Our performers
TheCHOIROFROYALHOLLOWAYisconsideredtobeoneof thefinestmixed-voicecollegiatechoirsinGreatBritain withtheirrecordingsattractingtopreviewsfromallmajor musicpublications Createdatthetimeofthefoundation ofRoyalHollowayin1886 thechoirwasoriginallyonlyfor women’svoices Themixedchoirnowcomprises24Choral Scholarswhoundertakeabusyscheduleofweekly services,aswellasconcerts,internationaltours, recordings,andTVandradiobroadcasts.Theyaretheonly choirtogiveaweeklyconcertperformanceandduringan averageyeargivearound40-50concertswithaparticular specialismincontemporarymusic.
Thechoirhasoneofthebusiestrecordingschedulesof anycollegiatechoirwithanextensivediscographywith Hyperion,Decca Signum andNaxosamongstothers.The choirisrenownedforitsperformancesofNordicandBaltic musicandhasrecordedworksbyVytautasMiškinis RihardsDubra,BoHansson TõnuKõrvits,andOlaGjeiloto greatacclaim.The2018releaseWinterSongswithGjeilo wasNo 1intheUKandUSclassicalchartsandtheyhave nowrecordedafollow-upalbumwiththeRoyal PhilharmonicOrchestrareleasedinSeptember2023 The choir’srecordingofMatthewColeridge'sRequiemis alreadyinthetop50ofClassicFMsHallofFame’ Following thedeathofQueenElizabethII,thechoirrecordedseveral tracksforacommemorativealbumreleasedbyDecca Classicswhichwasno 1intheChristmasClassicalCharts
Otherrecentprojectsincludetworecordingsofthemusic ofDanLocklair,collaborationwiththejazz-trioAcoustic Triangleandthechoirhavejustreturnedfromaconcert tourofsouthernFrance Thechoirregularlycollaborates withandperformsalongsidemanyfamousensembles ThesehaveincludedtheKing’sSingers,theBBCSingers, TheRoyalPhilharmonicOrchestra,BrittenSinfonia,London MozartPlayers,OnyxBrass,Fretworkandthejazz-trio AcousticTriangle Thegroupalsocelebratestheworkof livingcomposersandhascommissionedworksfromSir JamesMacMillan,GabrielJackson RichardRodney Bennett CeciliaMcDowall,andPaulMealor International performancesarealsoanintegralpartofthechoirswork TheyhavetouredmostEuropeancountries,andhavebeen broadcastonnationaltelevisionandradioalloverthe world AtourofallthreeBalticstatessawthechoir performingintheLatvianSongFestivalwiththeTallinn ChamberOrchestra,inaconcert(sunginEstonian) broadcastnationallyontheEstonianDayofIndependence.
WewishtothankDrNaomiLebensandtheArtsCollection teamfortheirexpertiseandgenerositythroughoutthis programme andtoMrThomasBaynes(VisitingLecturerin MusicComposition)forhismentorshipandvaluable supportforourcomposers,andthetechnicalsupport providedduringtoday’sevent Thank you
The event
Wearepleasedtoshowcasethenewestcohortofthe PictureGalleryComposer-in-ResidenceProgramme, presentingnewmusicinspiredbyourbeautiful PictureGalleryanditscollection Curatedby composerDrNathanJamesDeardenandourArts CollectionTeam wearethrilledtoshowcasetwoof thesixsuccessfulapplicantsandtheirnewworks writtenespeciallyfortheapplaudedChoirofRoyal Holloway,undertheguidanceoftheirconductor RupertGough
ThiseventispresentedaspartoftheNewSounds Festival2025,inpartnershipwiththeSundaysatSix SeriesatRoyalHollowayUniversityofLondon
Whatyouwill hear
Thisprogrammewillincludetheworldpremieresofthefollowing works:
HarveyLok(BAinMusicwithEnglish)PromenadesataGallery FiveInterludesforvocalensembleandelectronics
1.(ThePctureGallery)
OcomequicklysweetestLordandtakemysoutorest FromNeverWeather-BeatenSal’ ThomasCampon(1567-1620) BeyondthesphereofTime AndSnandFatescontro FromTheresanOdBelief’ JohnGibsonLockhart(1794-854)
2.(NightbyJohnMacWhirter(1839-1911))
Nghtmostgorousnight,thouwertnotmadeforslumber JohnMacWhrter(1839-1911) But,letthemsleepLordandmemournaspace FromHoySonnetVI JohnDonne(1572-631)
3 (TheBanker’sPrvateRoom,NegotiatingaLoanbyJohnCallcottHorsey (1817-1903))
aMan …aproudthing… awretchedthing FromMan’ SrJohnDaves(569-1626)
4(AStreetinCairo,EgyptbyDavidRoberts(1796-1864))
[a]ndtherefore havesaiedtheseasandcome Tothehoycity
From‘SalingtoByzantum W iamButerYeats(1865-1939)
Mysou theresacountry Farbeyondthestars
FromPeace HenryVaughan(1621-1695)
5(TheRailwayStationbyWilliamPowellFrith(1819-1909)) andmomentbymoment[she]got Smalerandsmaleruntitomyvew Shewasbutaspot; FromOntheDeparturePlatorm ThomasHardy(1840-928) …[b]efore gohenceandbenomoreseen
FromPsam39
BenjaminBlakeborough(BMusinMusic)Night(afterTennyson) forvocalensembleandelectronics
Twlightandevenngbel Andafterthatthedark! Andmaytherebenosadness offarewell, WhenIembark
Sunsetandevenngstar Andonecearcallforme! Andmaytherebenomoanng ofthebar, When putouttosea[ ]
JosephLadlow(MMusinMusic)ThePrivateRoomforvocal ensembleandelectronics
(Negota)-tinga oan Negotatingdeadthngs Negotatingfeelng Somethingrsing Andprancng Settngback Peasebeseated Doyouhearthebeatingofwings?
