By kind permission of the Dean and Chapter Graciously supported by the Britten-Pears Foundation

The Durham Singers with

Durham Johnston School and

Durham Cathedral Young Singers

Saturday 2 March 7.00 p.m.

Durham Cathedral

Benjamin Britten

Fanfare for St Edmundsbury Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30

Jubilate in C

Noye’s Fludde, Op. 59

Conductor: Julian Wright

The Voice of God: Michael Sadgrove Noye: Richard Strivens

Mrs Noye: Charlotte Heslop

Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) Benjamin Britten was born a hundred years ago. One of England’s most outstanding musicians, he left us a unique legacy. He also left us a vital message. We have two important responsibilities as musicians: to share new music with others; and to teach great music to young people. Britten’s opera Noye’s Fludde brings the Bible story to life for a community of singers and players of all ages and all abilities. The excitement of the musical drama comes to a great climax in the three hymns at the beginning, middle and end of the opera. Please join in loudly! If, like us, you think Britten’s message matters, pass it on. Support the concerts and activities of local choirs and orchestras; support and encourage schools, and organisations like Durham Cathedral, who sponsor such important outreach work; and above all, please talk to young people in your family about your love of music. Tonight we celebrate Britten’s belief in great music for all; and in so doing we celebrate our own musical future.

Julian Wright, Musical Director, The Durham Singers

Cast The Voice of God: Michael Sadgrove Noye: Richard Scrivens (baritone) Mrs Noye: Charlotte Heslop (mezzo-soprano) Sem: Alex Banfield (tenor) Ham: Tom Rowath (tenor) Jaffett: Peter Thomson (tenor) Mrs Sem: Clare Tunney (soprano) Mrs Ham: Elen Lloyd Roberts (soprano) Mrs Jaffett: Holly Brunskill (soprano) Raven: Emma Hall Dove: Gabrielle Burrell

Durham Johnston School The Birds Olivia Bell, Alice Bhowmick, Lauren Brice, Matthew Briggs, Lucinda Carty, Alice Coatham, Harry Coe, Leigh Cuthbertson, Louis Davies, Fletcher Dinard-Samuel, Anna Englund, Olivia Fawcett, Emma Hall (Raven)*, Katharina Pohl, Joel Richardson, Benedict Skinner-Cassidy, Ben Sludden, Ruth Stewart, Thomas Stoker, Kiah Tahmosybayat, Noah Threlfall-Holmes, Dan Thomas, Isobel Warburton, Saskia Warren. Mrs Noye’s Gossips Anna Bartlett*, Roisin Beck-Taylor*, Laura Bohlander*, Ruth Bradley*, Rebecca Davies*, Lisanne Nausner*, Ruby Lindsey*, Elaine Robertson*, Emmeline Skinner-Cassidy*, Laura Wright*, Alice Woods*. Ripieno strings, wind and percussion Alison Bain, Eva Bhowmick, Zak Bonnington*, Alex Biggs*, Kristin Briggs*, Chris Brown*, Miss Brown, Emily Burnett, Anastasia Carver*, Helena Carver, Dylan Childs*, Robyn Craig, Ms Darwin, Brocha Goode*, Mr Hoare, Isla Jardine*, Thomas Lawrance*, Martin Monedero*, Katharine Morris*, Charlie Patterson, Sam Phillips*, Caroline Roberts, James Rowe*, Iona Song, Jane Shuttleworth, Shentong Wang*, Lewis Wilkinson*, Joe Wright*, Matthew Wright*. *denotes members of Durham Johnston Chamber Choir

