Sunday 22 March, 19:00
(Doors open at 18:15)
Oslo Cathedral
Adult: 550 NOK
Senior/student: 450 NOK
Child: 100 NOK
Duration: approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes
-
FOR STUDENTS AND OTHERS
Friday 20 March, 11:00
Place: more information at registration
The festival is arranging an open rehearsal, and is giving students and others interested the opportunity to observe exceptional musicians at work. Experience the legendary conductor Peter Phillips and the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir during the rehearsals for the closing concert.
The event is free, but registration is required before March 12 (limited seating):
22 41 81 15
CLOSING CONCERT
THE SOLOISTS’ CHOIR AND PETER PHILLIPS
WORKS BY WILLIAM BYRD, THOMAS TALLIS, NICO MUHLY, AND ARVO PÄRT
The Soloists’ Choir with legendary conductor Peter Phillips
For the closing concert, we present an exciting collaboration between the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir and the legendary English conductor Peter Phillips. Together, they will perform music by the two central English Renaissance composers William Byrd and Thomas Tallis – composers who represent a highlight in 16th century English church music, with their spiritual sound and complex polyphony. The relationship between Tallis and Byrd was both professional and personal. They met at a young age and developed a close, life-lasting friendship. In their day, Tallis and Byrd were the most prominent composers in England, and Queen Elizabeth I was the patron for both of them. In 1575, she gave them exclusive rights to print music – a privilege that gave them financial security as well as promoting English music. They used these rights to create a series of works together, among them 34 Latin motets dedicated to the queen. Peter Phillips is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on English Renaissance music, and this concert is a rare opportunity to experience him in collaboration with Norway’s leading choir of this repertoire. On the program, we also find works by Arvo Pärt and the American contemporary composer Nico Muhly.
-
William Byrd (1540–1623)
Laudibus in sanctis
Ne irascaris
Thomas Tallis (1505–1585)
Lamentations I
Nico Muhly (b. 1981)
Recordare-Short break-
Thomas Tallis
Videte miraculum
Sancte Deus
Arvo Pärt (b. 1935)
Da pacem
Virgencita
William Byrd
Gaudeamus omnes -
The Norwegian Soloists’ Choir is an innovative ensemble with great expressiveness. Their repertoire includes newly written music, folk music, and classics from the choir literature. The choir has distinguished themselves both in Norway and abroad, and has received, among others, the Spellemann award, the Critics Award, and the prestigious Diapason d’Or de l’Année. From 1990 to 2025, the Norwegian Soloists’ Choir was under the direction of Grete Pedersen. In 2026, Yuval Weinberg will assume the role of artistic director for the choir.
-
Peter Phillips has dedicated his career as a choir conductor and researcher to the polyphonic music of the 15th and 16th centuries. His work has contributed to promoting Renaissance music in the classical vocal repertoire, among other things through The Tallis Scholars, which he founded in 1973. The ensemble specialises in sacred music from the Renaissance period, with extensive concert and recording activities. In 2005, Phillips was honoured with the title Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture, and in 2010 as Fellow for Life at Merton College in Oxford. Phillips has previously visited the festival with The Tallis Scholars, to great enthusiasm.
Photo: The Norwegian Soloists´ Choir: Bård Gundersen, Peter Phillips: Hugo Glendinning
