Upcoming concerts
Christmas Concert with Carols to join in
Thursday 18th December; 7.30pm
at St Columba’s Church, Priory St, York
Admission free – retiring collection in aid of SASH
As Birds in Springtime
Friday 27th March 2026, 7.30pm
at York Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate
In her first concert as Musical Director of the Micklegate Singers, Dr Anita Datta presents an exciting Mickle-mix of old and new works, celebrating the fresh growth and renewal of springtime.
Two Choral Fanfares: Bernard Hughes
Two Poems of Edward Thomas: Howard Skempton
Teasdale Songs: Sam Wu
From Bunessan: Lisa Anderson
O Primavera: Heinrich Schütz
Quel augellin che canta: Claudio Monteverdi
Vagh’ amorosi augelli: Maddalena Casulana
Come fra verd’ erbette: Maddalena Casulana
Ride la Primavera: Heinrich Schütz
Descendi in hortum: Cipriano de Rore
Ego flos campi: Vittoria Alleotti
Quemadmodum: John Tavener
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud: Kristina Arakelyan
Good Morrow: Agnes Zimmermann
Gone for Ever: Agnes Zimmermann
The Farmer’s Boy: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Early in the Spring: Ralph Vaughan Williams
The Springtime of the Year: Ralph Vaughan Williams
Down by the Salley Gardens: ar.. Edward Higgingbottom
Country Gardens: Percy Grainger, arr. David Tall
'And there were Shepherds...'
Music for Advent and Christmas, particularly as seen through the eyes of the Shepherds, featuring Palestrina, Leighton, Dove, McDowall, Chilcott and more. With the first performances of two Micklegate Singers commissions: The Road of Evening composed by James Else, and Joe Bates’ Absence.
Palestrina: Rorate Coeli
Lassus: Quem vidistis, pastores?
Chilcott: The Shepherds’ Carol
Gustav Holst: This have I done for my true love
Richard Dering: Quem vidistis, pastores?
Jonathan Dove: Welcome all wonders in one sight
David Bednall: BC:AD - This was the Moment
Alexander L’Estrange: Epiphany Carol
Cecilia McDowall: Now may we singen
Kenneth Leighton: A Hymn of the Nativity
Joe Bates: Absence
James Else: The Road of Evening
Francis Poulenc: Quem vidistis, pastores?
Richard Rodney Bennett: Gloria, Gloria
Elemental Forces
Earth, Wind and Fire are all represented in this varied programme which also touches on the Seasons, and that most elemental of forces - Love.
As in each concert this year, we are including the premiere of a piece specially written for the Micklegate Singers.
Ralph Vaughan Williams: The Spring Time of the Year; Over Hill, Over Dale
EJ Moeran: Spring the Sweet Spring
Camille Saint-Saëns: Les Fleurs et les Arbres; Calme des Nuits
Joseph Kosma (arr. Andrew Carter): Autumn Leaves
Edward Elgar: O Wild West Wind; Weary Wind of the West
Herbert Howells: The Shadows
John Ireland: The Hills
Claude Debussy: Yver, vous n’estes qu’un villain
Peter Moger: The Dove Descending (first performance)
with pieces by Peter Klatzow, Ola Gjeilo, James Whitbourn, Jussi Chydenius and Phillip Cooke
Star of the Sea
A concert of old and new music in honour of the Virgin Mary, the Star of the Sea. Lobo’s Missa Sancta Maria dates from 1621, the golden age of Portuguese polyphony. In addition to being hailed as Star of the Sea, Mary is also known as the Queen of Heaven, which is reflected in other works in our programme. We also include the delayed premiere of a Micklegate commission by David McGregor, They That Love Beyond the World. This atmospheric piece is the first of three collaborations with young composers at The University of York, setting words written by William Penn, an early Quaker and the founder of Pennsylvania.
Our full programme is as follows:
Missa Sancta Maria - Duarte Lôbo
Regina Caeli - Cecilia McDowall
Ave Maris Stella - Edvard Grieg
Ave Maris Stella - Tomás Luis De Victoria
Salve Regina - Pierre Villette
Splendid Jewel - Stephen Paulus
Ave Regina Caelorum - Alonso Lobo
Ave Regina Caelorum - Peter Philips
Ave Regina Caelorum - Cecilia McDowall
Hortus Conclusus - Rodrigo Ceballos
They That Love Beyond the World - David McGregor
(A Micklegate Singers commission, first performance)