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Matthew Coleridge

Come and sing!

Christmas Carols @ Downside Abbey
17th December '22

led by Matthew Coleridge

Join a massed choir of local singers for a traditional service of lessons and carols in Downside Abbey.

A fabulous opportunity to belt out some of your favourite carols in this glorious building, accompanied by the abbey's thunderous organ!

Singer tickets FREE but must be booked in advance

Book your free place

with Matthew Coleridge (conductor) and Daniel Robert Cushing (organ)

CAN I COME AND SING? What to expect...
Everyone is welcome to join in. You don't need to be an experienced choral singer - just come along and sing your heart out!

THE CAROLS WE'LL BE SINGING
We will be singing a selection of favourite carols from the (Green) OUP Carols for Choir Book 1, which are also found in 100 Carols for Choirs (White) carol books.
*** YOU WILL NEED TO BRING YOUR OWN CAROL BOOK ***

Carols to include: O Come All Ye Faithful, God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, In The Bleak Midwinter, Once in Royal David's City, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark the Herald, Infant Holy, Torches

He creates joy, and sublime moments. Book your place now before work gets out!
Come and Sing Somewhere - Exeter Cathedral 2021

Singer Feedback

A glorious piece to sing... a lot of us were in tears by the end of it
Teresa Stubbs - Buckfast Abbey workshop 2019

He creates joy, and sublime moments. Book your place now before work gets out!
Come and Sing Somewhere - Exeter Cathedral 2021

Many thanks, Matthew, for a truly wonderful experience last Saturday. Even a week on, the beautiful harmonies are still ringing in my ears!
Nina Morton - Warwick workshop 2021

Thank you so much for an inspiring day. I have the whole of the Requiem as a perpetual ear worm!
Jan Edwards - Bristol workshop 2021

Book now

On the day

Getting to Downside Abbey

Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Radstock, BA3 4RH

One of England’s great neo-Gothic churches with the work of several distinguished architects including Thomas Garner, Sir Ninian Comper and Sir Giles Gilbert Scott contributing to its beauty and originality.
By Car

The Abbey is situated on the A367, four miles south of Radstock. There is ample parking in the Abbey car parks.

NB. when arriving, please follow the brown signs to Downside Abbey, NOT the signs to Downside Abbey School. The entrance is on Abbey Road, next to St Benedict's Church.
By Public Transport

Bus Route 174 from Wells to Bath (via Shepton Mallet, Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Peasedown St John and Odd Down)

Bus Route 184 from Frome to Midsomer Norton

Schedule (timings are provisional)

from 13:30

Singer registration
14:30 - 17:00

Afternoon rehearsal
18:30 - 19:30

Carol service with congregation

Downside images © Marcus Reeves, Swee Oon, David Martyn & Richard Powell

The performers

Matthew Coleridge

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.

Daniel Robert Cushing - organ

Daniel Robert Cushing is an expressive and articulate choral conductor who is known for his directing of evocative and distinctive performances.

He has conducted and accompanied a number of prestigious performances in prominent venues across South Wales and the South West of England including Bath Abbey, St. Mary's Painswick, Wiltshire Music Centre and at the Cathedrals of Wells, Bristol, Brecon, Newport, Clifton and Truro. As an early music enthusiast Daniel provides the harpsichord and organ continuo for the Bath based ensemble Bladud Baroque Trio.

Daniel is the founder and director of his Wiltshire based chamber choir - Dolce Singers. He is the Musical Director of Somerset Choral Society, Somer Valley Singers and accompanies/conducts his Bath based duo Newton Park Singers. Daniel is a freelance organist who performs extensively across the South West of England and regularly accompanies international baritone Matthew Tilley. Daniel has previously been the chorus master for Corsley Festival choir, has performed as an official accompanist for the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod and was Musical Director of 'The Octet', a finely judged semi-professional chamber choir that toured the UK.

Daniel has held posts as Organist and Master of the Choristers at St. Margaret’s Church, Blackwood and Central Methodist Church, Blackwood and has also been an organist at Christ Church, Bath. Graduating from Bath Spa University with MA and BA (Hons) Music, Daniel studied piano under the distinguished Maria Angel Garcia and Organ with Shean Bowers and Dr Emma Gibbins.

Choral workshops

Requiem in a Day workshops

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.

"Matthew Coleridge is a great force for good in the choral world" - Alexander Armstrong, Classic FM