R D M R — The Sixteen announces programme for it's 45th anniversary

Musicians play in an ornate building, lit with blue stage lighting. The focus is on singers, holding music and singing with their eyes closed. In the foreground, musicians wear all black and play string instruments.

Divine inspiration and imitation: The Sixteen presents its programming for the 45th anniversary of the ensemble’s founding

In 2024, The Sixteen will mark the 45th anniversary of its founding and the recent 70th birthday of its founder, Harry Christophers, in a season that draws on music shaped through parody and imitation. From the parodies of Josquin Desprez by Orlande de Lassus, to Bach’s self-inspiration, to James MacMillan’s tribute to Robert Carver, this programming reflects the wide-ranging inventiveness of composers from the Renaissance to the contemporary. In addition, The Sixteen celebrates a new work by Bob Chilcott, new discoveries including works by Maddalena Casulana, as well as a return to much loved interpretations of Duruflé’s Requiem and Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610.

Looking ahead to their 2024 programming, founder and conductor of The Sixteen Harry Christophers, said:

“This season stands as a testament to the enduring creativity of composers across eras, spanning from the Renaissance to contemporary times. It is also a heartfelt tribute to our ensemble as we celebrate 45 years of making music together. I extend a warm invitation to audiences to join us for this celebratory season, featuring a new work by Bob Chilcott, rediscoveries of Maddalena Casulana, and the timeless resonance of Duruflé and Monteverdi.”

Choral Pilgrimage – Masters of Imitation (Friday 5 April – Saturday 21 September)

The Sixteen’s annual Choral Pilgrimage is at the heart of each season, allowing the ensemble to inspire with works old and new to venues across the UK. The 2024 tour celebrates the art of parody – a technique fundamental to the creative spirit of 16th and early 17th century Europe. The programme will explore the works of Orlande de Lassus, a master of polyphonic parody, and the original works that inspired him, predominantly written by Josquin Desprez. The artform of parody is brought into the present day, with a new commission composed by Bob Chilcott. Lauda Jerusalem Dominum, is a sacred work parodying one of Lassus’ secular madrigals – Cantai, or piango, which will be heard earlier in the programme.

Masters of Imitation will also shine a light on Italian Renaissance composer, lutenist and singer Maddalena Casulana – the first female composer in the history of western music to have a book of her works printed and published.

The Sixteen will visit twenty locations across the UK, beginning at St John’s College Chapel, Cambridge (5 April) and finishing at Blackburn Cathedral (21 September).

Scotland Unwrapped: The Carver Choir Book (Friday 26 January, 7:30pm, Kings Place)

In a special curation for Kings Place’s Scotland Unwrapped series, The Sixteen explore the music of Robert Carver, considered to be the greatest Scottish composer of the 16th century. As a composer, Carver created highly intricate works of polyphony, masses and motets in a High Renaissance style. His 19-part motet O Bone Jesu, proved to be an inspiration for James MacMillan’s text of the same name, which is also explored in this programme alongside works by Fayrfax, Cornysh and Ramsey.

The Sixteen by Candlelight (Monday 5 February, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Shakespeare’s Globe)

In a special concert created for the venue, The Sixteen presents a candlelit evening in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe. The programme draws on works by Palestrina, Pinsuti, Stanford, White, Campion, Finzi, Parry and Sheppard for an evening of music and spoken word.

Bach and his Plagiarism (Sunday 11 February, 7:30pm, Wigmore Hall)

Like many composers, J S Bach borrowed from his own earlier works. The Sixteen explores this technique through specific examples - movements from Cantatas No. 67 (written for the Sunday after Easter 1724) and 179 (1723) were recycled as the Gloria and the Quoniam of his Mass in A (1738-9); while the latter cantata also supplied material for the Kyrie and Quoniam of the G major Mass from the same series.

