CONCERTS & EVENTS
To see the full calendar of our performances, click here.
SPRING TERM 2023
Thur 22nd February, 6pm - Pupils from Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School sing Evensong in the Chapel
Sat 24th February, 7.30pm - Concert at Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton, Reading RG7 5TQ
A programme of music for Lent featuring Allegri’s best loved Miserere and the UK premiere of Geoffrey Gordon’s Crucifixus for double choir and ‘cello. Also works by Caldara, Leighton and Lotti.
Tickets available here.
Previous Engagements
Wed 20th September, 7pm - 900th Anniversary Concert at St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield
The Choir of Royal Holloway pay a visit to London's oldest church to celebrate its 900th anniversary.
A programme of music and readings in celebration of the connection between St. Bartholomew the Great and the USA Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin. Taking words from Franklin’s own publications, we hear of his time in London, both as a teenager working in a printers’ works in St. Bartholomew’s church and later in life in London at the time of the death of the celebrated German/British composer, George Frederic Handel. From the music of Bach and Handel we move across the Atlantic to see the influences of this music in the writing of the greatest American composers, Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland.
Hilary Cronin, winner of the 2021 London Handel Singing Competition, will perform works by Handel and join the Choir of Royal Holloway for Copland’s dramatic work In the beginning. Alongside the vocal and choral music will be piano pieces performed by Professor Joel Sachs from the Julliard School New York in anticipation of his late night recital of American piano music.
Click here for tickets.
Sun 15th October, 8pm - Joint Evensong at Wellington College
The Choir join forces with the Chapel Choir of Wellington College for a joint evensong following an afternoon of workshops. Please note, this event is open to students and parents of Wellington College only.
Sat 28th October, 7pm - Concert for the Hellenic Institute in the Chapel
In our second collaboration with the Hellenic Institute, The Choir of Royal Holloway perform a concert of music inspired by Greek Classics, including the premiere of a new work by Lydia Kakabadse.
The Hellenic Institute at Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), is a research centre for the interdisciplinary and diachronic study of Hellenism. The Institute has a long history of working with other institutions in the University of London and with The Hellenic Centre, the main cultural hub of the Greek and Cypriot communities in London.
It promotes the study of Greek language, literature, history and thought from the archaic and classical age, through the Hellenistic and Roman times, Byzantium and the Post-Byzantine period, to the establishment of the Modern Greek State and the modern world. The Hellenic Institute hosts a number of research projects and organises seminars, lectures and conferences addressed to students, scholars and to a wider public.
An 1819 painting of ancient Livadeia
Wed 8th November, 7.30pm - Joint Concert at Bedales School
The Choir visit Bedales to work with young singers from various local schools.
This concert will present a display of this exciting new collaboration, as well as some glorious works from our recent recordings.
Sat 18th November, 6pm - To Music: A Celebration of St Cecilia in the Chapel
Our annual concert celebrating the Patron Saint of Music returns, with an evening of fabulous music in our gilded Chapel. Tickets will be available to purchase soon. Please note the change of time.
The Choir of Royal Holloway is pleased to announce the return of its annual St Cecilia Evening, a concert on Saturday 18th November to celebrate the Patron Saint of Music. Tickets are now available to purchase here.
This year, it’s our pleasure to invite alumni choral scholars to the College, for an abridged version of Handel’s ‘Messiah’, complete with a small chamber ensemble.
In the first half of the concert, our current scholars will be singing a selection of Ola Gjeilo’s music, covering repertoire from ‘Winter Songs’ and our latest release, ’Dreamweaver’.
Alumni tickets (covering the cost of music hire, drinks in the Picture Gallery and seats for the first half) will be just £12.
We’d love to see as many alumni as possible, so if you’re interested, please email choraladmin@rhul.ac.uk and come and sing!
Sun 3rd December, 6pm & Thu 7th December, 6.15pm - Service of Lessons and Carols
The year-long wait is over; our annual services of Lessons and Carols return for a light dusting of festive spirit.
