Perse singers ROAR with world-class consort
Perse choral singers from Years 9 and 10, as well as some Sixth Form students, took part in the rare opportunity to perforrm with the acclaimed Gabrieli Consort and Players in Ely Cathedral on Friday 2 December.
The Perse pupils sang hymns, carols, and canticles in a 400 strong choir, which included singers from schools all around the South of England, filling Ely Cathedral with sound. The concert was part of the Gabrieli Consort’s ROAR programme.
The performance was themed around 17th century Christmas music by Michael Praetorius and Heinrich Schütz, while the consort themselves also sang some 20th century music by Ralph Vaughn-Williams and Herbert Howells.
You can catch a brief glimpse of the performance below:
NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL C MAJOR! Wow, wow, wow. Bravi tutti! @GabrieliCandP @Paul_McCreesh #gloriouspraetorius pic.twitter.com/GtzLizbTBe
— Perse Music (@PerseMusicDept) December 2, 2022
The students thoroughly enjoyed the day. Although they rehearsed for almost four hours, their energy showed no signs of slowing and they continued to give it their all in the final evening performance.
Gabrieli Consort Artistic Director Paul McCreesh commented “It was so loud around me that I could not hear the trumpets! Bravo everyone”.
The Gabrieli Consort and Players specialise in music using period instruments and are known for their exciting performances of Rennaissance music. They launched Gabrieli ROAR is a way of inspiring more young people to pursue music-making, as well as to ensure that everyone has the ability to experience great choral and orchestral music, no matter their background.
Perse Director of Music Ben Wingfield said, “We very much hope to be involved in any future ROAR projects as the initiative grows and grows.”
The whole ROAR programme will feature over 4,000 pupils from across the country, from 85 schools, at a number of different concerts over the country.
Published