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St Bartholomew the Great, engraving from 'Some London Churches', publ. 1911.
Advent Choral Day - Three leading choirs in the City’s finest churches
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A day-long sequence of performances, talks and refreshments, our London Choral Days showcase top-flight professional choirs in appropriate, attractive and often little-known buildings. For this iteration, the audience moves between the venues by Underground.
The three churches selected are among the most significant in London owing both to their histories and their music. Good buildings architecturally by any standard, they differ from each other markedly, their start dates spread across four centuries. Romanesque, Early Gothic and Late Gothic styles are thus on display in fine form.
An extraordinary and little-trumpeted feature of London is the presence of a remarkable collection of church, chapel and cathedral choirs. No other city on Earth can boast a couple of dozen first-rate ensembles consisting of professional singers and conducted by accomplished music directors who all enjoy a prestigious portfolio of musical employment. The three choirs attached to these churches are among the finest in the capital.
The day is conceived not as three discrete concerts but as an integrated, over-arching musical experience in which the individual parts illuminate and enlarge upon what has gone before. The musical theme of the day is Advent, which is well provided for with choral compositions from throughout the ages, and Christmas is only a month away.
Itinerary
Start: 11.30am at St Bartholomew-the-Great in Smithfield, EC1. Nearest stations: Barbican, Farringdon, St Paul’s. Doors open at 11.00am.
Finish: by 6.10pm at Temple. Nearest stations: Temple, Blackfriars.
Practicalities
Admission to the three concerts and the precincts of the Tower, lunch and afternoon refreshments, programme booklet, the services of a number of staff. Underground fares are not included because many of you are entitled to free transport. Each of the two journeys costs £2.80, and fares for a day are capped at £8.50.
Lunch is in a selection of good restaurants near two of the concert venues. Audience members are arbitrarily pre-assigned to a particular one. Tea and biscuits are served in the afternoon before the final concert.
The churches are situated on the periphery of the Square Mile. Travel between them is by Underground Railway (two journeys, each of four or five stops, no changes). There are nevertheless walks of about 15 minutes at most (waiting at pedestrian crossings included) between churches, restaurant and stations. You are of course welcome to arrange taxis if you wish.
Between 100 and 150.
We will return the full amount if you notify us 22 or more days before the event. We will retain 50% if cancellation is made within three weeks and 100% if within three days. Please put your cancellation in writing to info@martinrandall.co.uk. We advise taking out insurance in case of cancellation and recommend that overseas clients are also covered for possible medical and repatriation costs.
Dates & prices
Testimonials
“The Choral Day was the highlight of my six week trip to the UK and Europe this year.
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“A brilliantly well-organised and thoroughly enjoyable experience.
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“The churches selected for the music venues were well chosen for their architectural interest and as complements to the music programme.
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“It's a wonderful day, superbly organised, with excellent choirs, very interesting churches and a good lunch.
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“Beautiful singing in the best English choral tradition. A lovely mixture of sacred & secular song.
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