TONIGHT’S CONCERT

A Requiem

Music : Kendal Kirkland Arranged by: Rod Iliffe Libretto: Ian Florance

Conductor: David Beavan

Narrator: Prunella Scales

Soprano: Laura Bursey Alto: Heather Cairncross Tenor: Andrew Staples

Rock singer: Juliet Russell

Organ and Piano: Andrew King

Lead guitar: Julian Masters Rhythm guitar: Jamie Moore Bass guitar: Allan Whalley Keyboards: Ian Riley Drums: Les Cirkel

Choir: Market Harborough Singers

Sound engineers: John Milner and Andy Linklater

There is no interval. Wine and soft drinks will be served in the church after the performance.

This performance is in special and loving memory of Joyce Irene Kirkland, whose use of the ‘Rex Tremendae’ as her preferred auditory weapon when upset, was well-recognised by friends, neighbours and anyone else within earshot of her home in Henley-on-Thames.

A REQUIEM FOR CHOIR, SOLOISTS, PIANO, ORGAN AND ROCK BAND

Background

A Requiem is a concert piece for choir, soloists, piano, organ, rock band and narrator. It was premiered and recorded in January 1994 at St Matthias Church, Richmond, ; since then it has been revised and lengthened, and performed to tremendous acclaim in Ely, Corby, Rothwell, Milton Keynes, Windsor and Wellingborough. It has been written by Kendal Kirkland (composer), Rod Iliffe (arranger) and Ian Florance (librettist).

The idea for A Requiem started with the death of Kendal's father and of Ian's mother. Kendal had already wondered whether her interest in choral music could be wedded to her experience as a rock singer and writer: " I wanted to write something that used the accessibility of rock and folk rhythms without trivialising the subject matter. Too many attempts to graft classical musical forms onto rock music have ended up failing because they were neither one thing or the other. Since my experience is equally in both forms I think there's a much better chance of success."

Ian took the Latin words of the Requiem and used English lyrics to counterpoint them: " I tried to find one theme or image to unify the whole thing. This turned out to be a journey - a journey through the emotions you feel when you lose somebody close to you."

Once the basic form of the work was finalised, Rod arranged it and has continued to refine it and add to it between each performance, seeking to balance the different forces involved, and to combine detail with emotional honesty.

Starting with an unaccompanied choral “ Requiem “ in the English choral tradition, the music moves through sophisticated rock songs and pieces using a variety of forces, before resolving itself in a huge “Rex Tremendae” involving all the performers, and a gentle “ Sanctus “. The mixed Latin and English words together with a spoken narration between pieces and, occasionally, within them, provides the unifying image.

Reviewers and performers have agreed that a Requiem is successful in achieving an unusually affecting synthesis. The different forces allow extremes of light and shade; from whispered chanting to moments of “ overwhelming power “. A reviewer of the first performance described it as “ an outstanding achievement...a well-structured work which successfully fused its diverse traditions.”

in a darkness indivisible THE LIBRETTO that settles on our world.

1. REQUIEM Kyrie eleison, For the things we did. The things we did Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine: not do. et lux perpetua luceat eis. For the words we said and the words Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison left unsaid.

And may they lie in eternal sleep, Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, in the darkness that closed round them. for the feelings we showed and those In a silence that is total, we tried to hide. they walked the darkest road. Christe eleison. We will hold them in our memory At the start of the longest highway, though we have no hope of meeting, obscured by thoughts and fears. We do not know its ending.

We wait with little hope. Anger licks at the dark red sea.

Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie Thunder rolling in the clouds. eleison. Lightning striking through the rain. This road's a black and angry place. Reader The air as hot as a furnace blast.

Let us consider two journeys. One of Dies irae, Dies illa, them takes place in absolute darkness. Solvet saeclum in favilla. We can know nothing about the Teste David cum Sybilla. progress of our dead loved ones. They Dies, Dies illa. are beyond our sight; beyond our touch; beyond our imagination - Quantus tremor est futurus beyond even our deepest love. The Quando judex est venturus second journey is our own and it is, for Cuncta stricte discussurus! much of its length, too real, too vivid. At Dies, Dies illa. its beginning we feel there is no ending. We look down the road; it disappears We try to change the way things go. over the horizon. We look at it numbly, We try to put our fear to sleep. knowing only that something is wrong: This dream's a red and dreadful place. a chair is empty; the key does not click We wake to find no mercy. in the lock at the expected time; there is one less person at the table. A Dies irae, Dies illa. question hangs in the air." This is our Solvet saeclum in favilla. journey. The longest journey is the Teste David cum Sybilla. journey within."1 Dies, Dies illa.

