Concert of French Romantic Masterpieces At Guildford Cathedral on Saturday, May 5

Published on: 20 Apr, 2018
Updated on: 24 Apr, 2018

Set in the majestic Guildford Cathedral and with the newly-restored organ, Guildford’s own professional chamber orchestra, Southern Pro Musica, and the Guildford Cathedral choir are presenting an exciting evening of French romantic masterpieces.

The concert on Saturday, May 5 at 7.30pm will feature pieces by Berlioz, Duruflé and Saint-Saëns.

Guildford’s own professional orchestra, Southern Pro Musica, under Jonathan Willcocks’ inspired directorship. Click on the image to enlarge.

The first half of the concert will feature Berlioz’s effervescent Overture Béatrice et Bénédict and Duruflé’s beautifully haunting Requiem.

For the Requiem, Southern Pro Musica will be joined by the Cathedral Choir and baritone Thomas Humphreys, under the direction of Katherine Dienes-Williams.

Katherine Dienes-Williams will play on Guildford Cathedral’s newly refurbished organ.

Saint-Saëns’ enduringly popular Organ Symphony No. 3 follows this, conducted by Southern Pro Musica’s inspired artistic director Jonathan Willcocks, with Katherine Dienes-Williams as solo organ.

The symphony will give voice to the large cathedral organ for the first time since its recent major refurbishment and re-dedication.

Saint-Saëns wrote of his majestic work: “I gave everything to it I was able to give. What I have here accomplished, I will never achieve again.”

Katherine Dienes-Williams was appointed organist and master of the choristers at Guildford Cathedral in January 2008. She is the first woman to be both elected to the Cathedral Organists’ Association and to hold such a post in the Church of England.

She regularly leads choral workshops overseas, as well as giving numerous international organ recitals, performing as organ soloist with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hallé, the City of London Sinfonia and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Baritone Thomas Humphreys.

Award-winning Thomas Humphreys studied at the Royal Academy of Music and made his debut with Glyndebourne Touring Opera as Servo di Flora (La Traviata).

He has been critically acclaimed for his opera performances and is equally at home on the concert platform, in demand both as a soloist in major venues across the country, as well as a recitalist.

Under Jonathan Willcocks’ directorship, Southern Pro Musica has established an excellent reputation in the past 26 years as one of the South’s leading professional chamber orchestras.

In 2013 Southern Pro Musica was delighted to be appointed Guildford Borough Council’s ‘principal provider of classical music’.

Jonathan Willcocks, ‘inspired’ director of Southern Pro Musica.

Jonathan has conducted in the finest concert halls across the globe, as well as in the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall in London and Symphony Hall in Birmingham.

He says: “This programme of music by three of the very greatest of French composers will really be something to savour.

“Southern Pro Musica is delighted to be collaborating with the Guildford Cathedral Choir and Katherine Dienes-Williams, and Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony which is the culmination of the concert – one of the most popular and acclaimed symphonies of the 19th century – will be truly spectacular and memorable.”

For more information and tickets go to the Guildford Cathedral website, or phone 01483 547881.