Following the huge success of Gloucester's event in 2023, Three Choirs Festival is back this summer and it's Worcester's turn to host the historic celebration of classical and choral music.
Taking place at Worcester Cathedral and venues across the city, as well as in Malvern and Pershore, from Saturday 27 July to Saturday 3 August 2024, the theme for 2024 is nature and the environment, highlighting the many ways the natural world has been inspiring composers for centuries — and the exciting programme has now been revealed.
The festival marks three important anniversaries in 2024: 100 years since the death of celebrated church music composer, Charles Villiers Stanford; 150 years since the birth of Cheltenham's own Gustav Holst; and the 70th birthday of Master of the King's Music, Judith Weir.
Standout concerts include Bob Chilcott's 'The Angry Planet'; Grace-Evangeline Mason's 'The Imagined Forest' performed alongside Holst's 'Hymn of Jesus' and Stanford's 'Stabat Mater'; the BBC Singers and TikTok organ sensation, Anna Lapwood, performing a variety of works including Britten's 'Four Sea Interludes' and Weir's 'In the Land of Uz'; Elgar's enduring favourite 'The Kingdom'; and the UK premiere of Sarah Kirkland Snider's moving 'Mass for the Endangered' performed by the Three Choirs Festival Chorus and orchestra in residence, the Philharmonia Orchestra.
That's not the only premiere either, with young composer Nathan James Dearden presenting his response to Holst's 'The Cloud Messenger', a five-movement work for mezzo-soprano, choir, strings and percussion commissioned especially for Three Choirs Festival; Paul Mealor's commission 'Ringed with the Azure World'; and the English premiere of Cameron Biles-Liddell’s 'Yr Afon Yn Yr Awyr'.
Other highlights include The Carice Singers performing late-night concert 'Midnight Sun' and new works by early-career composers at the New Voices showcase; the Armonico Consort performing two recently-uncovered masterpieces in 'The Forgotten Scarlatti'; The Symphonic Brass of London performing a tribute to Holst; GBSR Duo performing an electrifying blend of piano and percussion; a late-night concert from organist Roger Sayer performing the music of Hollywood blockbuster, Interstellar; and the return of the popular Lay Clerks Concert and, for the second year, the Lady Clerks.
There's plenty of family-friendly events on the line-up, like the Armonico Consort's Family Come and Sing event which encourages families to come together and learn some new music, with no experience necessary.
There's also a lively festival village, with the chance to catch free open rehearsals at Worcester Cathedral and free performances on the community bandstand throughout the festival, too.
Tickets for Three Choirs Festival 2024 go on general sale on Monday 29 April 2024 — with members' priority booking open from Monday 8 March 2024.
For more information, see Three Choirs Festival.