Click here to watch the service live.
Click here for an online Order of Service.
Fri 8th December, 7pm - Christmas Concert in the Chapel
To kick off our series of Christmas concerts, the Choir of Royal Holloway provides an evening of Yuletide music to raise festive spirits. Tickets available to purchase here on November 1st.
Sun 10th December, 5pm - Carol Service at St Bartholomew the Great
Wed 13th December, time tbc - BBC Recorded Evensong in the Chapel
The Choir are recording BBC Radio 3's Choral Evensong live from Chapel, and this special service is open to the public.
Fri 15th December, 1pm - Afternoon Concert at St Martin in the Fields, London
Wed 20th December, 7pm - Messiah by Candlelight at St George's Bristol
The Choir of Royal Holloway return to St George’s Bristol in another collaboration with the Bristol Ensemble as they bring to life Handel’s masterpiece, Messiah, in a semi-staged performance.
Talented young soloists drawn from the choir will perform the work’s arias from positions around the hall, bringing a freshness and vitality to this astonishing and compelling work.
Click here for tickets.
Fri 30th June, 6.30pm - Across the Pond in the Chapel
For this unique concert, our choral scholars are joined by the Stanford University Chamber Chorale for an exciting, cross-continent collaboration between two fantastic college choirs.
Tickets are free but booking is essential. Click here for tickets.
Summer European tour 2023
Sun 2nd July, 7pm - Concert, St. Bavo, Haarlem
To kick off our European tour, the choir performs some of their favourite works, including music by Byrd, Purcell, Pearsall, Villette and Gjeilo.
Mon 3rd July, 8.15pm - Concert, Basilica of St. Nicholas, Amsterdam
For the second concert of our European Tour, the choir is joined by our composer-in-residence, Nathan James Dearden, to perform his setting of 'Let all the world', alongside music by Elgar, Miškinis, Locklair and Bach.
Wed 5th July, 8pm - Concert, Westerkerk, Amsterdam
For their concert in one of Amsterdam's most iconic churches, the choir performs music by Langlais, Harris, and Ben Parry alongside a selection of early English music.
Fri 7th July, 7pm - Concert, Sint-Pieterskerk, Ghent
For the penultimate concert of their 2023 European tour, the choir visit Belgium for a concert of French, English and Belgian music, including a magnificent work for organ by Louis Vierne.
Sat 8th July, 6.30pm - Concert, Lille Cathedral
The choir finish their concert in France for a concert of music spanning across Europe, including music by Purcell, Reger, Wood, Ravel and Castagnet.
Sat 12th November, 8pm - Concert, St Bartholomew-the-Great
The Brandenburg Festival welcomes the Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway with a deliciously French programme of César Franck's ‘Mass in A’ featuring his beloved ‘Panis angelicus’, and Duruflé's ‘Requiem’. Click here for tickets.
Sun 20th November, 5pm - Autumn Leaves, Royal Holloway Picture Gallery
Sun 4th December, 6pm - College Carol Service, Royal Holloway Chapel
Fri 9th December, 7pm - Christmas Concert, Royal Holloway Chapel: tickets are available here.
Tue 13th December, 7.45pm - Christmas at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons: tickets available here.
Wed 21st December, 7.30pm - Handel's 'Messiah', St George's Bristol: tickets available to purchase here.
Thurs 12th January, 7.30pm - Concert with Ola Gjeilo, Marylebone Theatre: For an encore to his piano recital, members of The Choir of Royal Holloway will perform Ola Gjeilo improvises at the piano.
Wed 18th January, 1.20pm - Concert in Uppingham Parish Church
Thurs 19th January, 7.30pm - Concert in Oakham School: A one-hour selection of sacred and secular choral music, including music by George Arthur, Ola Gjeilo, Ben Parry, Robert Pearsall, Henry Purcell and James MacMillan. Their programme will also include close harmony performances as well as a collaboration with Oakham School’s Chamber Choir.
