Name: Palestrina: Teacher and Warrior
Start: 2025-10-22T19:30:00
Location: Catholic Church of Saint James

2025 promises a rich tapestry of choral experiences, blending historical reverence with contemporary innovation. From The Sixteen's Choral Pilgrimage: Angel of Peace, offering a serene journey through centuries of music, to Tanglewood Festival's exploration of sacred works by Byrd and Pärt, audiences will immerse in diverse artistic expressions. Workshops and recitals at venues like Chichester Cathedral and Tanglewood Music Center further enrich these events, spotlighting both celebrated compositions and new contributions by artists like Anna Clyne.

2025's Choral Highlights: Celebrating Peace, Tradition, and Innovation

Harry Christophers

The Sixteen

Spain’s Siglo de Oro, the Age of Gold, gave rise to some of the greatest sacred choral music of the Renaissance. We devote our latest Choral Pilgrimage to pieces by two outstanding Spanish composers, exploring majestic works by Cristóbal de Morales, famed throughout Europe and in the New World, and the exquisite polyphony of Sebastián de Vivánco, whose intricately crafted counterpoint adorned services at the cathedrals of Ávila and Salamanca during the late 1500s.

Our programme also features spellbinding settings of words by Saint John Henry Newman: Sir James MacMillan’s Nothing in Vain for soloists and double choir and the world premiere of Kerensa Briggs’ Lead, Kindly Light, specially commissioned for the Choral Pilgrimage.

The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: Cambridge

Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge

The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: London

Old Royal Naval College

St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, London

The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: Newbury

Douai Abbey

When Sir James MacMillan writes a new choral work, the world takes notice, because few living composers write with more honesty and passion. With a span of around an hour, Angels Unawares is a major new statement from MacMillan coupled with a brilliant libretto written by Robert Willis, former Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, completed shortly before his untimely death in autumn 2024. Who better to give the work’s UK premiere than The Sixteen and the Britten Sinfonia, both tireless champions of MacMillan’s work?

Angels Unawares: London

Cadogan Hall 

When Sir James MacMillan writes a new choral work, the world takes notice, because few living composers write with more honesty and passion. With a span of around an hour, Angels Unawares is a major new statement from MacMillan coupled with a brilliant libretto written by Robert Willis, former Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, completed shortly before his untimely death in autumn 2024. Who better to give the work’s UK premiere than The Sixteen and the Britten Sinfonia, both tireless champions of MacMillan’s work?

Angels Unawares is commissioned and supported by the Genesis Foundation for Harry Christophers and The Sixteen.

The richly sensual choral music of Renaissance master Orlande de Lassus provides a stunning centrepiece. Music that speaks of love earthly and divine, his motets, masses and madrigals were written over 300 years ago. But they still have the immediacy and intricacy to resonate with us today, especially when heard in the lofty surrounds of stunning chapels, churches and cathedrals.

Daringly designed and stitched in fine detail, they are in fact tailored from scraps of other music, whether Lassus’ own, the music of his revered predecessor Josquin or the monochrome beauty of plainchant.

Masters of Imitation: Stockholm

Tyska kyrkan, Stockholm

The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: Rochester

Rochester Cathedral

The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: Exeter

Exeter Cathedral

The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: Truro

Truro Cathedral

Join us for a day of singing, learning and vocal discovery with The Sixteen’s Choral Workshops for Wellbeing. These relaxed and welcoming workshops are designed for singers who want to enjoy making music together while also learning more about how to care for their voice.

The day begins with an introduction to vocal health before moving into singing. After a guided warm-up, participants spend the morning working on choral repertoire together, led by The Sixteen’s Associate Conductor Eamonn Dougan with members of The Sixteen Charlotte Mobbs (Vocal Habilitation Professional) and Julie Cooper (Nutritional Therapist). Through practical rehearsal and ensemble singing, you’ll explore beautiful repertoire while developing confidence, technique and vocal awareness.

Choral Workshop for Wellbeing: Rochester

King’s School Rochester

The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: Croydon

Croydon Minster

The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: Oxford

University Church (Oxford), Oxford

The final concert of Wigmore Hall’s Palestrina focus shines a spotlight on the composer’s austerely beautiful L’homme armé, ‘The Armed Man’, a popular medieval chanson, and the foundation for a setting of the Latin Mass.

Palestrina: Teacher and Warrior

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