Saint Thomas Presents Conductor Stephen Darlington and The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford on April 6

Concerts at Saint Thomas presents acclaimed conductor Stephen Darlington and The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, for an evening of British choral masterpieces at Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue on April 6. The choir will perform works by Handel, Purcell, Byrd (including his haunting Mass for Four Voices), and more as a part of Stephen Darlington's farewell tour after more than 40 years of association with Christ Church.

APRIL 6, 2018 | FRIDAY at 7:30 pm
Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue at West 53rd Street
THE CHOIR OF CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, OXFORD
Stephen Darlington, director
Clive Driskill-Smith and Makoto James, organ

PROGRAM
Haec dies - John Shepherd
Kyrie and Gloria from Mass for Four Voices - William Byrd
Praeludium in E major, BuxWV 141 - Dietrich Buxtehude
(played by Clive Driskill-Smith)
Laudem dicite Deo - John Shepherd
Sanctus and Benedictus from Mass for Four Voices - William Byrd
Libera nos, salva nos - John Shepherd
Agnus Dei from Mass for Four Voices - William Byrd
Blow up the trumpet - Henry Purcell
Thou knowest, Lord - Henry Purcell
Zadok the Priest - George Frideric Handel
Psalm 24 - Anthony van Noordt
(played by Makoto James)
The Twelve - William Walton

Stephen Darlington is one of England's leading choral conductors. Since 1985 he has been Director of Music at Christ Church, Oxford, where he is also an Associate Professor. Previously Stephen was Master of the Music at St. Alban's Abbey and Artistic Director of St. Alban's International Organ Festival. He has established Christ Church as an acknowledged centre of academic musical excellence, and maintained the highest choral traditions of the Church of England in the Cathedral. His outstanding strength is in his performances of choral music of the sixteenth century and of modern sacred music. An extensive discography, comprising over fifty CDs, includes several award-winning recordings. From 1998 to 2000 Stephen was President of the Royal College of Organists. He is currently Choragus of the University of Oxford, and one of only two Oxford Doctors of Music in the Music Faculty. He has recently been awarded Honorary Membership of the Royal Academy of Music and appointed as a Lay Canon of Christ Church.

Although Christ Church Cathedral Choir is 500 years old, it is justly famous for the youthfulness of its sound and its daring and adventurous musical programming. Unique in the world as both Cathedral and College choir, the intimate acoustic of its musical home, Oxford's twelfth-century Cathedral, has given it a relationship with early sacred music and the rhythm and vigour of contemporary idioms which is second to none.

The astonishing versatility of this choir has given them a strong media profile. They have appeared on all the major TV channels, including Howard Goodall's Bafta award-winning series for Channel Four, and have been hailed as "one of the finest choirs on Earth". This collaboration with Goodall has also led to the choir singing his TV and film themes for Mr Bean and The Vicar of Dibley. Whether Cardinal Wolsey would have envisaged so illustrious a future for his new foundation back in the sixteenth century is another matter!

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