Wed 17th May, 7.30pm - Guildford Jazz Festival with Acoustic Triangle: A unique trio of classically-trained jazz musicians, with an accessible and engaging approach to live performance. Tickets available here.
Fri 19th May, 7pm - 900th Anniversary Concert in St Bartholomew the Great with Acoustic Triangle
In the evocative surroundings of St Bartholomew the Great, the programme will provide a mixture of old and new, sometimes blurring the boundaries between the two. Music includes works by Tallis and Allegri alongside Richard Rodney Bennett, Gabriel Jackson and the world premiere of a piece especially written by Tim Garland entitled Bird Songs.
This concert forms part of the overall musical celebration of 900 years of St Bartholomew the Great. Tickets are available here.
Sun 28th May, 5pm - Sunday Afternoons in the Picture Gallery
In our final ensemble concert of the year, the choir breaks into ensembles for a concert of jazz, close harmony and solo song in the stunning surroundings of the Picture Gallery.
Sun 9th October, 5pm - Early Evening Concert, Royal Holloway Picture Gallery
Wed 3rd August, 8pm - Collégiale de Candes-Saint-Martin
Click here for details.
Thu 4th August, 8.30pm - l'Abbatiale Sainte Marie de Souillac
Click here for details.
Fri 5th August, 6pm - L’Église de Saint-Antonin Noble Val
Click here for details.
Sat 6th August at 8pm - Basilique Saint Sernin de Toulouse
Click here for details.
Sun 7th August, 9pm - L’Abbaye de Sylvanes
Click here for details.
Sunday 29th May, 5pm - Reach for the skies
Picture Gallery, Royal Holloway
The Choir of Royal Holloway is pleased to present Reach for the skies, the second Sunday afternoon concert in our new series of performances in the Picture Gallery at Royal Holloway. This concert saw the lighter side of the choir’s repertoire, including music by Bob Chilcott, Ola Gjeillo and Stanford.
Friday 10th June, 7pm - The Wind Tunnel Project
Farnborough Sixth Chamber Choir, the renowned Royal Holloway Chapel Choir and live strings, performed a choral recital celebrating Farnborough’s aviation history and music inspired by the vastness of Space in one of the most astonishing venues in Farnborough, the Wind Tunnels.
Monday 11th April, St. Bartholomew the Great - St John Passion
The Choir of Royal Holloway
The Choir of St Bartholomew the Great
Brandenburg Baroque Soloists
The Choir of Royal Holloway were joined by the Brandenburg Baroque Soloists and the Choir of St Bartholomew the Great in a performance of Bach’s St John Passion.
Sunday 10th April, St. Bartholomew the Great - Into the hands of sinners
A sequence of Passiontide music and readings for the beginning of Holy Week. The programme included music by Bach, Bruckner, Handel, Lotti and Stainer.
Saturday 9th April, St Georges Bristol - St. John Passion
The Choir of Royal Holloway & the Bristol Ensemble
Conductor - Rupert Gough
Evangelist - Christopher Willoughby
The Choir of Royal Holloway & the Bristol Ensemble ushered in Easter with a performance of Bach’s glorious setting of the St John Passion. Bach’s interpretation of the Passion of Christ is one of the most moving and emotive set to music, and this performance was given against a backdrop of wonderful period paintings depicting the scenes of the St John Passion.
Wednesday 27 January 2021
Watch our online concert from St. John's, Smith Square, looking back at previous concerts, as well as some unseen footage:
Saturday 21 November 2020, from 6:30pm
St. Cecilia's Concert
The St. Cecilia's Concert is a highlight in the choir's calendar. This year's online offering includes music in honour of the patron saint of music by Herbert Howells, Bernard Rose, and Benjamin Britten. It is available to catch-up below, along with the concert programme.
