The Sixteen celebrate 10th Choral Pilgrimage

Harry Christophers and The Sixteen begin their 10th anniversary Choral Pilgrimage next month.

This year’s Pilgrimage, entitled Ceremony and Devotion – Music for the Tudors will focus on the music of three leading Tudor composers: John Sheppard, Thomas Tallis and William Byrd. A recording featuring the same music will also be released.

In the 10 years since the first Choral Pilgrimage, The Sixteen have performed at the greatest cathedrals and churches across the UK, from Swansea to Edinburgh. This year they will reach even more listeners through the inclusion of new concert venues in Croydon, Milton Keynes and Peterborough, as well as workshops and sign-language interpreted performances.

All three composers whose music The Sixteen will be performing were Catholic and lived through one of the toughest periods for Catholics in English history: the mid-sixteenth century. Harry Christophers comments, ‘these are exceptional works by any standard, and I am just surprised that it has taken me so long to finally perform them’.

Ceremony and Devotion: Music for the Tudors, the recording featuring the music from the Choral Pilgrimage 2010, will be released on Harry Christophers and The Sixteen’s record label CORO at the start of the Pilgrimage in February.

To celebrate a decade of The Sixteen’s Choral Pilgrimages, Christophers and members of the group will make a fundraising pilgrimage walk along the North Downs Way in July and August.

The Sixteen’s Choral Pilgrimage 2010 programme is as follows:

William Byrd Laudibus in sanctis
Thomas Tallis Jesu salvator saeculi, Verbum Patris
John Sheppard Media vita in morte sumus
Thomas Tallis Miserere nostri
Thomas Tallis Iam Christus astra ascenderat
William Byrd Haec dies
John Sheppard Sacris solemniis iuncta sint gaudia
William Byrd Infelix ego

For more information about the Choral Pilgrimage, including dates of performances, see The Sixteen’s website.