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Behold, the sea! WFCS marks Mayflower 2020 with sea-themed concert
8th March, 2020
Celebrating ‘Mayflower 2020’ in grand choral and orchestral style, Worcester Festival Choral Society’s spring concert on Saturday 21st March 2020 at 7.30pm will combine three of the most beloved, sea-themed classical works in the soaring surroundings of Worcester Cathedral.
Vaughan Williams’ breath-taking choral masterpiece A Sea Symphony is a ravishing musical voyage celebrating the mighty power of the ocean, from its thrilling opening brass fanfare to the final notes disappearing over the horizon.
Complementing the choral excitement, Mendelssohn's unmistakable Hebrides Overture (Fingal's Cave) and Britten's vivid Four Sea Interludes (distilled from the opera Peter Grimes) will be performed by the Meridian Sinfonia symphony orchestra.
Singing with the 150 members of Worcester Festival Choral Society will be internationally acclaimed soprano Sarah Fox and baritone Julien Van Mellaerts (both pictured left). Worcester Cathedral’s Director of Music Samuel Hudson conducts.
Ben Cooper, Chairman of Worcester Festival Choral Society, said: “This is an absolutely thrilling concert, with impressive musical forces! We’ve themed it to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower's voyage to the New World, especially as Worcestershire’s Edward Winslow was one of America’s Pilgrim Fathers.”
Established in 1861 and closely associated with Sir Edward Elgar in its early years, Worcester Festival Choral Society’s auditioned singers are selected from across the County. Today it performs some of the world’s ‘great choral works’ at three major concerts in Worcester Cathedral each year. A popular ‘Come and Sing’ one-day workshop is also being held on 4 April in Worcester Cathedral, giving non-members the chance to learn Elgar’s The Music Makers.
For concert tickets – and opt-in to a pre-concert dinner prize draw run with Côte Brasserie Worcester – visit the WFCS box office. Tickets also from Worcester Live: 01905 611427.
Next Concert
2026-27 CONCERT SEASON
Worcester Festival Choral Society is thrilled to announce its three, exciting concerts for the 2026-27 season.
All performed in magnificent Worcester Cathedral, starting from 7.30pm.
Join us to hear 140 choral voices, stellar soloists and the superb Meridian Sinfonia perform an unmissable programme of magical choral and orchestral music!
Saturday 21 November 2026:
Vaughan Williams DONA NOBIS PACEM
Bernstein CHICHESTER PSALMS
Copland APPALACHIAN ... read more
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