Durham Cathedral Young Singers The Animals

Charlotte Atkin, Tom Atkinson, Liliana Banev, Kitty Bartlett, Madeline Bays, Eleanor Brewster, Josh Brewster, Gabrielle Burrell (Dove), Millie Carss, Mollie Coe, Ruby Coe, Joseph Copple, Oliver Davis, Emma Dodds, Hannah Earl, Sarah Earl, Lauren Etchells, Jenny Grehan-Bradley, Lucy Grehan-Bradley, Sterling Gibson, Phoebe Gooding, Ben Hadfield, Sarah Halliday, Siobham Hill, Isabella Johnston, Ruby Johnston, Emily Kelly, Ruth Kelly, Ella Kitching, Niamh Lang, Daisy Laws, Will Lindsey, Alistair

Lunn, James Lunn, Archie Miller, Oscar Nolan, Emma-Louise Normanton, Thomas Normanton, Grace Parker, Abigail Reid, Corey Roberts, Ellie Rutterford, Jude Sellers, Annie Smith, Lilyrose Soothill, Scarlett Soothill, Thomas Stoker, Henry Swindells, Mitchell Thirwell, Megan Thomas, Annabel Wandless.

The Durham Singers Soprano: Karen Dickman, Ruth Durbridge, Janet Evans, Gill Humphrys, Susan Moore, Marilyn Over, Kathy Palmer, Christine Purcell, Elizabeth Roberts, Helen Rutland, Jo Setchell, Heather Speight, Jennifer Tasker, Rachel Wearmouth, Deirdre Wilkie.

Alto: Morven Adey, Jo Cundy, Barbara Fox, Wendy Hughes, Pam Plumb, Caroline Roberts, Susan Shaw, Jane Shuttleworth, Heather Smith, Clare Wright.

Tenor: David Harris, John Hooker, Euan Ross, Colin Thomson.

Bass: Antony Friswell, Simon Squires, Simon Tasker, Peter Wilkie, Richard Winn, Andrew Wright.

Orchestra Violin 1: Ed Cross

Violin 2: Jayne Cuggy

Viola: Sheila Harrison

Cello: Simon Newitt

Double Bass: Duncan Brown

Bugle: Derek Ruffell

Bugle: Neil Jowett

Bugle: Ray Gill

Bugle: Mike Walton

Recorder: Mary Tyers

Timpani: Mark Edwards

Piano duet: Francesca Massey

Piano duet: David Murray

Organ: David Ratnanayagam (Noye’s Fludde)

Organ: Francesca Massey (Rejoice in the Lamb and Jubilate in C)

On Noye’s Fludde This programme note has an unusually personal aspect. In 1958 the first performances of Britten’s Noye’s Fludde took place at Orford Church in Suffolk as part of the Aldeburgh Festival. The part of Noye was sung by Owen Brannigan. He lived a few doors away from my home in north London, and it may have been he who suggested that I might enjoy taking part in a performance to be given locally the following year. I was duly assigned the lowly part of a goat in the Finchley Children’s Music Group production in 1959, when I was 9. So to be enunciating the voice of God in tonight’s performance is a significant promotion, not least in this year that marks the centenary of Britten’s birth in 1913. I was deeply moved by that first experience of collective music-making, and wrote to Britten to tell him about it. To my surprise, he replied. I have kept his letter ever since, and thanks to the Britten-Pears Archive at Aldeburgh, we have been able to retrieve my original. Both are reproduced on the next two pages (the latter somewhat to my embarrassment). I am one of thousands to whom, as children, Britten showed acts of friendship and kindness. And while he famously never threw anything out, I am still touched that he kept my letter. Britten’s affinity with children is reflected in the many works he wrote for or about them. Noye’s Fludde is one the best-loved of these. Britten wrote it in 1957, drawing his libretto from the Chester cycle of miracle plays. He wanted his opera (or enacted cantata?) to reflect the spirit of the medieval plays: joyous, vivid, even rough street-theatre rather than the more polished self-conscious rendering of the plush auditorium (a type of venue Britten explicitly forbad). The bracing interior of a church with its hard surfaces and resonant acoustics fitted his vision of drama that was both religious in inspiration and popular in execution. Noye’s Fludde is a collaborative effort between children and adults, amateurs and professionals. The small concertino orchestra of professionals is complemeted by the larger ripieno band of all-age amateurs: strings plus ‘fun’ instruments like bugles, handbells and the

Letter from the young Michael Sadgrove to Benjamin Britten

famous hanging tea-cups that simulate the arrival of the rain. Apart from Noye, Mrs Noye and the voice of God, all the other parts were written for children or adolescents; tonight, in a larger building than the Suffolk churches of Britten, some of the soloists are young adult tenors and sopranos; but the animals and Mrs Noye’s gossips are younger children and teenagers, capturing the exciting blend of voices at different stages of development.

