Acclaimed Tenebrae choir lines up with Penningtons Manches for launch of 2015 Guildford International Music Festival

Posted: 24/02/2015

Internationally renowned choir Tenebrae will open this year's Guildford International Music Festival thanks to the support of Penningtons Manches LLP, which has offices in Guildford and Godalming. 

The choir performs all over the world to critical acclaim with glowing reviews in publications from The New York Times to the Evening Standard. According to BBC Music Magazine "more polished choral singing would be hard to find anywhere". Tenebrae has championed the music of local composer Will Todd, and it is his music that the choir will perform at the concert on Friday 13 March at Holy Trinity Church in Guildford High Street, featuring music from its new CD Lux et Veritas, listed in the top 3 in the Classic FM Albums of the Year for 2014.   

Will's music hit the international headlines when he was commissioned to write The Call of Widsom to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the piece will be one of the works performed in Guildford. His music has wide appeal; Will comments: "My music is about bringing people together - jazz musicians and church choirs; top class professional musicians and enthusiastic community music-makers; brass bands and opera singers; children's choirs and wonderful organ sounds." Audiences will also have an opportunity to hear more about his music at a pre-concert talk in the Guildhall with Nigel Short, the director of Tenebrae and Will Todd, chaired by Professor Steve Goss from the University of Surrey. Space at the talk is limited so early booking is recommended. 

Festival director Pippa Cleary comments: “We are hugely grateful to Penningtons Manches, whose tremendous support has made it possible to bring this stunning choir to Guildford, and we are looking forward to a very special opening concert to this year's festival.” 

Simon Bickerdike, corporate partner at Penningtons Manches’ Guildford office, adds: “The Tenebrae concert is set to be one of the highlights of the 2015 festival. We are delighted to sponsor this wonderful vocal ensemble and to demonstrate our ongoing support for Guildford's eclectic and enormously popular festival, which is now in its 13th year." 

The Guildford International Music Festival takes place from 13-22 March 2015 with over 50 events at venues across Guildford. The programme offers something for everyone with a spectacular line up of artists and events ranging from contemporary music to Japanese taiko drumming and poetry to jazz. The festival is coordinated by the University of Surrey School of Arts with support from Guildford Borough Council, alongside a number of sponsors and partners. For full details and a free brochure please click here, or visit www.surrey.ac.uk/arts.

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