Come and Sing!

New College, Oxford OX1 3BN

Date to be confirmed • July/August 2021

Join composer Matthew Coleridge for a glorious day of music making in the iconic chapel of New College, Oxford.

You'll spend the day learning this amazing piece of music, before singing in an informal early evening performance, conducted by the composer!

More details to follow soon...

New College Oxford

The Chapel has been a fundamental part of New College life since the College’s foundation in 1379 and in today’s College it is the home of the internationally renowned New College Choir. Renowned for its grand interior, the chapel contains works by Sir Jacob Epstein and El Greco. The organ was built by in 1969; somewhat revolutionary at the time, the instrument remains no less remarkable and idiosyncratic today.

Booking info

Workshop ticket £20

Singer ticket with loan of vocal score on the day

Workshop ticket £27

Singer ticket with advance purchase of vocal score (includes p&p)

On the day

Getting to New College, Oxford

  • by road

    By Car

    Parking in Oxford is notoriously tricky; it would be best to use the Park and Ride facilities around the city.

  • by rail

    By Rail

    Oxford Station is a 15 minute walk from the College. Regular trains from London Paddington (50 mins), Reading (20 mins) and others.

  • by rail

    By Bus

    The 1, 280, 8, Oxford Tube, S5, X3 and X5 bus routes all pass near New College.
    Gloucester Green Coach Station is a 10 minute walk.

New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford

New College images courtesy of David Iliff, Jean Balczesak and Hans Splinter

The performers
Matthew Coleridge

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.

Choral workshops

Requiem in a Day 2020 - 21

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.

All Saints Clifton © Chris Guy

Bristol - All Saints, Clifton / July 11th 2020

[Rescheduled event from May 9th]

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.

Pershore Abbey © J. Hannan-Briggs

Pershore Abbey / Aug 15th 2020

[Rescheduled event from Jun 20th]

Come and sing Matthew Coleridge's Requiem in the wonderful acoustics of Pershore's Medieval Abbey, with an evening performance conducted by the composer. With cello soloist Maxim Calver (BBC Young Musician finalist 2018) and The Real String Orchestra.

Dorchester Abbey © Peter Chapman

Dorchester Abbey / Aug 20th 2020

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! With cellist Sarah Gait, soprano Emily Hicks and organist Laurence Caldecote.

Exeter Cathedral © Jack Pease

Exeter Cathedral / Sept 19th 2020

Join 250 singers to perform Matthew Coleridge's Requiem, and experience the rapture of singing in one of England's finest Medieval Cathedrals. With cello soloist Jamal Aliyev, acclaimed soprano Karin Dahlberg, and Exeter Cathedral's organist Timothy Noon.



Kendal

Kendal, Lake District / Oct 17th 2020

[Rescheduled event from Jun 6th]

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.

StBarnabas Ealing © Roger Green

London - St Barnabas, Ealing / Oct 24th 2020

[Rescheduled event from Mar 28th]

Come and sing Matthew Coleridge's Requiem in the fine Victorian church of St Barnabas, Ealing. Full details to follow.

Newport Cathedral

Newport Cathedral / Jan 16th 2021

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.



St Mary's Warwick © flickr/jpguffogg

Warwick - St Mary's / Feb 6th 2021

Come and sing in one of England's finest parish churches - the Collegiate Church of St Mary in Warwick. With Oliver Hancock (organ)



St Wilfrid's Harrogate

Harrogate - St Wilfrid's / Apr 17th 2021

Come and sing Requiem in one of Yorkshire's most spectacular churches, the vast Gothic Revival church of St Wilfrid. With organist Anthony Gray.



Blackburn Cathedral © David Iliff

Blackburn Cathedral / Jul 10th 2021

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 College, Oxford © David Iliff

New College Oxford / Jul 2021 (date TBC)

Come and sing Requiem in one of the country's most prestigious chapels. More details to follow.



Milton Abbey © flickr/johnelamper

Milton Abbey / Aug 2021 (date TBC)

There are few better places to be in August than this spectacular Abbey set amongst Dorset's rolling hills. More details to follow.



Testimonials

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