Cheryl Frances-Hoad
Russell Hepplewhite
Joanna Marsh
James McCarthy
Will Todd
Janet Wheeler
Sonoro commissioned six composers to each write a new work based on a ‘choral classic’. These pieces, written at a level that choirs everywhere will be able to sing, were recorded alongside their ‘choral classic’ and released as a series of music videos.
We assembled a small but skilled team to help Sonoro realise these twelve performance videos in a very short space of time.
We wanted to avoid a recording session look and designed a set of lighting states to suit the performance. We aimed for something natural and bright on the choir whist taking into consideration the beautiful space of the St. Augustines church in north west London.
Together with Sonoro artistic directors we selected three pieces for a slightly different treatment. Evening Prayer by Joanna Marsh was given a soft and warm, evening tone both on-set and in post-production. Beati quorum via (Homage to Stanford) by Janet Wheeler, was given a different location within the church and an unusual setting for the choir. Bogoroditse Devo by Cheryl Frances-Hoad, was constructed from twelve individual voices.
Sonoro ran a series of Choral Inspirations workshops and concerts in Cardiff, Birmingham, Newcastle and London from June to October 2019, open to all and led by Neil Ferris and Sonoro’s professional singers. Workshop days are followed by public performances of the new works and the choral classics.
This project has been funded by the generosity and support of Arts Council England, the RVW Trust, and the Hinrichsen Foundation.