists Iúnó Connolly (soprano) and Jacobo Ochoa (baritone), and with more than 170 members, the 140-year-old amateur choir has a reputation for bringing high quality choral performances to North London.

Never afraid of a challenge, they have a history of leaping into the unknown through new music commissions that include composers Brian Chapple and Julian Philips.

Christopher Hussey is no stranger to writing for amateur musicians and children.

Highgate Choral Society often take on new musical commissions (Image: CONTRIBUTED)

These works include Sing, London! for the New London Children Choir’s 25th anniversary concert, the large-scale community musical Beware the Mackerel Sky, the choral work Dreamtide (shortlisted by BASCA for the British Composer Awards) and two of his works originally written for amateur musicians that featured on a recording of British music for woodwind orchestra by the Czech Philharmonic Wind Ensemble.

The concert will also feature performances of Fauré’s Requiem alongside a programme of musical settings of Herbert’s poetry, including Vaughan Williams’s Five Mystical Songs and works by Tallis and Sullivan.

Musical Opinion Magazine said of composer Christopher Hussey: “It was composer Christopher Hussey who outshone all of the previously mentioned works, showing proficient and considerable attention to detail concerning orchestration, timbre, and effective idiomatic writing... echoing a Stravinskian style of wind writing, simultaneously evoking a truly memorable soundworld.”

For further information visit hcschoir.com.