Performances in August 2020

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St John’s Smith Square

Canon and Invention

Tuesday 4 August 2020 at 8.00 PM

Join us online for our performance as part of St John’s Smith Square’s Digital Exchange project. Our programme explores the roots of fugue in musical canons from Italy, featuring works by Ockeghem, Josquin and Mouton. Broadcast details will be published via our social media channels.

We recorded this concert live last week to an audience of 25 people. This was a trial organised by DCMS and thankfully the findings were positive. Although the return to live performance with audiences has been delayed, our event was a useful stepping stone on the road to recovery.

JAM on the Marsh

Passion and Polyphony

Friday 7 August 2020 at 7.30 PM | Find out more

Exploring a relationship between old and new, playful and profound, The Gesualdo Six present an exhibition of some of the finest vocal consort works from renaissance and modern-day composers.

The ensemble have become renowned for their stagecraft, and the church of St Leonard’s in Hythe provides a unique canvas for this programme.

Fauré Requiem

Friday 14 August 2020 at 7.30 PM | Find out more

A concert of music and readings for all affected by Covid-19. The Fauré Requiem with new readings by poet Grahame Davies commissioned for this event by JAM on the Marsh.

The Gesualdo Six
London Mozart Players
Simon Hogan, organ
Owain Park, conductor

BBC Choral Evensong

Wednesday 19 August at 3.30 PM | Find out more

We have commissioned Kerensa Briggs to compose a psalm chant for our appearance on BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong on Wednesday 19 August at 3.30pm. Listen to her work alongside music by William Byrd and Piers Kennedy, plus the first performance of Night Prayer by Owain Park.

Live from London

Saturday 29 August 2020 at 7.00 PM | Find out more

We are delighted to be taking part in a new online vocal festival, Live from London, which features some of the world’s finest vocal ensembles.

Bristol Concerts this September

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We are delighted to be returning to Bristol to give two concerts at All Saints Clifton on Saturday 19 September 2020 at 3pm and 7pm.

We have chosen some of our favourite pieces to perform, including well-loved works from our repertoire alongside new pieces discovered over the past few months.

Taking our cue from other organisations planning similar events and in line with current guidelines, both concerts are for a small and distanced audience. Ticket prices reflect this, although reduced rates are available.

Audience members will be required to wear masks apart from those who are exempt.

Tickets are available by request only. Please use this form to request your tickets.

The safety of all who attend—audience, artists and stewards—is our top priority.

Request Tickets

Call for Graphic Scores

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‪The Hermes Experiment are inviting composers to submit graphic scores for premiere in collaboration with The Gesualdo Six this Autumn.

They are looking for pieces linked to reconnection and new beginnings.

Email hermesexperiment@gmail.com or tweet @TheHExperiment by 15 September at 5pm. 

The winner will be announced on 17 September 2020.

#LondonSoundGallery

The Hermes Experiment

Find out more about our 2016 Composition Competition.

Find out more about our 2019 Composition Competition.

BBC Choral Evensong

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We sang a service of Choral Evensong live on BBC Radio 3 from St Martin-in-the-Fields on Wednesday 19 August at 3.30pm.

Many of us grew up singing Choral Evensong at churches around the UK and it was wonderful to bring these shared experiences together.

The psalms were specially adapted for this service, beginning with plainchant tones that were arranged by Owain Park. We commissioned Kerensa Briggs to compose a new anglican chant for Psalm 101.

We are grateful to the BBC for inviting us to be part of this series – some of the first live broadcasts since March 2020.

Music List

Introit: Night Prayer (Owain Park) – first performance
Responses: Piers Kennedy
Psalms 98, 99, 100, 101 (Plainchant arr. Owain Park, Kerensa Briggs)
First Lesson: Isaiah 45 vv.1-7
Canticles: Fauxbourdon Setting (William Byrd)
Second Lesson: Ephesians 4 vv.1-16
Anthem: Quemadmodum (John Taverner)
Prayer anthem: O Lord, support us (Henrietta Moran) 
Voluntary: Benedictus sit Deus Pater (Thomas Preston)

Owain Park (Director)
Ben Giddens (Organist)

Listen again until 16 September 2020

Hear works by Byrd and Taverner on our debut album, English Motets

Post-evensong photo taken from the pulpit
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Fauré Requiem – JAM on the Marsh

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For the next month-or-so you can catch-up with our performance of the Fauré Requiem with a slightly-expanded team and the wonderful London Mozart Players, filmed as-live from JAM on the Marsh in St. Leonard’s Church in Hythe. It was a wonderful experience for us to be able to gather together to perform this justly-famous work interspersed with beautiful new poems read by Welsh poet Grahame Davies.

#singwithG6: Rheinberger’s Abendlied

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Now it’s your turn! For our first #singwithG6 we have chosen one of our favourite pieces: a sacred motet by Josef Rheinberger which the composer first penned in 1855 at the age of 15. It is perhaps his most famous choral work, which looks backward to the great sacred music of the Renaissance.

We recorded this piece from our separate homes during isolation and hope you will enjoy singing along from yours!

Download the sheet music here

Text and translations

Bleib bei uns,
denn es will Abend werden,
und der Tag hat sich geneiget.

Bide with us,
for evening shadows darken,
and the day will soon be over.

