On Saturday 7th March 2009, York St John University held the 21st Annual Choirs Festival hosted by famous Yorkshire writer and Honorary Fellow, Gervase Phinn. This year’s festival brought together the largest number of performers to date from some of Britain’s oldest university and college choirs to sing at a spectacular concert held in York Minster.

Launched in 1988 by Professor Grenville Hancox from Canterbury Christ Church University, the festival brings together college and university choirs with a church foundation history from across the country to celebrate their musical traditions. Musically gifted and talented students from each institution will perform a common piece of music to an audience of guests and general public in a historic setting in the festival’s host city.

This year’s concert took place in the awe-inspiring York Minster with over 400 student singers from Newman University College Birmingham; Leeds Trinity and All Saints; Bishop Grosseteste University College (Lincoln); University College Plymouth, St Mark and St John; St Mary’s University College (Twickenham); Canterbury Christ Church University; University of Chester; The University of Chichester; University of Cumbria; Roehampton University; The University of Winchester; Liverpool Hope University and York St John University.

Gervase Phinn hosted this momentous occasion where each participating choir performed their own choral piece including an African piece entitled Weeping by Don Heymann and Alexander L’Estrange and The Battle of Jericho by Stephen Trahair. The choirs joined together for a dramatic finale group performance of Thomas Tallis’ Spem in Alium, Omnes Gentes by Giovanni Gabrieli and Hymn To The Mother Of God by John Tavener.

On hosting this special occasion, Gervase Phinn said ‘I am very honoured to be hosting the 21st Annual Choirs Festival. Where better is there to hear the most beautiful music performed by some of the country’s most gifted and talented students than in the glorious York Minster? It promises to be a most memorable evening.’

Ralph Bateman, Director of Music at York St John University said ‘Each year the participating choirs join together in different host cities to produce a truly memorable concert. Singing together is always a special form of collaboration, but with more than 400 students attending, this year’s concert promises to be particularly splendid. Individual choirs will perform short pieces and then merge to sing works written for several choirs together, which should sound wonderful in the Minster’s resonant spaces.’

This spectacular concert was an important occasion in both York St John University and the City of York’s calendar and showcased a wealth of student talent and provided a fantastic opportunity for the wider community to enjoy an inspirational cultural event.