Three shorter works by Britten complement Noye. His Fanfare for St Edmundsbury with its three trumpets disposed around the Cathedral, belongs to the same era as the opera and was written for a pageant to celebrate Magna Carta. Rejoice in the Lamb dates from the 1940s. It is a festival cantata for soloists, choir and organ; the text is a poem by the 18th-century poet Christopher Smart in which he summons all creatures to praise their Maker. The exuberant Jubilate in C, commissioned for St George’s Chapel, Windsor by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, was written with that theme of colourful praise in mind, and continues to enliven sung matins in our cathedrals today. Michael Sadgrove

Programme Texts

Fanfare for St Edmundsbury Britten (1959)

Trumpets: Ray Gill, Derek Ruffell, Mike Walton Conductor: Neil Jowett

Rejoice in the Lamb Britten (1943)

from a poem by Christopher Smart The Durham Singers Organ: Francesca Massey Chorus Rejoice in God, O ye Tongues; give the glory to the Lord, and the Lamb. Nations, and languages, and every Creature, in which is the breath of Life. Let man and beast appear before him, and magnify his name together. Let Nimrod, the mighty hunter, bind a Leopard to the altar, and consecrate his spear to the Lord. Let Ishmael dedicate a Tyger, and give praise for the liberty in which the Lord has let him at large. Let Balaam appear with an Ass, and bless the Lord his people and his creatures for a reward eternal. Let Daniel come forth with a Lion, and praise God with all his might through faith in Christ Jesus. Let Ithamar minister with a Chamois, and bless the name of Him, that cloatheth the naked. Let Jakim with the Satyr bless God in the dance. Let David bless with the Bear – The beginning of victory to the Lord – to the Lord the perfection of excellence – Hallelujah from the heart of God, and from the hand of the artist inimitable, and from the echo of the heavenly harp in sweetness magnifical and mighty. Hallelujah.

Soprano solo: Elizabeth Roberts For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry. For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him. For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way. For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness. For he knows that God is his Saviour. For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements. For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest. For I am possessed of a cat, surpassing in beauty, from whom I take occasion to bless Almighty God. Alto solo: Caroline Roberts For the Mouse is a creature of great personal valour. For – this is a true case – Cat takes female mouse – male mouse will not depart, but stands threat'ning and daring. If you will let her go, I will engage you, as prodigious a creature as you are. For the Mouse is a creature of great personal valour. For the Mouse is of an hospitable disposition. Tenor solo: David Harris For the flowers are great blessings. For the flowers have their angels even the words of God's Creation. For the flower glorifies God and the root parries the adversary. For there is a language of flowers. For flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ. Chorus For I am under the same accusation with my Saviour – For they said, he is besides himself. For the officers of the peace are at variance with me, and the watchman smites me with his staff. For Silly fellow! Silly fellow! is against me, and belongeth neither to me nor to my family.

