A concert weekend to mark the joint work of Bishop David Sheppard and Archbishop Derek Worlock
The London Oratory School Schola is coming to Liverpool for a weekend in September by special invitation. One of the country's leading liturgical and commercial boys' choirs, it has been invited by Liverpool Hope University to give a concert to mark the joint work of the two bishops.
On Saturday 13th September, at 7.30pm, in From Handel to Hope, the Schola will perform an evening of English Choral Music at The Cornerstone. The choir will be accompanied by an orchestra of local musicians, mostly from The Liverpool Philharmonic. To be held at The Cornerstone, Hope at Everton, Shaw Street, Liverpool. Tickets on sale at the box office at Shaw Street - open Mon - Fri 1000 - 1600. Tel. 0151 291 3578. Tickets £10, concessions £7 (Friends of the Schola £8 - from the Schola Music Office 0207 381 7684).
The highly acclaimed Schola is directed by Lee Ward, himself a Liverpudlian (see more below). The Schola’s weekend visit will be very much in the ecumenical spirit for which the two bishops were so well known: in addition to the Saturday night concert, the Schola will perform at both cathedrals:
11am Sunday 14th September 2008: incorporated into the Mass liturgy, there will be a joint performance by the Schola and the Metropolitan Cathedral Choir of Westminster Mass by Roxanna Panufnik, a beautiful and haunting work (chamber setting). To be held at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool. Tel. 0151 708 7283 www.liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk. Entry free.
3pm Sunday 14th September 2008: as part of Evensong, the Schola and Liverpool Cathedral Choir will give a joint performance of Hail Gladdening Light (Charles Wood); Howells' Westminster Service; Te lucis ante terminum (Balfour/Gardiner). To be held at Liverpool Cathedral, St James' Mount, Liverpool. Tel. 0151 709 6271 www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk. Entry free.
Interesting links with Liverpool: The Schola has many links with Liverpool. The Director of the Schola is Lee Ward: dynamic and creative, he was born and bred in Liverpool and started his career under the guidance of Ian Tracey, organist at Liverpool Cathedral.
There are a number of choristers in the Schola whose parents come from Liverpool, including the grandsons of Bishop Sheppard himself. Further, a current member of the Metropolitan Choir is a former Oratory School pupil and Schola chorister.
Background to the Schola: One of the country's leading liturgical and commercial choirs, it consists of 55 voices. The Schola was founded in 1996 to give a rigorous choral education to Catholic boys in the maintained sector. The London Oratory School Junior House is the only state school in the country that offers such a unique opportunity to boys from as young as seven.
In just over a decade, the Schola has established itself as one of the top boys' choirs in the country. They sing the Saturday vigil mass weekly at the London Oratory Church covering a sophisticated repertoire. Recent tours include Prague, Krakow and Rome and in July they will travel to Siena to open the prestigious Incontri Festival 2008.
Recent recordings include the double platinum award winning soundtracks of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, American artist Faith Hill's Christmas album and the Icelandic musician Sigur Ross at the famous Abbey Road Studios.
The Schola exists to bring fabulous music to new and old audiences alike, both Catholic and non-Catholic, in a vibrant range of concerts and recitals. For more information, please visit http://www.london-oratory.org/schola/