2. ORGAN VOLUNTARY 4. LACRYMOSA

Reader Lacrymosa dies illa, Qua resurget ex favilla, We may not even know that our Judicandus homo reus. journey has begun, we feel so Dies illa. distanced from our former concerns. Huic ergo parce Deus. But the numbness melts gradually as Pie Jesu Domine, questions intrude on us: What did he do Dona eis requiem. that he should suffer this? Why did she have to die when there are so many We cry for those who go before. who deserve death? Why have I been We cry for those who surely follow. left alone? Why? We cry as blind as new-born infants. We cry as blind as sad old men. And when there is no answer to these questions we feel a sudden anger. Bring them back, bring them back, "Anger would inflict punishment on let him walk through the door, another; meanwhile it tortures itself."2 let her sit in her favourite chair. In those hot moments we look at the Bring him back, bring her back; world and it is hateful to us. Better that it we look to the garden be torn down, that the stars should fall and hope to see them there. from the sky than we witness laughter, enjoyment, the everyday business of We cry for us, who stay behind. living - continue when the person that We cry for our empty rooms. we love is dead. We cry, knowing we must follow them. We cry until we see no more. 3. DIES IRAE Bring them back, bring them back, Earth is cracking at our feet. let him walk through the door, Stars are falling through the sky. let her sit in her favourite chair. The night's a dark and dreadful place. Bring him back, bring her back; we look to the garden Remember the sick and remember the and hope to see them there. healthy, who stood where the daylight ends. Huic ergo parce Deus, Pie Jesu Domine, Who passed the checkpoint smiling. Dona requiem Who passed the border in pain. Who hoped for another meeting, Reader but were never welcomed again.

Our anger is cooled by tears, shed for Recordare, Jesu pie, the loved one, and for ourselves. Then juste judex ultionis, a calmer mood settles and we begin to Tantus labor non sit cassus. remember. Sometimes we do it deliberately; sometimes it takes us Remember our mother, remember our unawares as we sit at home, travel to father, work, listen to music, meet with friends. who walk in another place. We remember a holiday; a shared joke; Whose absence is so total. a characteristic gesture. Sometimes we Whose deaths cannot be faced. cry. And we remember that the dead are Whose lives have formed a circle. still travelling towards some unknown Whose lives have no refrain. destination. We think of them wherever Whose lives have measured our own they are. Our memories walk beside lives. them, their silent companions. Who began and ended in pain. "Forgetfulness leads to exile, while remembrance is the secret of Recordare, Jesu pie, redemption " 3 juste judex ultionis, Tantus labor non sit cassus. Let me walk to daylight's end. Dreams will neither make nor mend 6. OFFERTORIO cracks that mar this well-known place. I think of you and your quiet grace. Reader: Deliver them from death's appetite. May they never be Let me not fall in despair swallowed and perish. We offer standing by your favourite chair, sacrifice and prayers longing for your tired face. mixing our prayers with songs of praise. I think of you and your quiet grace. Domine Jesu Christe, rex gloriae, libera Absence makes the mind lose track; animas omnium fidelium defunctorum hearts retain what thinking lacks. de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu. The sudden shock of memory's trace. I think of you and your quiet grace. Tu suscipe pro animabus illis, quarum hodie memoriam facimus, fac eas, Houses crumble, cities change: Domine. my own past - transmuted, strange. I sink in sand without a base. Libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat I think of you and your quiet grace. eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum.

Viewing such with gentle smiles - Libera animas omnium fidelium clicking clocks, smooth sundials. defunctorum de poenis inferni et de Ignoring the consuming race. profundo lacu, de morte transire ad I think of you and your quiet grace. vitam.

5. RECORDARE Domine Jesu Christe, rex gloriae, libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum Remember our mothers, remember our de poenis inferni et de profundo lacu. fathers, remember our childhood friends.

