Guildford Choral and Guildford Symphony Orchestra Concert, G Live, Saturday, May 16

Published on: 5 May, 2026
Updated on: 5 May, 2026

Two titans of the Guildford music scene are reunited in this uplifting spring concert of choral splendour and orchestral brilliance.

Music lovers are invited to a concert with Guildford Choral and Guildford Symphony Orchestra at G Live on Saturday, May 16, starting at 7:30pm.

Conducted by maestros Jonathan Willcocks and Darrell Davison, the concert brings together three joyful masterpieces: Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, Haydn’s Te Deum, and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, promising a night of inspiring performances, rich harmonies, and orchestral mastery.

Guildford Choral and Guildford Symphony Orchestra are in concert at G Live on Saturday, May 16.

The evening opens in dazzling style with Franz Joseph Haydn’s Te Deum, written for chorus and orchestra at the height of Haydn’s creative powers.

The piece is written for an unusually large orchestra for the time, with a panoply of brass deployed to underline its joyous, exultant message.

Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 is one of the most beloved of his works.

Joining Guildford Choral and Guildford Symphony Orchestra will be Korean rising star Sang Eup Son (tenor).

It is a rhapsodic celebration of the Prague countryside and the Bohemian folk spirit that shaped the composer’s musical voice.

The symphony spills over with warmth, zest, and lyrical charm whose optimism and heartfelt beauty capture the natural world.

From the soaring cello opening, Dvořák’s 8th Symphony packs almost as many memorable tunes into one piece as other composers manage in a lifetime.

Bringing the evening to a triumphant close, the choir and orchestra join forces for Giacomo Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, a radiant, relentlessly cheerful masterpiece composed early in his career.

Blending a glowing orchestral palette with the composer’s innate gift for melody and drama and influenced by Verdi’s Requiem, Messa di Gloria sparkles with lyrical beauty and unmistakable theatrical flair, with choruses as grand as anything in Tosca or La Bohème and soloists given generous roles by one of the finest ever writers for the human voice.

And also Trevor Bowes (baritone).

Guildford Choral is one of England’s longest-established choirs, renowned for its high musical standards and adventurous repertoire.

With over 140 auditioned members, the choir is dynamic, ambitious, and ever-creative. Guildford Symphony Orchestra, Surrey’s most established symphony orchestra, has been performing for over a century. Its members share a passion for exploring a wide range of orchestral music.

Joining Guildford Choral and Guildford Symphony Orchestra will be Korean rising star Sang Eup Son (tenor), who is rapidly gaining recognition for the clarity, lyricism, and emotional depth of his singing; and Trevor Bowes (baritone). admired for his rich, resonant tone and poised musical intelligence, his refined vocal artistry bringing depth and nuance to his performances.

Darrell Davison, musical director of the Guildford Symphony Orchestra since 1990, brings to the role a distinguished career shaped by work with leading orchestras across the UK and abroad.

Jonathan Willcocks, Guildford Choral’s musical director is an internationally respected conductor and composer, whose career spans major choral and orchestral engagements across the UK and worldwide.

Venue: G Live, London Road, Guildford, GU1 2AA

Tickets: G Live’s box office on 0343 310 0055 or at Guildford Choral’s website.