The University of York Choir, together with The 24 and University Baroque Ensemble, is delighted to welcome Sarah Latto, highly regarded Co-Artistic Director of the vocal ensemble Echo and former member of Genesis 16, as guest conductor for this semester. The semester will culminate in a festive musical celebration in the University’s Central Hall on 16th December. Sarah has been described as a ‘passionate’ and ‘vibrant’ choral director enjoying a ‘blossoming career’ and we can’t wait to meet her!
German and Italian music feature in this year’s Christmas Concert. The centrepiece is J. S. Bach’s delightful Magnificat in D, a musical setting of the Latin text of Mary’s Canticle from the Gospel of St Luke. Its performance here marks the 300th anniversary of its premiere in the Church of St Nicholas, Leipzig, in 1723. The 24 will sing Chiara Margarita Cozzolani’s Magnificat Primo which was composed in 1650 in a convent in Milan where Margarita, a prolific composer, was abbess. Margarita defended the nuns’ music when it came under attack from Archbishop Alfonso Litta who wanted to limit their practice. In 1686 similar problems were experienced by the nuns in York’s Bar Convent, as portrayed in the Bar Convent’s current exhibition. https://barconvent.co.uk/the-exhibition/#content
Gaetano Maria Schiassi’s wonderfully relaxing Concerto in D, Pastorale per Natale, with its evocatively shimmering strings, will also be performed. What with traditional Christmas carols and festive refreshments we’ll all have a wonderful evening and will be well set up for Christmastide. Do join us! University Choir & Baroque Ensemble, Saturday 16 December 2023 7.30pm, Central Hall, University of York, University Road YO10 5DD. Tickets from https://yorkconcerts.co.uk/whats-on/2023-24/university-choir-autumn-2023/