Reader Some men have a dream of the world Our world begins to move from Winter and break the real world to make their to a slow and painful Spring. We can dream real. see some sort of ending to our journey. Some men the world is botched Suddenly, at the close of a busy day and set out to destroy it. we find that we have not thought of Some men take the world as it is - him or her once. We are frantic with watch it, walk it, touch it, show it, guilt. We clutch at grief to punish as close as their skill allows. ourselves but it no longer wounds us the They approach the world with way it did. Our remembrance may gentleness, seem short-lived; but our loved ones loving their families and sweet desserts, lived and worked in the world, which avoiding arguments and hurt. bear their traces forever. " I shall remember while the light lives In looking at it through new eyes we yet understand that " Any man's death And in the night-time I shall not forget." 4 diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind and therefore never send to 7. LUX AETERNA know for whom the bell tolls."5

Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum 8. INTROIT TO AGNUS DEI sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es Instrumental Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Amen 9. AGNUS DEI

May eternal light shine down on us Agnus dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, from the sky, where bright jewels hang. dona eis requiem Light that will not fade shine down on those Some are lambs. Some are lions. who walk the darkest road. Protect the lambs from the lions and the lions from themselves. May the light shine down forever as we travel with our dreams. Agnus dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, May it shine on light and space and dona eis requiem sea as we make the journey that never Some are judges. Some are victims. ends. Let the judges fail in their certainty and the prisoners grow in your mercy. Reader: The light will not be extinguished. Agnus dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, Our dreams will not be lost. dona eis requiem Though the journey is long and weary, the land is rough, the sea storm-tossed. Some are dead. Some are living. May the dead walk on to their Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum dwellings. sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es The living see them arrive.

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, Agnus dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Amen dona eis requiem.

Reader Reader

The world remembers. Its memory holds We are not here to lie to each other, to all that was most dear to us about give too easy consolation. As we fall those who no longer walk in its asleep, we sit up, suddenly awake, landscape, who now walk somewhere remembering our lack of charity, else. unfinished business, the misunderstanding that was never resolved. And walking down the street Bless the man who gives up actions, we realise that society continues, that except the quiet caress. men's affairs have not been knocked off their axis. We still do not know our Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, loved ones destination, but if their for wanting too much, for giving too journey is to mean something, if it is not little. to disappear like frost on the window when the Spring finally arrives, we need Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, more than memory: we need to look for speaking too loud and drowning the plainly at what is around us. We must silence. learn from the qualities that caused us to love that person in the first place - his Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, gentleness, her sympathy, his lack of we wait in peace and see without self-righteousness, her charity, his wanting. learning, her strength. And perhaps there is a sense, even for those who Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, never felt it before or believed it was we ask your mercy for all those who possible, that there is a power to have need. accomplish these great, good ends. And that this power is greater than we Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison. can imagine... Rex tremendae majestatis. Qui salvandos salvae gratis. 10. REX TREMENDAE Salva me, fons pietatis.

Rex tremendae majestatis, Reader Qui salvandos salvas gratis, Salva me, fons pietatis. Darkness is defeated. Borders are destroyed. Wounds heal. Great effort Power in the splitting atom. leads to great peace. Love will Death in glass containers. overcome reason for " Many waters Weapons crouched in silos. cannot quench love, neither can floods Energy singing in the wires. drown it."6 In all these scenes we have been Thoughts turned into actions. seeing partial truths, distorted images. Slipping into war. Now we can see the complete, Aircraft on the skyline. dazzling picture. Crackling in the air. " One short step past, we wake eternally Bless the King who gives up power, save And death shall be no more: Death, the power of peace. thou shalt die."7 Bless the King who gives up weapons In this strange hour of hope and and arms himself with love. hopelessness we turn a corner on our path and see another path joing it. At Fire in the thoughts of strangers. the junction stands a familiar figure. We Wireless signals cutting sky. are face to face. In our journey we Time in liquid crystal. have learned that a love that cannot Stars in night skies die. be returned - because death stands in the way - is never wasted, never Streams in polluted oceans. pointless: it can change us in a way we Food in tumbled mountains. never thought possible. This is the loved Dust on children’s faces. ones gift to us. Desolation in the air. And we have learnt lessons about death. " It matters not how a man dies, A body under blankets. but how he lives. The act of dying is not A silent look of fear. of importance..." 8 And also: " Death is The body slowly melting. but crossing the world, as Friends do the Crying in the night. sea; they live in one another still." 9

