What's On

Spring Concert
Music to Inspire Peace and Hope
When - 3rd May at 3pm
Where - Uppermill Civic Hall, Lee Street, High Street, Uppermill, OL3 6AE
Tickets - Adults: £15.00
Children and Students £FREE



The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace has been performed all over the world since Sir Karl Jenkins composed it for the Royal Armouries Museum to commemorate the millennium. It uses musical styles and texts from a variety of times and places to capture the fleeting allure and apparent heroism of war; the horror of its realisation; and the hope for ultimate release from its ravages. The Benedictus and Agnus Dei are frequently performed in many arrangements and played on radio as stand-alone items.

To complement this, we have popular pieces reflecting on humanity's propensities for making war and peace: ranging from the traditional "Battle Hymn of the Republic" through to film music taken from Lord of the Rings ("May It Be"), Saving Private Ryan ("Hymn to the Fallen"), Quest for Camelot ("The Prayer") and Henry V ("Non Nobis Domine").

We make a visit to the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance courtesy of the Military Wives and pick out from Howard Goodall's Eternal Light a beautiful juxtaposition of the poignant poem "Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep" with the sacred Lacrymosa text. John Rutter's hopeful Magnificat setting brings out all of Mary's joy at the potential for reconciliation and justice encapsulated in the anticipation of new birth.

Dr Mark Goggins will conduct a substantial instrumental ensemble including percussion and brass and the choir will be augmented by special guests and friends.