Duruflé Requiem (Saturday 23 March, 7:30pm, St Martin-in-the-Fields & Saturday 30 March, 7pm, Snape Maltings Concert Hall)

Duruflé’s Requiem was based on the mass of the dead and dedicated to the memory of his father. The subtle rhythms and fluid lines of Gregorian chant permeate the whole work, personalised by the colours, harmonies, and rhythms of a deeply religious 20th-century musician. Representing the ideas of peace, faith and hope - the result is a profoundly beautiful and wonderfully atmospheric piece that never fails to make an impact.

Complimenting this are Poulenc’s powerful winter lamentation Un soir de neige and Litanies à la Vierge Noire, and ‘Agnus Dei’ from Martin’s Mass for Double Choir.

Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 (Wednesday 15 May, 7:30pm, Barbican Hall)

Widely considered as one of the greatest pieces of sacred music, Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 mixes profound expression with unfailing musical beauty. In this performance, The Sixteen will also follow Monteverdi’s dictum recitar cantando – speaking through singing – to maximum effect, bringing the work to life for a 21st century audience.

An Old Belief (Saturday 18 May, 7:30pm, St Luke’s Church, Battersea)

An Old Belief will see The Sixteen present a powerful programme of English choral music centred around Parry’s Songs of Farewell – a work calling for unity, peace and better world through the words of John Donne, Henry Vaughan and Thomas Campion. The programme also features three short pieces by Campion, a selection of medieval carols and a special work by Cecilia McDowall.

Sounds Sublime (Saturday 13 July, St James’s Piccadilly)

The Sixteen’s annual choral festival, Sounds Sublime, will return to St James’s Piccadilly on Saturday 13 July. With a special focus on youth voice, the festival will see performances from children’s choirs, youth choirs and Genesis Sixteen, in addition to opportunities for children and adults to take part in workshops led by members of The Sixteen.

Choral workshops

The Sixteen’s Choral Pilgrimage Choral Workshops are a rewarding opportunity for keen amateur singers to explore a variety of music inspired by The Sixteen’s own performances. Under the guidance of expert workshop leaders, these sessions include advice on vocal technique, as well as performance interpretation and historical context.

This season, amateur singers in Oxford, Peterborough, Croydon, Hexham, Edinburgh, Tewkesbury, Blackburn and Exeter will be able to practice breathing technique, invigorating warm-ups and voice production in a nurturing and enjoyable environment.

Learning, Participation and Education

In 2024, The Sixteen is set to reach over 4000 participants through its Learning and Participation Programme.

The programme will include Residencies in four locations in England (County Durham, Peterborough, Medway and Blackburn with Darwen) which will engage children aged 5-18, older people at risk of isolation, refugees, care home residents, and those affected by homelessness.

A further 600 singers aged 11-18 years old will have the opportunity to take part in twelve Singing Workshops and five Chorister Workshops led by expert vocal practitioners in partnership with Music Hubs, Secondary Schools, Youth Choirs and Cathedrals.

Following a successful pilot in 2023, The Sixteen will launch a new programme offering young singers the opportunity to develop their skills and discover pathways into the choral and classical industries. This project forms part of The Sixteen’s commitment to broadening access to classical music to reflect our present-day society.

Aiming to nurture the next generation of Choral practitioners, much of the Learning and Participation programme will be supported and delivered by alumni of the Genesis Sixteen Young Artist programme.

Genesis Sixteen

Recruitment for the 2024 - 25 cohort of Genesis Sixteen is now open. Prospective applicants to join The Sixteen’s free young artists programme should apply by Friday 26 January 2024.

Applications for Genesis Sixteen Conducting Scholar will open in May.

CORO

CORO, The Sixteen’s award-winning record label, will release a varied selection of recordings in the new year. Releases include an album to accompany The Sixteen’s Choral Pilgrimage tour, a recording devoted to Charles Villiers Stanford to celebrate the composer’s 100th Anniversary and two albums from I Fagiolini - a new recording of Victoria’s Tenebrae Responsories sung by solo voices and restored to the low pitch and voicing intended by the composer, and the second album in the Benevoli series.

The label will also announce an exciting new partnership in January 2024.