Bristol Cabot Choir Summer Concert (Sat 4 Jul 2026, 7.30pm)
Clifton Cathedral, Bristol, BS8 3BX
Saturday 4th July 2026
Summer is a season that invites us to slow down, to listen, and to be lifted. As light lingers into the evening and the city softens into warmth, Bristol Cabot Choir welcomes you to an evening of beauty and joy at our summer concert in the soaring space of Clifton Cathedral on Saturday 4 July at 7.30pm. The choir will be conducted by Ben England BEM, with John Talbot at the organ and piano.
The programme opens a window onto the natural world. Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, long treasured at the heart of the English musical tradition, is heard here in Paul Drayton’s luminous choral arrangement. The addition of voices feels entirely at home within Vaughan Williams’ pastoral sound world, while George Meredith’s poetry gently reconnects the music with its original inspiration. At its heart, violinist Greta Murmaité embodies the spirit of the Lark itself, soaring above the choir with radiant, expressive playing that seems to rise effortlessly into the vaulted space.
We also celebrate renewal on a broader scale with A Season to Sing by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange, a vibrant choral re‑imagining of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, composed in 2025 to mark the work’s 300th anniversary. Created under the auspices of the Royal School of Church Music and co‑commissioned by 55 choirs worldwide, this contemporary response has already found resonance across five continents. Familiar melodies are transformed into something fresh and richly choral, capturing the cycle of the year in all its colour, contrast and promise.
Join us for an evening that reflects the spirit of summer itself: joyful, uplifting and full of life.
The programme opens a window onto the natural world. Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, long treasured at the heart of the English musical tradition, is heard here in Paul Drayton’s luminous choral arrangement. The addition of voices feels entirely at home within Vaughan Williams’ pastoral sound world, while George Meredith’s poetry gently reconnects the music with its original inspiration. At its heart, violinist Greta Murmaité embodies the spirit of the Lark itself, soaring above the choir with radiant, expressive playing that seems to rise effortlessly into the vaulted space.
We also celebrate renewal on a broader scale with A Season to Sing by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange, a vibrant choral re‑imagining of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, composed in 2025 to mark the work’s 300th anniversary. Created under the auspices of the Royal School of Church Music and co‑commissioned by 55 choirs worldwide, this contemporary response has already found resonance across five continents. Familiar melodies are transformed into something fresh and richly choral, capturing the cycle of the year in all its colour, contrast and promise.
Join us for an evening that reflects the spirit of summer itself: joyful, uplifting and full of life.
