BBC Proms: Choirs on the Concourse
Voices. Layered. Feel it in your bones.
Who’s on stage
Sofi Jeannin conducts three amazing choirs: BBC Singers, Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia, and Voices of the River’s Edge. They’re joined by saxophone superstar Jess Gillam for a host of goosebump-inducing performances.
What they’re playing
A full day of big choral sounds, including Hubert Parry’s Songs of Farewell, written during the First World War, and John Tavener’s Song for Athene - a piece of stillness and reflection, written in memory of a young life cut short.
BBC Proms in the North East is delivered in partnership with North East Combined Authority and Tees Valley Combined Authority.
Need to know
Timings: 3 hours. Including two intervals.
Age: under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
Venue: The Glasshouse, Gateshead.
Recorded for future broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
What you'll hear
Charles Wood Hail, gladdening light
Hildegard von Bingen Alleluia, O virga mediatrix
Christian Forshaw My soul, there is a country
Shruthi Rajasekar Sat on the shore
Iain Farrington Like as the waves
Caroline Shaw and the swallow
Roderick Williams Never weather-beaten sail (BBC Commission, world premiere)
Alec Roth Night Prayer
John Tavener Song for Athene
Parry Lord let me know mine end
Alfred Schnittke Concerto for Choir
Who's playing it
Jess Gillam saxophone
BBC Singers
Sofi Jeannin conductor
Chorus of Royal Northern Sinfonia
Tim Burke chorus director
Voices of the River’s Edge
Simon Davies-Fidler choir director
What's happening in the music?
This one surrounds you. Voices rising together. Splitting apart. Then finding each other again. Sometimes powerful enough to fill the whole space. Sometimes so quiet you lean in without noticing.
There’s weight here - history, loss, reflection. But also, lightness, joy and fun.
Stand in the middle of it and let it carry you.
