UCST & ULT Students to Sing at World Premiere of New King James Bible Oratorio
24 October 2011
On Sunday 13th November, students who attend United Learning Trust (ULT) academies and United Church Schools Trust (UCST) schools will sing at the premiere of the new King James Bible Oratorio in Westminster Abbey.
The new ten movement Oratorio has been commissioned as a gift to UCST and ULT from Sir Ewan and Lady Harper to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Sir Ewan, who was Chief Executive of UCST and ULT between 1991 and 2011, approached acclaimed-composer Howard Goodall to compose the piece. The Oratorio, which has been entitled Every Purpose Under the Heaven, sets some of the Bible’s best loved passages to music including Genesis, Psalm 121 and Ruth.
The premiere, which will be given on the evening of Remembrance Sunday by approximately 60 students from schools across the country, will be conducted by Howard Goodall. The students will sing alongside professional singers and musicians including Kirsty Hopkins (soprano) and Noah Stewart (tenor).
In preparation for the performance, the students and professional singers and musicians will participate in a day of rehearsals led by Howard Goodall in Lincoln Cathedral.
Composer Howard Goodall said:
“The King James Bible of 1611 is one of the cultural milestones of Western civilisation and its poetic phraseology, its narrative imagery, its ethical dilemmas and its uninhibited spirituality permeate the English language like no other document in history, with the exception of the first folio of William Shakespeare, published at more or less the same time.
“Knowing that my 2011 King James Bible Oratorio was intended to reflect the themes of both Old and New Testaments, I set about selecting what I felt were the ten most memorable and powerful passages, then created ten movements from these, working chronologically through from Genesis to Revelation. The commission was requested and sponsored by Sir Ewan Harper with the express aim that it should be anchored in the language of the King James Bible and be accessible and suitable for young singers, so that a new generation, who might not perhaps have as easy a familiarity with the ringing phrases of the text as their parents and grandparents, might be introduced to it through the expressive power and unabashed sincerity of their own voices."
Sir Ewan Harper, who commissioned the piece, said:
“My wife, Jenny, and I had the idea of commissioning the Oratorio based on the King James Bible as we thought it was particularly suitable for young voices and would therefore be a perfect score for the ULT and UCST students to sing. We were eager that the piece reflected the themes of love and loyalty and so we are delighted that the Oratorio begins with God’s love in creating Earth and the human race as reflected in Genesis and in the opening verses of St John’s Gospel, and includes passages of wonderful loyalty like that of Ruth and Naomi.
“In commissioning this piece of work, we hoped to make a modern contribution to classical church music in an idiom that was accessible to children and that brings enjoyment to young people for generations to come.”
The Rt. Rev and Rt. Hon. The Lord Carey of Clifton, Chairman of UCST, said:
“To sing at the premiere of such a piece of music and in the magnificent setting of Westminster Abbey is a tremendous opportunity for our students. They have been rehearsing for months and are extremely excited about performing in front of such a large audience. There are some incredibly talented students within our schools and academies and it is wonderful to be able to showcase their talents at such a momentous occasion.”
