Thomas Tallis’ 40-part motet – composed in around 1570 for eight choirs, each of five voice parts – is considered by many to be the greatest piece of early English music and Tallis’ “crowning achievement” (HB Collins, 1929). Petros Singers’ full-day singing workshop offers a unique opportunity for keen amateur and young singers to explore and untangle this wonderfully complex and exciting work. The day will be overseen by Richard Bannan, our musical director, and each of the eight choirs will be led by one of the following professional singers:
Nick Ashby (The King’s Singers, Petros Singers’ Patron)
Toby Ward (Ensemble Pro Victoria, Petros Singers’ singing teacher)
Kate Ashby (Stile Antico)
Laura Oldfield (Tenebrae, The Cardinall’s Musick)
Lucy Goddard (Exaudi, Orlando Chamber Choir)
Lissie Paul (The Tallis Scholars, The Queen’s Six)
Tom Robson (The Sixteen, Chichester Chorale)
Will Dawes (Stile Antico, Somerville College Oxford)
The workshop sessions will rehearse all elements of the piece, starting as eight individual choirs (with several participant on each voice part), and then joining forces with other choirs as the day progresses. Towards the end of the day we will come together (at St Peter's Church, Black Lion Lane, W6 9BE) to rehearse and then perform this sublime work to an audience. This ticketed recital will run from 6:00–7:00pm and, in addition to Spem in Alium, will include performances by the professional workshop leaders – many of the leading consort singers working in the UK – as well as by Petros Singers. (Tickets for the recital at £10 are available on Petros Singers' website, or on the door.)
