50 Years of Song

London Oriana Choir

The centrepiece of the choir's 50th anniversary year brings together the best of its concert repertoire spanning five decades and seven centuries, plus special guest, twice Grammy-nominated US singer/songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman recreating two pieces from a seminal performance with the choir at a concert for peace in St Paul’s Cathedral in London in 2006.

Other highlights from this most versatile choir include the world premiere of the anniversary commission from the choir's patron Cecilia McDowall and works ranging from Renaissance composers such as Spain’s Tomas Luis Victoria and Italy’s Giovanni Gabrieli, via the 19th century with Bruckner and Brahms to contemporary writers such as Eric Whitacre and Jessica Curry.

For this concert, the choir is also working for the first time with Thomas Guthrie, an innovative and award-winning British director and musician working in theatre and music to tell stories in vivid, new and direct ways.