as we hold them again. Two journeys come together: ours is well-known, the other is a true mystery. Already here beside us, But we can never be parted after this in touch, in heart, in sight. final meeting. At the end of a long weary journey. Looking up at the new sunlight. 11. SANCTUS At the end of the long dark journey, Sanctus Dominus, Deus Sabaoth in the warmth of the new sunlight. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua Hosanna in excelsis Hosanna in excelsis Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua Requiem Libretto c 1993, Revisions c Hosanna in excelsis 1994, 2001 Ian Florance, All Rights Reserved The blue sky, specked with flying shapes. The dark sea, flecked with shadowed Quotations forms. 1 We walk upon an emerald carpet. Dag Hammarskjold; 2 Publilius Syrus; The grey mountains, the brown tall 3 Baal Shev Tov; trees, 4 Algernon Charles Swinburne; the deep valleys, the golden plains. 5 John Donne; 6 We walk among the sun-drugged The Song Of Solomon; 7 John Donne; flowers 8 Samuel Johnson; 9 William Penn Hosanna in excelsis Translations

The thin streams, frothing over stones. These are rough translations of the quotations The horseshoe wood, dozing on a hill. from the Latin Requiem used in this libretto: We walk along the evening beach. The fast people, lit by quick speech. Requiem: Grant them rest forever, Lord, and may eternal light shine upon them. The deep minds, filled with curled Dies Irae: Day of anger, day of fear. All shall thoughts. crumble into ashes. David's prophecy was that We walk on the breast of a mountain. they will tremble in fear when the judge shall come and search their souls. Lacrymosa: It will be a day of bitter tears when Hosanna in excelsis man rises from the ashes; doomed to judgement, lost and guilty. Jesus Christ our Lord, pity your The highest places, cold in the sun. servant then and grant us your peace. The deepest rock, boiling at the core. Recordare: Remember gentle Jesus, just and honourable judge. Don't let our labours be for We walk under canopies of stars. nothing. The cool zones, under heavy rain. Offertorio: Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, free the The frozen poles, hard as thunder. souls of the faithful from Hell's torments and from We walk among all this life. the silent pit. Receive our prayers for the souls we commemorate today. Allow them to pass from death into eternal life. Oh Lord, deliver them from Hosanna in excelsis the lion's mouth. Don't let them be swallowed by hell and perish in its darkness. Oh Lord, free the Sanctus Dominus, Deus Sabaoth souls of the faithful from hell's torments and from the silent pit, so that they can move from death to Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua eternal life. Hosanna in excelsis Lux Aeterna: May light shine eternally on them Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini and your saints, Lord, for you are just and good. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua Agnus Dei: Lamb of God, who bears the world's sins, give us peace. Hosanna in excelsis Rex Tremendae: Great king, source of mercy who saves the repentant, save me. Reader: Remember my mother, your Sanctus: Holy, holy, holy. Lord God of Sabaoth. father. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord. Heaven Whose love was not in vain. and earth are full of your glory. Hosannah in the Whose going is now a becoming highest.

THE PERFORMERS AND WRITERS Playhouse and our own National Theatre Studio.

PRUNELLA SCALES Prunella is a frequent broadcaster and

Prunella Scales recitalist, and gives workshops at the trained at the Old Actors’ Centre and in various drama Vic Theatre School schools. She was made a CBE in 1992. and at the Herbert Berghof Studio (with Uta Hagen) in New Laura Bursey

York. She has Laura was born in performed in repertory at Huddersfield, Dorset and studied , Salisbury, Oxford and the at Royal Holloway , and in season at College, University of Stratford-upon-Avon, Chichester , before Festival Theatre and the Old Vic continuing Theatre Company in London. postgraduate studies with Barbara

She recently toured in The External by Bonney and Lillian Watson. She has Robert Clark and The Cherry Orchard given recitals for Dorset Music Festival, for English Touring Theatre. Plays on Paddington Green Music Club, Linton the London stage include the Promise, Music Festival and Music in Quiet Hayfever, The Wolf, Breezeblock Places and a series of recitals with Park,What the Butler Saw, Make and Crispin Steel Perkins in Bridport, Oxford Break, The Merchant of Venice, An and Cambridge.

