On July 4 at 1.15 the choir of St Catherine’s College, Cambridge will give a concert in St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick. Admission is free with a retiring collection for The Companions of St Mary’s Cathedral music
St Catharine’s College lies at the historic centre of Cambridge and at the heart of the University’s distinguished musical tradition. Founded in 1473, there has been a choir associated with the college for over a hundred years, which sings regular services in the college’s beautiful 18th century chapel. The choir is made up of 24 students, most of them undergraduates at St Catharine’s itself, but reading for various different degrees. The choir sings three services a week during term-time, and is involved in numerous concerts and other musical activities throughout the year.
In recent years the choir has toured as far afield as Japan, the United States and China, and makes frequent visits to the continent. The eclectic nature of the choir’s repertoire is captured on their latest CD, The Thread of my Song, which features music from the 17th and 21st centuries, with works from both Western and Middle Eastern traditions.
This concert in St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick is the second stage of their Ireland tour, which began in Belfast and continues in Galway and Dublin.
Mr. Edward Wickham was appointed Director of College Music at St Catharine’s in 2003. As well as his duties in Cambridge, he maintains an active career as a conductor, choral coach and academic. With his Gramophone award-winning vocal consort The Clerks, he has recorded over 20 CDs, and performed in many of the country’s most prestigious concert halls, including the Wigmore Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. His work with choirs has taken him to the United States, Japan and to festivals throughout Europe.
The concert programme includes:
Dum transisset Sabbatum John Taverner
Peccavimus cum patribus Christopher Tye
O God, that no time dost despise Martin Peerson
O had I wings like to a dove John Milton (the elder)
Drop, drop slow tears Orlando Gibbons
Blow up the trumpet Henry Purcell
Hear my prayer
Psalm Prelude No. 1 Herbert Howells
Beati quorum via Charles Villiers Stanford
Justorum animae
Coelos ascendit hodie
Valiant for truth