On Saturday 17th May, we were thrilled to bring together Vox Populi and Vox Anima Chamber Choir for their last concert of the season!

The concert took place at the wonderful St Dunstan's Church in Cranbrook - with the sun shining and blue skies above! Accompanied by collaborative artists Richard Hammond-Hall and Floriane Peycelon, and conducted by Maestro James Meaders, Vox Anima Chamber Choir opened the evening with performances of two movements from Kim Andre Arnesen’s Stabat Mater - the beautifully pensive and poignant Sancta Mater, followed by the melodic, waltzing Virgo Virginum.

Brand new music then took centre stage, as the third and second prize-winning compositions from Friends of the Vox’s inaugural Emerging Composers competition were performed for the very first time to an audience! Alleluia, by Christopher Ryan Roncales, was greatly received - with audience members later recounting the memorable performance as a favourite of the evening! This was followed by Molly Ijames’ Song of the Oak - a beautiful, lyrical translation of a poem about a “brave old oak” tree, whose song bears witness to the lives, loves and remarkable forces of nature encountered as he stands proudly through his lifetime.

The Chamber Choir then performed O Oriens, the stunning, First-Prize winning composition by Anna Rocławska-Musiałczyk. Although the first edit of the winning piece was premiered by Vox Anima Chamber Choir in November last year at our very own Upper Voices Festival in London, the piece has since evolved to it’s outstanding final version, now published for SSAA by Beckenhorst Press and available to buy!

The final world-premiere of the evening brought the Chamber Choir’s solo set to a close. Meet-Cute by Cecilia McDowall - the charming setting of a poem by American Poet, Tony Silvestri, which tells the beautiful love story of a couple as they journey through life from that very first ‘meet-cute’ moment. This piece was commissioned by the Choir with thanks to the generosity of one of our sponsors, Peter Boulton.

As Vox Populi readied to perform, a change of ambience filled the church. The Introit to Dan Forrest’s CREATION almost crept in, filling the space with gentle beauty and anticipation. Accompanied by Hilary Dilnot on the piano and Flo Peycelon on violin, Vox Populi performed eight movements from this formidable work with nuance and great attention to detail. The choir, inspired by James Meaders’ deep connection to the piece, relished the contrasting movements of Light (IV) and Sky (V), and of Wings (VIII) and Deep Blue (IX), and conveyed the wonder and beauty of our world to a captivated audience.

Vox Anima Chamber Choir joined Vox Populi once more for the final two movements of the evening. The penultimate movement, Do It Again (XI), was narrated perfectly by choir member Robert Nelson, who brought weight and wonder to the text chosen by the composer (adapted from G.K. Chesterton and John Muir). The piece illuminates the significance of the eternal repetition of sunrise, sunset, and the joyous aspects of life we may take for granted:

“What if God has this eternal vitality, and is strong enough to exalt in repetition?”

Ish Ishah (X) followed, a movement inspired by Michelangelo’s ‘The Creation of Adam’. The piece begins with whispered words - representing man and woman - and swells to a grand celebration of humankind’s boundless capacity for love. A fitting and emotive end to this wonderful concert, congratulations go to both choirs and our incredibly talented collaborative artists for an evening full of ‘Moments of Wonder!’

Special thanks are due to soloists Simon and Laura Fowler for their exceptional performances, Hilary Dilnot, Richard Hammond-Hall, and Florence Peycelon for their artistic collaboration and unwavering support, and to our outstanding Artistic Director James Meaders for his inspiring leadership.

“We really enjoyed it! Another fab programme, beautifully sung.”

“Overwhelming.”

“Spiritual.”

“Moving.”

“Expressively sung.”

“Several people talked about the Introit and unexpectedly having leaky eyes at the key change when the sound washed over them!”