Evening with , She has sung with the English Concert Quatermaine’s Terms, When We Are under Andrew Manze, performing at Married, The Birthday Party, A Day in the Spitalfields Festival, The BBC Proms the Death of Joe Egg, and A Walk Too and on tour in Germany. Her operatic Far. At the National Theatre, engagements have included Belinda appearances include Single Spies, The in Purcell’s ‘Dido and Aeneas’ for School for Scandal and A Long Day’s Burghley Opera, Susanna in ‘Le Nozze Journey into Night and most recently di Figaro’ and Emilia in Handel’s at the Haymarket Theatre in A Woman ‘Flavio’ for Oxenforrd Opera. of No Importance.

Television includes The Merry Wives of This season’s and future engagements Windsor, A Wife like the Moon, Outside include Handel’s Messiah in Edge, Grand Duo, , Cambridge, Sherbourne and Absurd Person Singular, Mapp & Lucia, Christchurch, Bach’s Christmas Doris and Doreen, When We Are Oratorio and Magnificat in Germany Married, What the Butler Saw, The with the English Concert and Andrew Index Has Gone Fishing, Beyond the Manze, and Haydn, Rossini and Mozart Pale, After Henry, The Rector’s Wife, in France with the Xerxes Ensemble. Signs and Wonders, Searching, Station Jim, Silent Witness and most recently Looking for Victoria. Heather Cairncross

Her latest film is The Ghost of Greville Heather regularly Lodge and others include Howard’s performs as a soloist End, Second Best, Wolf, An Awfully Big with most major Adventure, Stiff Upper Lips and An international Ideal Husband. ensembles ranging from Pierre Boulez and She has directed plays at the Bristol the Chicago Old Vic, The Arts Theatre Cambridge, Symphony in Tokyo through to Steve the Billingham Forum, the Nottingham Reich and Musicians at the Lincoln Playhouse, the Palace Theatre Centre in New York. Watford, the National Theatre of Western Australia, The West Yorkshire She has taken part in over thirty Kanazawa, and again with the Swedish performances of Berio’s Sinfonia, most Chamber Orchestra; a Euopean tour of notably with the BBC Symphony Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion, singing Orchestra, the Boston Symphony and the arias with John Elliot Gardiner and the Concertgebau Orchestra in the Monteverdi Choir; Bach’s Christmas Amsterdam with Berio himself Oratorio in Jerusalem, Ramallah and conducting. Heather has also Bethlehem with the Choir of London; appeared in the world premiere of his the US premiere of John Tavener’s The opera Outis at La Scala, Milan. Veil of the Temple at the Lincoln Center in New York; a live broadcast on BBC Much in demand as a session singer, Radio 3 of Leighton’s cantata for tenor Heather’s solo film recordings include and choir Crucifixus; Britten’s Serenade From Hell, Gangs of New York, Bless the for Tenor, Horn and Strings with Andrew Child, The voice of The Siren in The Manze and the Swedish Chamber Talented Mr Ripley, and the singing Orchestra in Sweden; Elgar’s the voice of Miranda Richardson’s witch in Apostles with the Royal Choral Society Danny Elfman’s film, Sleepy Hollow. and the Philharmonia in Canterbury Just a few of her many other film Cathedral and the Messiah in the Royal credits include Harry Potter, Lord of the Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall and Rings, Star Wars, The Da Vinci Code, most recently in the Forbidden City Moulin Rouge and Shrek. Concert Hall, Beijing. He has given a recital with the Haydn Akademie in In 2006, Heather has appeared as a Schloss Esterhazy. soloist with Trevor Pinnock, LA Philharmonic, LSO, St Louis Symphony, On stage he has performed the role of The English Concert, and notably with Ferrando in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte for Steve Reich and Musicians at the Classical Opera Company on tour Carnegie Hall, New York and in Italy and in Saddler’s Wells, at the th worldwide to celebrate his 70 RCM, with Opera East Productions and birthday. with British Youth Opera. Other roles include Alessandro in Re Pastore with For further details, contact her website: the Classical Opera Company; Male www.altovoice.com Chorus in Britten’s Rape of Lucretia at the Benjamin Britten International Opera School; Schoolmaster in Janacek’s The Andrew Staples Cunning Little Vixen for Opera East