For I am in twelve Hardships, but he that was born of a virgin shall deliver me out of all. Recitative and chorus Bass solo: Simon Tasker For H is a spirit and therefore he is God. For K is king and therefore he is God. For L is love and therefore he is God. For M is musick and therefore he is God. For the instruments are by their rhimes. For the Shawm rhimes are lawn fawn moon boon and the like. For the harp rhimes are sing ring string and the like. For the cymbal rhimes are bell well toll soul and the like. For the flute rhimes are tooth youth suit mute and the like. For the Bassoon rhimes are pass class and the like. For the dulcimer rhimes are grace place beat heat and the like. For the Clarinet rhimes are clean seen and the like. For the trumpet rhimes are sound bound soar more and the like. For the Trumpet of God is a blessed intelligence and so are all the instruments in Heaven. For God the father Almighty plays upon the Harp of stupendous magnitude and melody. For at that time malignity ceases and the devils themselves are at peace. For this time is perceptible to man by a remarkable stillness and serenity of soul. Chorus Hallelujah from the heart of God, and from the hand of the artist inimitable, and from the echo of the heavenly harp in sweetness magnifical and mighty. Hallelujah.

Jubilate in C Britten (1961)

The Durham Singers and Durham Johnston Chamber Choir Organ: Francesca Massey O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands: Serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song. Be ye sure that the Lord he is God: It is he that hath made us and not we ourselves; We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto him, and speak good of his name. For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting: And his truth endureth from generation to generation. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be: World without end. Amen.

Interval (15 minutes)

Noye’s Fludde Britten (1958)

Text from English Miracle Plays, Moralities and Interludes Members of the audience are invited to join in the hymns where indicated in bold. All (standing) Lord Jesus, think on me, And purge away my sin; From earthborn passions set me free, And make me pure within. Lord Jesus, think on me, Nor let me go astray; Through darkness and perplexity Point thou the heavenly way. Lord Jesus, think on me, When flows the tempest high: When on doth rush the enemy O Saviour, be thou nigh. Lord Jesus, think on me, That, when the flood is past, I may eternal brightness see, And share thy joy at last. The Voice of God I God, that all this worlde hath wroughte, Heaven and eairth, and all of naughte, I see my people in deede and thoughte Are sette full fowle in synne.

Man that I made I will destroye, Beaste, worme and fowle to flye; For on eairth they me deny, The folke that are theiron. Destroyed all the worlde shalbe, Save thou, thy wiffe, and children three, And their wiffes also with thee Shall saved be for thy sake. Therefore, Noye my servante free, That rightious man arte, as I see, A shippe now thou shall make thee, Of treeyes drye and light; The Voice of God with Noye Three hundreth cubettes it shall be longe, And fiftie brode, to make yt strong; Of heighte fiftie… Thus messuer it aboute. Noye One wyndow worcke through my witte, A cubitte of lengthe and breadth make itt. Upon the syde a dore shall sit For to come in and oute.

O, Lorde, I thanke thee lowde and still, That to me arte in suche will, And spares me and my howse to spill. Have done, you men and wemen all, Hye you, leste this watter fall, To worcke this shippe, chamber and hall, As God hath bidden us doe. Sem Father, I am already bowne; An axe I have, and by my crowne! As sharpe as anye in all this towne. For to goe therto. Ham I have a hacchatt wounder keeyne, To bite well, as maye be seene, A better grownden, as I wene, Is not in all this towne. Jaffett And I can make right well a pynne, And with this hamer knocke it in: Goe wee to worcke without more dynne And I am ready bowne. Mrs Sem Hear is a good hacckinge-stoccke, On this you maye hewe and knocke; None shall be idle in this floccke; For nowe maye noe man fayle.

Mrs Ham And I will goe gaither slyche The shippe for to caulke and pyche, Anoynte yt must be each stiche, Borde and tree and pynne. Mrs Jaffett And I will goe gaither chippes heare To make a fier for you in fere, And for to dighte youer dynner, Againste your cominge in. Mrs Noye And we shall brynge tymber too, For we mone nothing ellse doe; Wemen be weeke to undergoe Any greate travill. Noye Goodwiffe, lee be all this beare, That thou makest in this place heare; For all they wene thou arte maister, And so thou arte, by Sante John! Noye Now in the name of God I will begyne To make the shippe here that we shall in, That we may be readye for to swyme Noye and his Children At the cominge of the fludde. Noye These bordes heare now I pynne togeither,

