Stephen Layton and The Holst Singers: 25th anniversary concert

We invite you to join us for a celebration of a remarkable quarter-century of music-making. Stephen Layton became Music Director of the Holst Singers in 1993 and over that period has turned it into one of the UK’s leading choirs.

The Holst Singers have made several outstanding recordings, including 'Ikon' and 'Ikon II' which led the explosion of interest in the UK in the music of the Orthodox Church. They have performed in numerous ground-breaking concerts including the world premier in 2004 of John Tavener’s The Veil of the Temple. And they have maintained the highest professional standards of performance despite being made up of amateur singers. All this has been achieved through the outstanding vision and musicianship of Stephen Layton, now rightly recognised as one of the world’s foremost choral conductors.

This anniversary is a wonderful opportunity to bring together members past and present with friends of the choir to enjoy a selection from our repertoire of the past twenty-five years.

The programme is a selection of favourites beloved of Stephen and the choir, designed to be representative of the variety of music performed and recorded over his time with the choir. We return to a familiar venue: the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Bayswater, an intimate and beautiful setting perfectly suited to the unaccompanied music at which the Holst Singers excel.