Andrew Staples was Productions; Aret in Haydn’s Philemon a chorister at St und Baucis for the 2003 Haydn Festival in Paul’s Cathedral, a Schloss Esterhazy in Eisenstadt, Austria, Music Scholar at conducted by Trevor Pinnock. In Eton College, a concert he has sung Don Ottavio in a Choral Scholar at King’s and John’s concert performance of Don Giovanni Colleges, Cambridge and then held the in the Fairfiled Halls with Andrew Parrott inaugural Peter Pears Scholar at the and the London Mozart Players. He Benjamin Britten International Opera appeared with Ian Page and the School at the Royal College of Music. Classical Opera Company in scenes He was a Wingate Scholar and last year from Mozart and Haydn operas at the won the Song prizes in the Kathleen Barbican and the Wigmore Hall. Ferrier and the Richard Tauber singing competitions. He learns with Ryland Future performances include the world Davies. and US premiere of Sir Paul McCartney’s Ecce cor meum at the Royal Albert and Andrew’s recent engagements have Carnegie Halls. He will perform with the included Mozart’s C Minor Mass with the Hungarian Symphony in Madrid singing Swedish Radio and Daniel Harding; Mozart’s Die Maurerfreude and with Bruckner’s Te Deum with Bernard Harding and the Swedish Radio in Haitink; a tour of Mozart’s Requiem in Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Peri. Japan with the Orchestra Ensemble He makes his Royal Opera House,

Covent Garden debut in 2007 with the including the British premiere of Heloise role of Jaquino in Fidelio. at Southwark Cathedral in 2000.

He began his musical life as a chorister Juliet Russell at St. Paul’s Cathedral and gained his Diploma of the ARCO while still at As a singer and school. He won two organ , Juliet scholarships to Wells Cathedral and has performed and subsequently, Canterbury Cathedral, toured her music before winning an organ scholarship to throughout the UK Jesus College, Cambridge, in 1987, and has worked from which he graduated with an MA internationally, (Hons) in Music and 1990. including in Mumbai, India, at the invitation of renowned Bollywood During his time at Cambridge, he composer Aadesh Shrivastava. Her toured and broadcast with the Chapel role as an Artistic Director of Sense of Choirs and on leaving, he continued Sound, the company she co-founded his choral work as accompanist to the in 1992, has led her to work extensively Central Singers, winners of the 1991 in the commercial and community Sainsbury’s Choir of the Year music sectors, as an artist and a competition. creative facilitator. As a session vocalist, Juliet has performed Since 1998, he has been working as a alongside George Michael, Elton John, freelance musician in the Ray Lamontagne and Atomic Kitten Northamptonshire area, teaching, and as a vocal coach she has worked accompanying and giving recitals. He with many established artists, including is a Fellow of the Royal College of X-Factor finalist, Andy Abraham, Organists but has a wide musical taste. Mercury Prize nominee M.I.A and He has a love of jazz and plays actors from ’s award keyboards in a band, which reached winning drama ‘As If’. the finals of the BBC Big Band competition. One of her passions is to encourage people to explore and enjoy their Outside music, he has diverse tastes, voices through accessible and high enjoying table tennis, juggling and quality music experiences and as part gliding – although not necessarily all at of Sense of Sound, she has established the same time! numerous projects and courses to achieve this. Juliet has a Masters degree in Music Performance and has David Beavan lectured at many renowned music colleges including Trinity College of David has Music, Goldsmiths College, Thames performed a very Valley University and Vocaltech. She is wide range of music currently writing and performing her both as a singer and own music and has recently released conductor. At an independent EP, which is available Cambridge, he was a choral scholar through at Jesus College and conducted the www.myspace.com/julietrussellmusic choir of the University Church, Great St. and www.senseofsound.net Mary’s. Performing and recording with the Swingle Singers throughout Europe, the USA, Australia and the Far East Andrew King developed his interest in many different styles and periods of music. Andrew King has been accompanist He continues to sing as a soloist and as to the Market Harborough Singers a consort singer with the Hilliard since the mid 1990’s and has Ensemble and Pro Cantione Antiqua. performed in several premieres of Rod and Kendal’s works since then,