To beare us saffe from the weither, That we maye rowe both heither and theither Noye and his Children And saffe be from the fludde. Noye Of this treey will I make the maste, Tyed with cabelles that will laste, With a saile yarde for every blaste, Noye and his Children And iche thinge in their kinde. With toppe-castill, and boe-spritte, With cordes and roppes, I hold all meet; To sayle fourth at the nexte sleete, When the shippe is att an ende. Now in the name of God we make endynge To make the shippe here that we shall in, That we may be readye for to swyme At the cominge of the fludde. Noye Wyffe, in this vessel we shall be kepte: My children and thou, I woulde in ye lepte. Mrs Noye In fayth, Noye, I hade as leif thou slepte! For all thy frynishe fare, I will not doe after thy rede.

Noye Good wyffe, doe nowe as I thee bydde. Mrs Noye By Christe! not or I see more neede, Though thou stande all the daye and stare Noye Lorde, that wemen be crabbed aye, And non are meke, I dare well saye, This is well seene by me to-daye In witnesse of you each one. The Voice of God Noye, Noye, take thou thy company, And in the shippe hie that you be, And beastes and fowles with thee thou take, He and shee, mate to mate; For it is my likinge Mankinde for to anoye Fourtye dayes and fortye nights Raine shall fall for ther unrightes, And that I have made through my mightes Now thinke I do destroye. Noye Have donne, you men and wemen alle, Hye you, lest this watter fall, That iich beaste were in stalle, And into the shippe broughte. The fludde is nye, you maye well see, Therefore tarye you naughte.

Sem Sir! heare are lions, leopardes, in, Horses, mares, oxen, swyne, Goote and caulfe, sheepe and kine Heare coming thou may see. Lions, Leopards, etc. Kyrie eleison! Ham Camelles, asses, man maye fynde, Bucke and doo, harte and hinde, Beasts of all manner kinde Here be, as thinketh me. Camels, Asses, etc. Kyrie eleison! Jaffett See heare dogges, bitches too Otter, fox, polecats also, Hares hoppinge gaylie go, Bringing colly for to eate. The Smaller Animals Kyrie eleison! Mrs Sem And heare are beares, woulfes sette, Apes and monkeys, marmosette, Weyscelles, squirelles, and ferrette, Eaten ther meate. Bears, Wolves, etc. Kyrie eleison!

Mrs Ham and Mrs Jaffett And heare are beastes in this howse, Heare cattes make carouse, Heare a ratten, heare a mousse, That standeth nighe togeither. Cats, Mice, etc. Kyrie eleison! Sem and Mrs Sem And heare are fowles lesse and more, Herons, owls, bittern, jackdaw, Swannes, peacokes, them before Ready for this weither. Ham and Mrs Ham And heare are cockes, kites, croes, Rookes, ravens, many rows, Cuckoes, curlues, all one knowes, Iche one in his kinde. Jaffett and Mrs Jaffett And heare are doves, ducks, drackes, Redshanckes roninge through the lackes. And ech fowle that noises makes In this shippe men maye finde. The Birds Kyrie eleison! All the Animals Kyrie eleison! Noye and his Children Kyrie eleison!

Noye Wiffe, come in! why standes thou their? For feare leste that you drowne. Mrs Noye Yea, sir, sette up youer saile. Rowe fourth with evill haile, For withouten anye fayle I will not oute of this towne. Noye Sem, sonne, Ioe! thye mother is wrawe: Forsooth, such another one I doe not knowe. Sem Father, I shall fetch her in, I trowe Withouten anye fayle. Mother, my father after thee sende. Byddes thee into yonder shippe wende. Loke up and see the wynde, For we bene readye to sayle. Mrs Noye I will not come therin to-daye; Go againe to hym, I saie! But I have my gossippes everyone, They shall not drowne, by Sante John! And I may save ther life.

