A Journey of Tranquillity Through Six Centuries of Music: The Sixteen presents Choral Pilgrimage 2025- Angel of Peace

A Journey of Peace and Reflection: Angel of Peace brings together music spanning six centuries, offering moments of calm and solace amidst today’s fast-paced world

• World Premiere by Anna Clyne: Featuring the debut of Orbits by renowned composer Anna Clyne, alongside timeless works by Hildegard of Bingen, Arvo Pärt, Will Todd, and John Taverner

• A UK-wide Pilgrimage: The Sixteen will perform in over twenty iconic venues across the UK, beginning the journey with an album release on CORO on 7 March 2025

• Lifting new voices: Choral Workshops in Blackburn, Rochester, Oxford, Peterborough, Tewkesbury, Exeter, Edinburgh and Chichester provide singing sessions for local communities

Looking ahead to the 2025 Choral Pilgrimage, founder and conductor of The Sixteen Harry Christophers, says:

“With Angel of Peace, we invite audiences on a journey through words and music that span centuries. From Hildegard’s visionary compositions and Taverner’s glorious Marian antiphons to Will Todd’s meditation on Cardinal Newman and Anna Clyne’s new commission Orbits inspired by Rilke, each work offers a unique path to peace. Arvo Pärt, marking his 90th birthday, brings us full circle with his serene clarity. These timeless voices resonate with our deepest need for stillness and in each of the remarkable venues we visit, we hope to share a moment of peace and connection through the timeless language of music.”

Choral Pilgrimage – Angel of Peace (17 March – 4 October)

Offering tranquillity in a world of resurgent conflict and frenetic demands on our attention, The Sixteen present its 2025 Choral Pilgrimage: Angel of Peace. This programme provides a slice of stillness across music spanning six centuries.

From the songs of the medieval abbess Hildegard of Bingen to the realm of a brand-new work by the contemporary composer Anna Clyne, nine pieces of music from across the centuries speak of peace and acceptance and the ecstatic joy their reassurance can bring.

On creating Orbits for the 2025 Choral Pilgrimage, composer Anna Clyne says:

“In a world that often feels fractured and tumultuous, music has the power to open spaces of deep connection and stillness. ‘Orbits’ is a journey into this realm, where each note resonates with the pulse of centuries past and echoes forward, inviting listeners into a moment of peace and presence.”

This year’s tour takes its title from words by Cardinal Newman, set to music by Will Todd - Let me be an angel of peace, commissioned by the Genesis Foundation for The Sixteen in 2021.  Newman’s meditation on the challenge of existence presents a reflection for modern life. 

“Let me be an angel of peace, of solace,

a preacher of truth in my own place,

a fastener of hands, a keeper of goodwill,

 an angel of peace. 

And I have faith that I,

whatever I am, I shall not be cast away:

 accepting that this life can only teach

 what we must do, not why.”

Words by Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-90), adapted by Ben Dunwell (b. 1969).

The Sixteen’s Choral Pilgrimage 2025 will tour across the UK, visiting over twenty locations, beginning at Croydon Minster (17 March) and finishing at Chichester Cathedral (4 October).

Angel of Peace, will also be released on the CORO label on Friday 7 March, featuring the programme from the 2025 Choral Pilgrimage. The album will also be available in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos.

Track Listing:

Hildegard of Bingen Ave, generosa I-IV

Hildegard of Bingen, Ave, generosa V-VII

Arvo Pärt Tribute to Caesar

Will Todd I shall be an angel of peace (with violinist Sarah Sexton)

John Taverner Gaude plurimum

Hildegard of Bingen Ave, generosa

Arvo Pärt Da pacem Domine 

Anna Clyne Orbits (with violinist Sarah Sexton) – PREMIERE RECORDING

Arvo Pärt Magnificat 

John Taverner O splendor gloriae

Learning and Participation

In 2024, The Sixteen engaged more participants than ever before through its Learning and Participation programme, and will continue in 2025, set to reach over 5000 participants. The programme will reach a wide demographic of people, including young people in schools, youth choirs, music hubs and cathedral choirs, and adults in community settings and choral workshops. All activity is inspired by the Choral Pilgrimage, engaging members of the public at every level and every age.

The Sixteen’s Choral Pilgrimage Choral Workshops will provide an opportunity for amateur singers in Blackburn, Rochester, Oxford, Peterborough, Tewkesbury, Exeter, Edinburgh and Chichester will be able to practice breathing technique, invigorating warm-ups and voice production in a nurturing and enjoyable environment.

Genesis Sixteen

Genesis Sixteen, The Sixteen’s free young artists’ programme for 18 – 23-year-olds, will open for applications for the 2025-26 cohort on Friday 6 December. Prospective applicants who wish to benefit from a series of week-long and weekend choral courses led by Harry Christophers and Eamonn Dougan should apply by Friday 7 February 2025.