Corvus Consort and harpist Louise Thomson are delighted to announce a series of concerts together at the end of the year, which will see them tour both the north and south of England with their Christmas programme. Corvus Consort’s upper voices join with Louise to present this festive concert, which features music celebrating women’s voices from their acclaimed album ‘Welcome Joy’ alongside Benjamin Britten’s iconic Ceremony of Carols.
Their partnership first came into being as the result of a shared desire to explore and expand the rich repertoire for voices and choir, and has resulted in a performances together at Church Stretton Festival, Whiddon Autumn Festival, the Islington Proms and at London’s Kings Place as part of the Sounds Sublime Festival curated by The Sixteen. In 2024 they released their album ‘Welcome Joy’, a celebration of women’s voices, on Chandos, which earned unanimous praise across the press, being selected as BBC Radio 3 Essential Classics ‘Album of the week’ and by BBC Music Magazine as both ‘Recording of the Month’ and as one of the 13 best classical albums of 2024 in its year-end review.
In the first half of their Christmas programme, Corvus and Louise draw on repertoire featured in ‘Welcome Joy’, opening with Imogen Holst’s setting of Keats’ Welcome Joy and Welcome Sorrow. A set of works by Judith Weir, Olivia Sparkhall and Hilary Campbell commissioned by Multitude of Voyces to mark International Women’s Day in 2019 will then be followed by Elizabeth’s Poston’s evocative An English Day-Book. The second half of the programme celebrates the festive season with a cappella Christmas pieces by Elizabeth Poston, Howard Skempton and Peter Maxwell Davies, as well as the medieval carol Ther is no rose of swych vertu. Louise will join Corvus to perform Peace on Earth by Errollyn Wallen and Britten’s Ceremony of Carols.
The ensemble begins the southern portion of their tour on 25th November with a performance at St. James’ Church, Islington, followed by concerts at St. Barnabus, Jericho in Oxford on 26th November, St. Mary’s Church, Totnes in Devon on 27th November, the Whiddon Autumn Festival on 28th November and the Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery on 29th November. The following month, they head north to perform at Ripon Concerts on 13th December, Ilkley Concert Club on 16th December and Morpeth Music Society on 17th December.
Louise and Corvus are pleased to offer two signature programmes, available for presentation – to learn more, please click here.
