Southampton Philharmonic Choir
Southampton University Philharmonic Choir
Docklands Sinfonia
Elfida Su Turan violin
Emma Tring soprano
Dan D'Souza baritone
David Gibson conductor
Doors open: 1830
Concert begins: 1930
Join Southampton Philharmonic Choir and Southampton University Philharmonic Choir at O2 Guildhall Southampton on Saturday 18 March 2023.
The concert opens with Vaughan Williams' popular and evocative The Lark Ascending for solo violin and orchestra, written in 1914, at the start of World War 1. Based on the poem of the same name by George Meredith, it is in part a celebration of British pastoral life, at a time when there was a genuine fear for its loss. The piece ends with the lark soaring ever upwards into the light. Our soloist is Elfida Su Turan, winner of the 2023 Royal Academy of Music David Martin/Florence Hooton prize.
Vaughan Williams composed the second work of the programme, Dona Nobis Pacem, in 1936, as a second World War threatened. It uses poems by Walt Whitman, a political speech in opposition to the Crimean War, and passages from the Bible extolling the futility of war and humankind's desire for peace. The music is intense, dramatic yet lyrical; one of the finest of all the composer’s works.
The final work is Howard Goodall’s Eternal Light, composed in 2008 and described by Goodall as a Requiem for the living, providing solace for the grieving and focusing on the consequences of interrupted lives; a work full of warm lyricism and reassuring calm. Goodall – well known for the theme tune to the BBC sitcom, The Vicar of Dibley – is one of the most talented and approachable composers of our time.
Performing with us for the first time is the Docklands Sinfonia, a diverse, dynamic and versatile symphony orchestra; a major cultural force in Docklands and beyond – bringing high quality music to the area, staging ground-breaking concerts and creating a lasting legacy by inspiring generations of young people. We are delighted to welcome them to Southampton.
Tickets are available online. (Tickets bought online are issued as e- tickets.)
Ticket prices: £14.15, £20.75, £27.35*, with concessions for the disabled, carers accompanying the disabled, job-seekers, students and children.
* All prices include booking fees and the restoration levy of £1.75 introduced by o2Guildhall Southampton. There is an additional handling charge per transaction of £2.75.
