Renewal are excited to have been asked to make our contribution to this special occasion. Music moves us beyond those things that so easily divide us. It provides the fuel to ignite our passions and arouse our sensibilities towards a brighter future. We believe that the High Sheriff’s Concert will provide all this and more. “Renewal and two other gifted choirs from across the city will make a joyful noise by combining their voices together in eagerly anticipated concert on Wednesday 19 June in Bristol Cathedral for the annual High Sheriff’s Concert.
Charles Wyld, High Sheriff of Bristol for 2019-20 is the mastermind behind the concert that aims to bring neighborhoods together via the transformative power of music. Collaborating with choirmasters Kim Samuels and also David Ogden, the concert will see a strong representation from Renewal plus 100 young singers of Bristol Youth Choir, as well as the 45 accomplished musicians of Exultate Singers take to the stage with each other to sing a freshly created composition which mirrors Bristol’s history along with gazing into its future.
Charles explains, “I have always been a passionate musician and have seen how music can help young people to build their confidence, and people of all ages to express their emotions. Music can act as a bridge both within and between communities. I hope that this concert will inspire us all to speak and sing with one voice.“
Raising funds for 2 neighborhood charities, the show opens up with a new commission by David Ogden, entitled Every Breath A Track, delivered by Exultate Singers as well as Bristol Young People Choir. Each of the 3 choirs will perform separately and afterwards together, demonstrating the full variety of choral vocal singing, from the 16th to the 21st century.
In the second half of the performance, a new work by the young composer Toby Young will be premiered. Entitled “As One”, it celebrates the diversity of Bristol, with settings poems inspired by interviews with local people, together with tales from the city’s rich history. It utilizes a range of musical styles, from epic oratorio to upbeat jazz as well as funk. It looks to combine our understanding of the history of Bristol over the centuries, with a celebration of today and hope for the future.
Tickets are selling quick for the performance, which is set to raise in excess of ₤ 10,000 for 2 charities, Bristol Cathedral Trust, and Bristol Youth and Community Action, the programme of holiday activities for young people which is funded by the High Sheriff’s Fund. Ticket info can be located at the web site www.exultatesingers.org.
David Ogden, conductor of Bristol Youth Choir and Exultate Singers said, “This is a very exciting event in the history of Bristol, joining together singers from many different ages and backgrounds. We hope that the newly commissioned piece by Toby Young will become an anthem for Bristol, symbolising new directions in collaboration between different communities and age groups.”
