Temple Winter Festival

The Temple Church Choir and the Temple Singers will launch the 2016 festival on 12 December with a special concert celebrating the 90th birthday of HM The Queen, as well as the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Two iconic works by Benjamin Britten are featured, with a truly seasonal offering from the choristers and Catrin Finch in the Ceremony of Carols, led by Director of Music Roger Sayer.

One of the most accomplished harpists of her generation, Catrin Finch will also present a solo recital on Tuesday 13 December. On the programme are works by Debussy, Samuel-Rousseau and Hindemith, in addition to Finch’s own Traditional Christmas Variations. Later that day, the award-winning chamber choir Sansara will perform a programme of choral favourites by Tavener, Williams, Tallis, and Grieg.

On Wednesday 14 December, there’s a chance to hear The London Chorus and New London Orchestra perform seasonal highlights such as Torelli and Corelli’s respective Christmas Concertos. Thursday 15 December sees Temple Church’s own Greg Morris continue the festive theme, with a free organ recital of music associated with the Christmas story by Bach and Messiaen, two of the greatest composers to write for the instrument.

Temple Winter Festival welcomes the return of the internationally acclaimed Tallis Scholars on Friday 16 December. The choir will perform Victoria's two grandest double-choir compositions, as well as Tallis's 7-voice Christmas Missa Puer Natus, separated by other masterpieces of this seasonal repertoire. Peter Phillips, Founder and Director of the Tallis Scholars, comments:
“We are thrilled to be taking part in the Temple Winter Festival. It is a series with a very strong reputation, reflecting the quality of the acoustics in the Temple church. Nothing could suit us better.”

Celebrations culminate on Monday 19 December with Handel’s most famous work, Messiah. Conductor Ian Page, Classical Opera and renowned soloists Sarah Fox (soprano), Angela Simkin (mezzo-soprano), Stuart Jackson (tenor) and Neal Davies (bass-baritone) take to the stage in what promises to be a memorable staging of this beloved work, following last year’s sell-out performance at Middle Temple Hall.