Classical Concerts in Worcestershire
A selection of forthcoming music in and around Elgar country, including Gloucestershire and Herefordshire
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| 21 November 2026 | |
| 7.30pm Worcester Cathedral 8 College Yard Worcester WR1 2LA United Kingdom Details: Web site 0333 666 3366 £10-29 | Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem and Bernstein: Chichester Psalms Susanna Fairbairn, soprano Jolyon Loy, baritone Worcester Festival Choral Society Meridian Sinfonia Samuel Hudson, conductor Vaughan Williams: Donna Nobis Pacem Leonard Bernstein: Chichester Psalms Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring Experience the region's leading, large classical choir, with full symphony orchestra, performing an invigorating programme of 20th century British and American choral and orchestral classics this November. Thrill to the huge scale and intense drama of Ralph Vaughan Williams' 1936 cantata Dona Nobis Pacem ('Give us peace') – an impassioned plea for peace and understanding instead of war. Powerful and hopeful, this choral work's rich harmonisation and heartfelt Walt Whitman verse remain relevant today. Echoing those same sentiments of peace is Leonard Bernstein's exciting 1965 choral masterpiece, Chichester Psalms – a triumphant blend of Hebrew text, vibrant melodies and syncopated rhythms. The concert also features a true orchestral treat - Aaron Copland's invigorating 1944 ballet Appalachian Spring, evoking a joyful young American Pioneer couple as they prepare for their wedding day. Accompanying Worcester Festival Choral Society are acclaimed soloists Susanna Fairbairn (soprano) and Jolyon Loy (baritone) and the superb Meridian Sinfonia symphony orchestra, all under the baton of Worcester Cathedral's director of music Samuel Hudson. So come and enjoy an evening of music that will stay long in the memory, and the heart! Book tickets at www.wfcs.online or call the TicketSource Hotline: 0333 666 3366 |
| 12 December 2026 | |
| 7.30pm Worcester Cathedral 8 College Yard Worcester WR1 2LA United Kingdom Details: Web site 0333 666 3366 £10-29 | Handel's Messiah by candlelight Alexandra Kidgell, soprano Kate Symonds-Joy, mezzo soprano William Balkwill, tenor Alex Ashworth, bass-baritone Worcester Festival Choral Society Meridian Sinfonia Samuel Hudson, conductor Handel: Messiah Hallelujah! Handel's glorious, much-loved oratorio, Messiah, returns to the magnificent, candlelit surroundings of Worcester Cathedral this December - in the ultimate Christmas concert experience! Performed by the 140 voices of Worcester Festival Choral Society, the region's leading, large classical choir, Messiah has been one of the world's most popular pieces of classical music for nearly 300 years. From its mighty 'Hallelujah' chorus – so moving that King George II was said to have risen to his feet at its premiere - to stunning arias and choruses such as 'For unto us a child is born', 'All we like sheep' and 'The trumpet shall sound', this is a concert of choral favourites like no other. This performance is also the Choral Society's annual benefit concert for local children's causes, in partnership with grant-giving charity the Worcestershire Community Foundation. In addition the performance marks the Choral Society's inaugural Hallelujah! Young Singers Opportunity, a new initiative encouraging a number of students and teachers from local secondary schools to experience the thrill of taking part in one of the most beloved choral works of all time. Accompanying Worcester Festival Choral Society are four, stellar soloists, Alexandra Kidgell (soprano), Kate Symonds-Joy (mezzo soprano), William Balkwill (tenor) and Alex Ashworth (bass baritone), and the superb Meridian Sinfonia Baroque orchestra; all under the baton of Worcester Cathedral's director of music Samuel Hudson. So snap up your seats for a magical evening of music this Christmas! Book tickets at www.wfcs.online or call the TicketSource Hotline: 0333 666 3366 |
| 13 March 2027 | |
| 7.30pm Worcester Cathedral 8 College Yard Worcester WR1 2LA United Kingdom Details: Web site 0333 666 3366 £10-29 | Elgar: The Kingdom Anita Watson, soprano Rebecca Afonwy-Jones, mezzo-soprano Austin Gunn, tenor Dominic Sedgwick, bass-baritone Worcester Festival Choral Society Meridian Sinfonia Samuel Hudson, conductor Elgar: The Kingdom Join us for a transcendent evening of music in the heart of 'Elgar Country', as Worcester Festival Choral Society, world-class soloists and symphony orchestra perform one of Elgar's greatest choral works, The Kingdom, at Worcester Cathedral. Premiered at the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival in 1906, The Kingdom was Elgar's third, large oratorio, following the success of The Dream of Gerontius and The Apostles. Including a mixture of astonishingly dramatic and gentle choral passages, as well as some of Elgar's finest orchestral and soloist writing, The Kingdom is also known for the hauntingly beautiful soprano solo, 'The sun goeth down'. Its narrative continues on from The Apostles, focusing on the lives of Jesus' disciples and the Holy Women - portrayed as ordinary people who encounter extraordinary events - as they lay the foundations of Christianity. Accompanying Worcester Festival Choral Society are acclaimed soloists Anita Watson (soprano), Rebecca Afonwy-Jones (mezzo soprano), Austin Gunn (tenor) and Dominic Sedgwick (baritone), with the superb Meridian Sinfonia symphony orchestra, all under the baton of Worcester Cathedral's director of music Samuel Hudson. So put the date in your diary to enjoy this true 'Elgar great' this spring! Book tickets at wfcs.online or call the TicketSource Hotline: 0333 666 3366. |
| 23 May 2027 until 6 June 2027 | |
| Worcestershire United Kingdom Details: Web site | Elgar Festival |
| 26 August 2027 until 30 August 2027 | |
| Presteigne Wales United Kingdom Details: Web site | Presteigne Festival |