Whoareyou? Youwhohaveletfal alttlegreenfower Howdarkitisdownhere Hereinthehouseofkngs gavemyselfaway
Inmycountry therearenogodseft Somesaytheyhide themsevesnmountans
havelookednmountains Theyhidethemseves Someonlybeleveinthe thngstheycannotsee
Whoareyou? Youwhodidfalllike thelittegreenflower
JosephLadow
SequoiaRalph(BMusinMusic):AStreetinCairo,Egyptforvocal ensembleandelectronics
[Godsthegreatest]
[Toyoutheearthyieldsherfruit]
Whenyoutoilersoftheseaandthefedsandthevneyards Meettheweaversandthepottersandthegatherersofspices Invokethemasterspirtoftheearthtocomeandsanctify Thescalesthatweighvaueagainstvalue Andifthesingers,thedancersandthefluteplayerscome, Thenbuytheirgiftsfortheyaregatherersoffruitandfrankincense, Andthatwhichtheybringsclothingandfoodforthesoul
[ThereisnothingworthyofworshpexceptGod]
ExcerptsfromtheAdhan andBuyngandSe ngfromTheProphetbyKha Gbran
ParmidaEslaminazari(MMusinMusic):TheFramedDeparture forvocalensembleandelectronics
Takecaremydear, Goodbyemydear wilmissyou
SophiaWilhelmi(BAinMusic&SoundDesign):ThePlumYou’re GoingtoEatNextSummerforvocalensembleandelectronics
doesn’texstyet tspotentia lvesnsdeatreeyou’lneversee nanorchardyou’lneversee,wilbetouched byacertannumberofwaterdroplets beforeitreachesyoubycertainangles ofight,byafinteamountofbugs anddustmotesandhands you’lneverknowThepumyouare goingtoeatnextsummerwilgather sugargathermass,wilharden attscentersotcansoftentoward yourmouthTheplum youregoingtoeatnext summerdoesn’tknow youexstTheplumyouare goingtoeatnextsummer isgrowingjustforyou
Our performers
RUPERTGOUGHhasbeendirectorofChoralMusicand CollegeOrganistatRoyalHolloway,UniversityofLondon since2005 HeisalsoOrganistandDirectorofMusicat London’soldestsurvivingchurch SaintBartholomewthe Great whichmaintainsaprofessionalchoir.AtRoyal HollowayRuperthasdevelopedthechoralprogrammeto includeweeklychoralrecitals,choralconductingcourses andtransformedtheChapelChoirintoanelitegroupof24 choralscholars TheChoirparticularlycameto prominencethroughtheirseriesofrecordingsforHyperion Recordsandfortheirroleinpopularisingcontemporary composersfromtheBalticsStates USAandUK Their recordingWinterSongsofthemusicofOlaGjeiloisoneof DeccaClassicsmostsuccessfulalbumsandwastopof theUSandUKclassicalcharts Thechoirisnowgreatlyin demandforrecordingworkfromavarietyofrecordlabels, composersandorchestrasandtravelswidelyforconcert performances RupertwasachoristerattheChapels Royal,St James'sPalace,andwonascholarshiptothe PurcellSchool Hereceived(withdistinction)aMasters degreeinEnglishChurchMusicfromtheUniversityofEast AngliawhilstOrganScholaratNorwichCathedral For11 yearshewasAssistantOrganistatWellsCathedralduring whichtimehemadearound30CDrecordingsas accompanistanddirector Ruperthasworkedwithawide varietyofprofessionalensemblesincludingtheBBC Singers King’sSingers,RoyalPhilharmonicOrchestra, BrittenSinfonia,LondonMozartPlayersandTallinn ChamberOrchestra Heisanestablishedrevieweroforgan recordingsandhasanumberofcompositions editions andarrangementspublishedbyOUP,EditionPetersand CarusVerlag.
GayeBrandeis
