Summer 2026

McDowall, The Girl from Aleppo

Vaughan Williams,The Lark Ascending (choral version)

Todd, Mass in Blue (Piano, bass and drums)

Alison Loram, Violin in Vaughan Williams and McDowall

We have a trio of varied and wonderful works for you this summer. First off, we are proud to present Cecilia McDowall’s The Girl from Aleppo. This secular cantata for choir, violin and piano narrates the amazing journey of Nujeen Mustafa and her sister Nasrine from war-torn Aleppo in Syria to safety in Germany. What makes their feat all the more incredible is that Nujeen has cerebral palsy and was pushed during their journey in a wheelchair by Nasrine. Cecilia McDowall’s work melds the British choral tradition, tonalities of Middle Eastern music, jazz elements, wordless vocal sounds, body percussion and, of course, her own unique voice. This optimistic and moving piece grants an insight into the personal history of girls fleeing oppression and war, and demonstrates the human sympathy so often neglected by our media. Next, and in complete contrast, we are singing Ralph Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending in the version for violin, piano and chorus. What better way to dream away a summer’s evening, lulled by the filigree, languorous arabesques of the violin and serenaded by the choir’s urgent longing for the freedom and ecstasy of the skylark. Pure nostalgic bucolic Englishness: but perhaps Nujeen and Nasrine’s longing for freedom too? Finally, another complete change of mood as we turn to Will Todd’s joyous and uplifting Mass in Blue. Drenched in the harmonies and rhythms of blues and jazz, the Mass expresses the energy, passion, serenity, calm, confidence, excitement and, yes, the riotous groove of God and Creation: it sings – in the words of The Girl from Aleppo – ‘the song of life itself’. Hold on to your hats for a full-on musical experience with soprano soloist, choir, bass and drums. We can’t wait to share this musical extravaganza with you – see you there!

This programme is provisional. There will be donation buckets for the local refugee and asylum seekers' support charity ASHA.

Booking opens approx 4 weeks before the concert.

PARKING is free all weekend and after 5pm during the week, all over campus, including permit only areas.

Download a map here.

Blue Badge parking near the chapel (see pink letters).