Resta con noi,
poiché viene la sera,
e il giorno volge al termine.

Read more about the composer here

Listen to more works inspired by dusk on our third album, Fading

Explore more #singwithG6 projects on YouTube

Music at the Tower

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On Saturday 1 August, we will be performing our first open-air concert since lockdown as part of ‘Music at the Tower’.

The series is an impromptu summer festival started by Mary Bevan MBE and William Thomas, held at the beautiful surroundings of St Mary’s Tower, Hornsey. The aim is to create opportunities for local performers and bring live classical music back after its enforced hibernation.

From Music at the Tower

Expect a magical atmosphere in the beautiful surroundings of the Garden of Remembrance at Hornsey Church Tower with Owain Park and his excellent group of singers.

As usual, bring your picnics, chairs, drinks and friends and arrive early for a good spot. Please come prepared to donate by cash or card to Help Musicians UK and follow all the guidelines we have in place for social distancing. Please also donate to the fund to pay the musicians directly by visiting www.gofundme.com/musicatthetower

Further information

Link to the event on Facebook

Directions to St Mary’s Tower, Hornsey

A view of the performance space, set in beautiful gardens under the St Mary’s Tower

SJSS Digital Exchange project

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We are delighted that our performance at St John’s Smith Square next week has been chosen by DCMS as a pilot concert *with* a socially distanced audience.

If you would like to win a pair of tickets to this event then please send us an email with an answer to the following question:

Who composed the title track on our latest CD, ‘Fading’?

A winner will be randomly selected by 12noon tomorrow (Monday 27 July).
The concert takes place on Tuesday 28 July at 7.30pm, and will also be broadcast on Tuesday 4 August.

Rigorous steps have been taken by SJSS to minimise risk. Anyone attending the concert will need to agree to the following statement: “I understand that this is a pilot activity and steps have been followed to minimise the risk surrounding this activity and I am happy to accept the risks involved.”

Further details regarding health and safety will be communicated with ticket holders.

Good luck!

Read more

Rhinegold

Planet Hugill

Colin’s Column

Live from London: Tickets

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Our performance takes place on Saturday 29 August 2020 at 7pm BST, live from the VOCES8 Centre in London.

We will be singing music from our Fading programme: inspired by the ancient service of compline, including works by Tallis, Gombert, Joanna Marsh and Arvo Pärt.

Find out more about the series here.

Live from London: The Gesualdo Six (29 August)

£12.50
Purchase

Placing an order directly with us significantly benefits G6 at no extra cost to you. Our ticket holders will be invited to a pre-concert talk on Friday 28 August with composer of ‘Fading’, Joanna Marsh. We are grateful for your support.

Live from London: Season Ticket

£80.00
Purchase

Season Tickets grant access to the complete series, working out at just £8 per performance.

Watch clips from our Fading programme ahead of the live performance on 29 August 2020

Live from London

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We are delighted to be taking part in a new online vocal festival, Live from London, which features some of the world’s finest vocal ensembles.

BUY TICKETS

We will be performing on Saturday 29 August 2020 at 7pm BST / 2pm EST live from the VOCES8 Centre in London.

Our programme is inspired by the ancient service of compline, including works by Tallis, Gombert, Joanna Marsh and Arvo Pärt. Read more about Fading here.

Ordering your tickets directly from us will significantly benefit G6 at no extra cost to you. We will also be holding a pre-concert talk on Friday 28 August with composer of ‘Fading’, Joanna Marsh.

We would be extremely grateful if you would consider placing an order below.

About the series

Live from London features some of the world’s finest vocal ensembles, including VOCES8, I Fagiolini, Stile Antico, The Swingles, The Sixteen (from Kings Place), The Gesualdo Six, Apollo5, Chanticleer (from San Francisco) and a special guest appearance by The Academy of Ancient Music.

This line-up of artists has never before appeared together in the same festival. It will be the first time many of us will have performed since the start of lockdown.

“After six months apart, it is quite simply a momentous occasion for The Sixteen to be reunited again for this concert. We are delighted to be a part of Live from London” – Harry Christophers

Watch the series trailer on Vimeo

Tickets

Ordering your tickets directly from us will significantly benefit G6 at no extra cost to you. Our ticket holders will be invited to a pre-concert talk on Friday 28 August with composer of ‘Fading’, Joanna Marsh. We are grateful for your support.

BUY TICKETS

Ticket holders will be able to watch live and/or on demand from the date of broadcast until 3rd October. In addition, ticket holders will be granted viewing rights to the full 4K concert film(s) from 4-31 October.

Live from London – The Gesualdo Six

Saturday 29 August at 7pm BST / 2pm EST

Since the fourth century, the service of Compline has marked the end of the day, ushering in the darkness of the night. Much of our programme is inspired by this ancient service, evoking a contemplative atmosphere. Renaissance polyphony by Tallis, Byrd and Gesualdo that contains startling harmonic shifts and expressive word painting is juxtaposed with contemporary reflections by Arvo Pärt, Joanna Marsh and Veljo Tormis.

Purchase our third album, Fading, here.

Watch clips from our Fading programme ahead of the live performance on 29 August 2020

Live from London – press

Find out more about Live from London

Live from London – press releaseDownload
Live from London
Concert Poster