The Church University and University Colleges Choir Festival is an annual occasion whereby choirs from Universities and University Colleges with a church foundation come together to perform as an impressive choir of around 300 singers, as well as performing as individual choirs.
This year the festival comes to Lincoln for the first time since March 2000, hosted by Bishop Grosseteste University College. For the visiting choirs it begins on Friday 25 February when they finally get to sing together, having practiced separately for some weeks. Saturday is another busy rehearsal day before the performance on Saturday 26 at 7.30pm in Lincoln Cathedral. Ticket prices are £8.50 for regular tickets and £5 for concessions and students.
Concert-goers can expect to hear a variety of choral music, from traditional songs to modern, minimalist-style pieces and all in the beautiful acoustics of the Cathedral before the choirs perform ‘en masse’. 2010’s festival in Canterbury saw the performance of Rutter’s Requiem by some 300 singers from around the country. And this year we plan to perform ‘Eternal Light – A Requiem; and also a new piece by the composer and BG Honorary Graduate Howard Goodall (named Composer of the Year in May 2009 and whom you may have seen on Sky Arts 2 recently, interviewing musicians for a new series: Music Room). The new piece was commissioned by Bishop Grosseteste University College and made possible by the kind donations of their supporters. The Musical Director for the concert will be Catherine Maynard Clark, Bishop Grosseteste’s own Director of Music.
If you are interested in attending the Concert, tickets can be purchased in the Cathedral shop, or ordered from Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln by calling the Events Administrator, Jessica Lyons, on 01522 583681. Alternatively you can e-mail her for tickets and more information at jessica.lyons@bishopg.ac.uk