Saturday 10th July 2021 • 10am - 8pm (date TBC)
Join composer Matthew Coleridge for a glorious day of music making in the amazing Blackburn Cathedral.
You'll spend the day learning this amazing piece of music, before singing in an atmospheric evening performance, conducted by the composer!
More details to follow soon...
One of the UK's newest cathedrals, Blackburn is a vibrant and striking building in the heart of the city. See the sun stream through the 56 different panes of coloured glass in the lantern tower, and enjoy the seven seconds of reverberation! The cathedral is home to one of the country's finest organs, built by JW Walker.
Singer ticket with loan of vocal score on the day
Singer ticket with advance purchase of vocal score (includes p&p)
Audience ticket for the evening concert performance
Blackburn Cathedral is easily accessible by car from the M65, which bypasses the city. Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Preston, Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford, Bolton, Burnley, Rochdale, Blackpool and Lancaster are all within an hour's drive.
All day parking is available at The Mall (5 mins walk; £5, 1300 spaces), and at Blackburn Station (7 mins walk, £2) and Eanam Wharf (10 mins walk; £2.50).
The Cathedral is directly opposite Blackburn Station, with regular trains from Leeds, Preston, Burnley, Bolton and beyond.
The Cathedral is directly opposite Blackburn Interchange for bus travel.
singer registration and distribution of music (music loan is included in the workshop fee)
morning workshop in Cathedral Crypt
break for lunch, and a chance to meet the performers
afternoon rehearsal in Cathedral Nave
concert performance
After the workshop, we'll be giving a formal concert performance of Requiem (and other works, TBC) at 7pm. Please bring suitable concert attire.
Ladies: black, long-sleeved top; black skirt or trousers.
Men: blacks shirt and trousers (no tie)
Blackburn Cathedral images courtesy of Michael Beckwith, David Iliff and Visit Lancashire
Composer and conductor Matthew Coleridge (b.1980) is an exciting voice in the British choral music scene. His first choral composition - the Corpus Christi Carol - was recorded by a cappella group The Queen's Six, appearing on the cover CD of BBC Music Magazine's Christmas edition in 2015.
His highly melodic and very approachable compositional style often blends elements of plainsong and medieval music with shimmering modern harmonies - weaving simple melodic lines into rich tapestries of sound.
Requiem (composed 2014-15) was hailed by the late Sir Neville Marriner as "a valuable addition to the 21st century choral repertoire". Is is regularly performed by choirs across the UK, and overseas.
Matthew's 'Requiem in a Day' choral workshops are very popular amongst choral singers, giving them the opportunity to sing this wonderful piece in some of the UK's most prestigious church buildings.
Come and sing Matthew Coleridge's Requiem in some of the country's most inspiring cathedrals, abbeys and churches. All events are directed by the composer.
Join Matthew and professional orchestra the St Woolos Sinfonia, for the Welsh premiere of Requiem, in the wonderful Cathderal of St Woolos Newport, South Wales.
Come and sing in one of England's finest parish churches - the Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick. With Oliver Hancock (organ)
Come and sing Requiem in one of Yorkshire's most spectacular churches, the vast Gothic Revival church of St Wilfrid. With organist Anthony Gray.
Come and sing Matthew Coleridge's Requiem in the excellent acoustics of one of Britain's most striking modernist churches - the spectacular All Saints, Clifton.
Cumbria's Levens Choir invites you to come and sing Matthew Coleridge's Requiem in the Lake District town of Kendal. This enjoyable day of music-making with conclude with an informal sing-through. Download a booking form below.
One of the best places to sing in the North West, Blackburn Cathedral possesses one of the best pipe organs in the country, and a six-second reverb. Come and join in the fun!
New music workshop on Matthew's latest major choral work. There are few better places to be in August than this spectacular Abbey set amongst Dorset's rolling hills.
Come and sing Matthew Coleridge's Requiem in the picture postcard village of Dorchester-on-Thames, with an evening performance conducted by the composer. Bring a picnic and enjoy the sunshine!
Come and sing Matthew Coleridge's Requiem in the Romsey's spectacular Norman abbey, near Southampton.
Originally scheduled for September 2020; awaiting a rescheduled date
Originally scheduled for June 2020; awaiting a rescheduled date
Originally scheduled for March 2020; awaiting a rescheduled date
A valuable addition to the 21st century choral repertoire
Sir Neville Marriner
This was no ordinary 'come and sing'! A work of exquisite beauty
Music in Portsmouth review, 2020
You are a true tunesmith - well-crafted and inspiring music!
Dr David Price - Master of the Chorister, Portsmouth Cathedral
Beautiful... I find myself entranced by the openness of this music.
Paul Carr - composer
A glorious piece to sing - a lot of us were in tears by the end of it
Teresa Stubbs - Buckfast Abbey workshop 2019
A singular voice - and that is an exceedingly rare thing!
Michael McGlynn - Anúna
A joy and privilege to sing this most beautiful piece of music under the direction of the composer himself
Heather Harvey - Buckfast Abbey workshop 2019
Thank you for a wonderful day. You were so encouraging and patient. I can't imagine not singing your Requiem again. I absolutely loved the day!
Monica Kent - Louth workshop 2019
We were enthralled by the pure beauty of your Requiem. Parts of it were quite exquisite and we loved the fact that you, the composer, were directing us with such skill and clarity of conducting. Thank you so very much for a phenomenal day
Jeanne Apsland - Buckfast Abbey workshop 2019