'Palestine Aloud', 22nd October 2008

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:29:33 +0100

The Choir of London will join a host of British, Palestinian and other international artists later this month for a cultural celebration through music and words in support of Palestine. Compered by Jeremy Irons, the evening will include performances by John Williams, John Etheridge, Reem Kelani, Marwan Abado, Tala Tutunji, and words spoken and written by Victoria Brittain, Miriam Margolyes, Corin Redgrave, Hanan al Sheikh, Kika Markham and Juliet Stevenson. The performance will be directed by Poppy Burton Morgan. ‘Palestine Aloud’ Cadogan Hall, London Wednesday, 22nd October 2008, 7.30pm John Williams / John Etheridge / Reem Kelani / Marwan Abado / Tala Tatunji / Choir of London Jeremy Irons / Victoria Brittain / Corin Redgrave / Hanan al Sheikh / Colin Firth / Kika Markham / Juliet Stevenson £40 / £35 / £25 / £20 Tickets available through the Cadogan Hall box office: 020 7730 4500 / www.cadoganhall.com

COLT Bursary Scheme opens

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:53:42 +0000

The Choir of London Trust announced the creation of a new Bursary Scheme for young Palestinian musicians in March 2006, under the inaugural patronage of the composer Sir John Tavener and the founder of the Naxos record label, Klaus Heymann. COL supporters will remember that the project was publicised at the time with launch concerts in London and Edinburgh. The Bursary Scheme will allow talented young Palestinian musicians to travel to the UK for an inspiring period of intensive tuition. The first round of applications will take place in Spring 2008, with four successful candidates travelling to London in August. The COLT has committed to supporting the scheme on a long-term basis, and hopes to expand the number of places available in future years. Click here to support the scheme. The Choir of London and Orchestra made its inaugural visit to the Palestinian Territories in December 2004, participating in concerts in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Ramallah, and engaging with young local musicians through workshops and individual tuition. This interaction between young British and Palestinian musicians highlighted more similarities than differences, and the striking power of music and music-making to transcend questions of border, race and identity. What was common was a thirst for experience, a quest for excellence, and a mutual inquisitiveness and curiosity about each other’s background and personality. The only serious substantive difference between the players from each background was one of opportunity: in the main, each of the Choir of London performers has been able to take for granted in his or her musical education what for most of the Palestinian performers is an ongoing struggle. Access to teaching, quality of resources, and the experience of music-making at the highest level are all at a premium in the Occupied Territories, and it was thought that some modest benefit might be brought to bear by creating a scheme which would help to foster direct links between the many excellent and hardworking music schools in the Occupied Territories and their counterparts in the UK. This Bursary Scheme has been established in the hope that individual Palestinian music students can take part in short music programmes in the UK, sharing their experiences with their compatriots in the Palestinian Territories upon their return, thus helping to consolidate the place of Palestine on the international map of western classical music, and offering support to the groundbreaking educational work being carried out within the Territories. The scheme is particularly aimed at assisting students to whom such opportunities would otherwise not be available. Recipients of the Bursary will spend two weeks in the UK, taking part in a music summer school (in which they will be exposed to a variety of different ensemble formats and undertake some private tuition) and spending several days in London, taking lessons at the Royal Academy of Music and the Purcell School, and experiencing musical life in London by attending BBC Promenade concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. To read more about the background to the scheme, click here. Click here to support the scheme.

‘Lament for Jerusalem’ reaches no. 1

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 18:39:44 +0100

The Choir of London’s debut CD, a recording of John Tavener’s Lament for Jerusalem on the Naxos label, entered the UK core classical chart this month at number 1. ‘It’s hard to imagine it better performed or recorded’ (BBC Music Magazine, *****) ‘There’s an erotic charge in the Lament that at once seduces the ear and demands spiritual contemplation, intensely realised in this premiere recording by Jeremy Summerly’s Choir of London and his excellent soloists.’ (Classic FM magazine, ****) ‘The performance is perfection, beautifully recorded with warm, spacious acoustics.’ (Classical CD Review) This recording is a call for rejoicing for Tavener fans... there is great beauty to be found here. The performances of soloists, choir and orchestra under Jeremy Summerly are exquisite and graceful’ (Amazon.com editorial review) ‘Jeremy Summerly's performance with the Choir of London achieves the right kind of balance between austere rigour and devotional intensity’ (The Guardian, ****)