Tuesday 7 April 2009, Markideion Theatre, Pafos, 20:30
Wednesday 8 April 2009, Strovolos Municipal Theatre, Lefkosia, 20:30
Soloists:
Margarita Elia (soprano), William Purefoy (alto)
Nicholas Mulroy (tenor), Thomas Kennedy (bass)
Choir: Choir of New College Oxford
Music Direction: Edward Higginbottom
Programme:
G. F. Handel: Oratorio “Messiah”
Ticket prices: 10 and 5 euro for pensioners. Tickets available at the Theatres’ box office
Free entrance for students, soldiers, student card and EURO<26 card holders
The English conductor Edward Higginbottom‘s early years were marked by distinction as a keyboard player. He gained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists, winning the Harding and Read prizes for the most outstanding candidate of the year. A long association with Corpus Christi College Cambridge followed, beginning with an organ scholarship (John Stewart of Rannoch University prize in Sacred Music), continuing with graduate work and a doctoral thesis on French baroque music, and ending with a research fellowship (1973-76). While at Cambridge, he gained recognition at home and abroad as director of the Cambridge University Purcell Society. Graduate work in Paris from 1970 to 1972 deepened his contacts abroad as he studied organ with Marie-Claire Alain while writing his doctoral thesis. His love of French culture has borne fruit in editions of F.Couperin’s chamber music, many recording projects featuring French music, and frequent invitations for New College Choir Oxford to sing in Europe and further afield. He is sought after as president of international music competitions, and as a consultant. The French Ministry of Culture has rewarded him with the honor ‘Officier de l’ Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ for his role in the revival of choir schools in France. Edward Higginbottom was appointed Director of Music at New College Choir Oxford 1976 at the unusually young age of 29. His work at Oxford is divided between New College Choir Oxford and the Faculty of Music where he teaches performance practice alongside other specialisms. He also publishes within the areas of his expertise to the Cambridge Companion to the Organ and entries on French music to The New Grove Dictionary of Music. Under Edward Higginbottom’s direction and through his extensive knowledge of choral repertory and performance styles, the New College Choir Oxford has achieved international recognition. It has brought choral music of high quality to an increasingly wide-ranging public through more than 70 recordings and many concerts in this country and abroad. The New College Choir Oxford has become renowned for its interpretations of Renaissance and Baroque music, and latterly for its choral compilation recordings encompassing music from folk-song to Tavener and Pärt.
Founded in Oxford, England, the Choir of New College Oxford is one of the UK’s leading ensembles, enjoying a world-wide reputation for the range of its work, and the originality of its recording projects. Over the recent years it has contributed a number of important releases to the record catalogue, giving new insights into familiar repertoire, and frequently presenting first recorded performances. Having done over 65 recordings over the years, the Choir has travelled extensively in Europe, as far afield as Japan, and is active also in the UK, having a number of BBC Promenade concerts to its credit as well other London appearances. Its work in Oxford focuses on the sung liturgy of the chapel of New College, where during the University terms it sings the daily services in the College’s 14th-century chapel.