As a conductor, he directed the Ian Florance runs a business choral society of Westfield College, consultancy, is visiting lecturer at St London and became conductor of Martins College of Art and Design and the Market Harborough Singers in 1985, is a performance poet. the Blackfriars Singers in 1987 and in 1990 formed a group of young In addition to A Requiem, the team has professional singers, Serenata Voices, written: The Song of St Francis, a who perform, broadcast and record children’s oratorio; Veni Creator Spiritus music which reflects his wide range of and the musical drama, Heloise. musical experience. For a number of Ways of Escape, an evening of poetry years, he has assisted Trevor Pinnock as and original songs, was premiered at the manager of the Choir of the the Windsor Fringe Festival. They have a English Concert and continues to do so back catalogue of nearly 200 songs. with Andrew Manze. He also works frequently with many groups in Europe Kendal has written two Christmas carols and the USA. for the Market Harborough Singers and Rod and Kendal provided incidental David has advised and championed music for an open-air performance of the Kirkland / Iliffe / Florance writing Shakespeare’s As You Like It. They team over a number of projects wrote the music for the Harborough including A Requiem and their Mysteries in 2000 and again in 2005. innovative musical Heloise. They also provide music for ‘Christ in the Centre, an annual Passion Play performed on Good Friday in Leicester City Centre since 2003, which this year drew a crowd of 9,000 people.

Ian has published Dreams and Responsibilities: Selected Poems. He is Henley-on-Thames’ unofficial Poet Laureate.

Kendal’s book for children, ‘The Canine Commandments’, written in an effort to prevent dogs having to bite people and illustrated by Victor Ambrus, is to Kendal Kirkland, Rod Iliffe and Ian be published at Christmas. Florance – Linden Arts For further information about Linden Kendal Kirkland has sung in a number of Arts, contact Kendal Kirkland on 01933- choirs and between 1991 and 1996 was 681393. lead singer and composer in the rock band Alter Ego which established a solid reputation playing in the Midlands, Market Harborough Singers the South Coast and London. Her own alter ego is a day job as veterinary The Market Harborough Singers was surgeon and animal behaviour initially formed by Barry Clark some 30 counsellor and she has recently years ago. From its early years as a become the first UK veterinary surgeon predominantly competitive choir, the to be accredited as a Certified Clinical group has expanded its repertoire to Animal Behaviourist. include a vast range of music from medieval to modern, classical choral Rod Iliffe works as a music teacher and to contemporary rock and pop, full also MD for a number of theatre and scale oratorios to folk songs. Current musical companies in the Midlands. He repertoire includes not only the was keyboard player in Alter Ego. Requiem for rock band and choir that you will hear tonight but also Brahms’

German Requiem and sacred and secular part songs.

Competitive successes have included BBC Radio 3’s Let the People Sing, The Sainsbury’s BBC TV Choir of the Year, the Debreccen Choral Festival in Hungary and the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales. In addition, other foreign tours have included two trips to Prague plus concerts in the USA and Canada, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and of course all over the British Isles. The choir’s most recent overseas tour was to Poland which encompassed a short recital 300 feet below ground in a magnificent chamber in a salt mine, as well as concerts in the centre of Kracow. Last year the choir took up residence at Brecon Cathedral to sing the choral services over a long weekend.

Based in Leicestershire, the choir draws its membership more widely but returns to its homeland for a traditional Christmas concert each year. This takes the form of a programme of words and music with a guest reader. Such guests have, over the years, included Martin Jarvis, and Simon Russell Beale. Christmas has been a theme throughout this year as during the summer, the choir were joined by Jennifer Partridge and Andrew King to record a new Christmas CD. For this, the seasonal readings were performed by and Prunella Scales. We are therefore naturally delighted to welcome Prunella Scales again this evening.

The choir is also delighted to be at St Alfege tonight. Chris Moody sang with the choir in Market Harborough for many years and we couldn’t resist his invitation to sing in these magnificent surroundings.

For more information about the choir, concerts, recording or membership, contact Tim Blades on 01858-432858 or visit www.marketharboroughsingers.co.uk