NEW RELEASE INFORMATION

REQUIEM ÆTERNAM

CHRISTINE RICE, MEZZO-SOPRANO , , TRISTAN MITCHARD, ORGAN THE CHOIR OF SOMERVILLE COLLEGE, OXFORD DAVID CROWN, CONDUCTOR

CD RELEASE DATE: 17 September 2012

This is the debut release from one of Oxford’s most exciting and up-and-coming choirs – that of Somerville College. Under the leadership of its musical director, David Crown, the disc highlights the group’s youthful vibrancy and adventurous repertoire, pairing the familiar Duruflé Requiem with Milford’s Mass for five voices, both of which were composed in 1947.

For the Durufle Requiem, which was recorded in the stunning acoustic of Douai Abbey with its excellent Kenneth Tickell organ played by organ scholar Tristan Mitchard, the choir was joined by internationally-renowned soloists Christine Rice, Mark Stone and Guy Johnston. The beautiful Milford Mass for five voices receives its world-première recording, performed in the choir’s college chapel.

These two pieces not only demonstrate the versatility of the Somerville Choir, but also provide a thought-provoking juxtaposition of the different approaches to neo-classicism in post-war choral music. Crown’s work since his recent appointment at Somerville College has seen the choir go from strength to strength, to the point where it is now one of the most impressive young vocal ensembles in Oxford.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM "From the very first piece, the 22 mixed voices of Somerville College Choir evoked an atmosphere of high spirituality”, Il Citadino

"We were rolled over not only by the robust and gorgeous tone of this choir, but also by the superb attacks and deeply expressive singing.”, Dr John Bertalot

CONTINUES OVERLEAF

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark Stone at Stone Records Ltd Tel: 07595 534350 Email: [email protected] NEW RELEASE INFORMATION

BIOGRAPHIES Christine Rice is one of the leading British mezzo-sopanos of her generation. A regular performer at the major European houses including Covent Garden, Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Frankfurt Opera, Teatro Real Madrid and , she has built a reputation both as a singing actress and a Handelian of the highest order.

Mark Stone has performed for Covent Garden, , ENO, WNO, , Milan, , , Royal Opera Stockholm Philadelphia and Santa Fe. In concert he has appeared with the Berlin Rundfunk Orchestra, Danish Radio Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Galicia Symphony Orchestra, Oviedo Symphony Orchestra and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra.

Guy Johnston is one of the leading British cellists of his generation. Performance include the Elgar Concerto at the First Night of the BBC Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Brahms Double Concerto in the Philharmonie with the DSO Berlin, Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations with the St. Petersburg State Capella Orchestra and Elgar with the Osaka Philharmonic/Otaka in Tokyo.

Tristan Mitchard was the organ scholar at Somerville College, Oxford and is now a pop singer- songwriter, hailed by GT Magazine as ‘one of the hottest young talents in the world‘. Since graduating he has performed in all the world’s continents except for Antarctica.

The Choir of Somerville College, Oxford is considered to be one of the best mixed-voice choirs in the university. It has sung at many of the great cathedrals in the UK and has toured Germany, Italy and North-West in recent years, to great acclaim. They are the only collegiate choir to have been invited to the Writing for Voices project – part of the Britten in Oxford 2013 festival.

David Crown was a choral scholar at King’s College, Cambridge and a successful professional singer before embarking on his conducting career. He is Director of Music at Somerville College, Oxford, and Music Director of the Reading Phoenix Choir, the Oxford Singers and the Wychwood Chorale. www.stonerecords.co.uk

ENDS

Artists: Christine Rice (mezzo-soprano), Mark Stone (baritone), Guy Johnston (cello), Tristan Mitchard (organ), The Choir of Somerville College, Oxford, David Crown (conductor) Disc: Requiem æternam Label: Stone Records Catalogue number/barcode: 5060192780208 Release date: 17 September 2012 Track listing: 1. Duruflé Requiem - Introït 2. Duruflé Requiem - Kyrie 3. Duruflé Requiem - Domine Jesu Christe 4. Duruflé Requiem - Sanctus 5. Duruflé Requiem - Pie Jesu 6. Duruflé Requiem - Agnus Dei 7. Duruflé Requiem - Lux aeterna 8. Duruflé Requiem - Libera me 9. Duruflé Requiem - In Paradisum 10. Milford Mass for five voices - Kyrie eleison* 11. Milford Mass for five voices - Gloria in excelsis* 12. Milford Mass for five voices – Credo* 13. Milford Mass for five voices – Sanctus* 14. Milford Mass for five voices – Benedictus* 15. Milford Mass for five voices - Agnus Dei* *première recordings

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark Stone at Stone Records Ltd Tel: 07595 534350 Email: [email protected]