The Gossips The flude comes fleetinge in full faste, On every syde that spreades full ferre; For feare of drowninge I am agaste; Good gossippes, lett us draw nere. Noye Come in, wiffe, in twentye devilles waye! Or elles stand there without. Mrs Noye and Gossips Lett us drink or we departe, For ofte tymes we have done soe: For att a draughte thou drinkes a quarte And soe will I do or I goe. Jaffett Father! shall we feche her in? Noye Yea, sonnes, in Christe blessinge and myne! I would you hied you be-tyme, For of this flude I am in doubte. Mrs Noye and Gossips Heare is a pottill of Malmsine, good and stronge; It will rejoyce bouth harte and tonge; Though Noye thinke us never so longe, Heare we will drinke alike.

Sem, Ham and Jaffett Mother! we praye you all together, For we are heare, youer owne childer, Come into the shippe for feare of the weither, For his love that you boughte! Mrs Noye That will not I, for alle youer call, But I have my gossippes all. Sem, Ham and Jaffett In faith, mother, yett you shalle, Wheither thou wylte or nought, Mrs Noye They loven me full well, by Christe! But thou lett them into thy cheiste. Elles rowe nowe wher thee list, And gette thee a newe wiffe! Noye Welckome, wiffe, into this botte. Ha, ha! marye, this is hotte! It is good for to be still. Noye Ha! children, me thinkes my botte removes, Over the lande the watter spreades; God doe as he will. Noye, Mrs Noye and their Children A! great God, that arte so good, That worckes not thy will is wood. Nowe all this worlde is on a flude, As I see well in sighte.

Noye This wyndowe will I shutte anon, And into my chamber I will gone, Till this watter, so greate one, Be slacked through thy mighte. Noye, Mrs Noye, Children and Animals Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm doth bind the restless wave, Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep Its own appointed limits keep: O hear us when we cry to thee For those in peril on the sea. All (standing) O Saviour, whose almighty word The wind and waves submissive heard, Who walkedst on the foaming deep, And calm amidst its rage didst sleep: O hear us when we cry to thee For those in peril on the sea. O Sacred Spirit, who didst brood Upon the chaos dark and rude, Who bad’st its angry tumult cease, And gavest light and life and peace: O hear us when we cry to thee For those in peril on the sea. Noye Now forty dayes are fullie gone, Send a raven I will anone, If ought-were earth or tree or stone

Be drye in any place. And if this foule come not againe It is a signe, soth to sayne, That dry it is on hill or playne. Ah, Lorde, wherever this raven be, Somewhere is drye, well I see; But yet a dove, by me lewtye! After I will sende. Thou wilt turne againe to me, For of all fowles that may flye Thou art most meke and hend. Ah Lord, blessed by thou aye, That me hast confort thus to-day; My sweete dove to me brought has A branch of olyve from some place. It is a signe of peace. Ah Lord, honoured must thou be, All earthe dryes now, I see But yet tyll thou comaunde me Hence will I not hye. The Voice of God Noye, take thy wife anone, And thy children every one, Out of the shippe thou shalt gone, And they all with thee. Beastes and all that can flie Out anone they shall hye, On earth to grow and multeplye; I wyll that soe yt be. Animals Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Noye, Mrs Noye and their Children Lord, we thanke thee through thy mighte, Thy bydding shall be done in height. And as fast as we may dighte, We will doe thee honoure. All the Cast Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The Voice of God Noye, heare I behette thee a heste, That man, woman, fowle, ney beste With watter, while this worlde shall leste, I will noe more spill. My bowe betweyne you and me In the firmamente shalbe, By verey tocken that you shall see, That such vengeance shall cease. Wher cloudes in the welckine bene, That ilke bowe shalbe seene, In tocken that my wrath and teene Shall never thus wrocken be. The stringe is torned towardes you, And towarde me is bente the bowe, That such weither shall never shewe, And this behighte I thee. Noye’s Children The spacious firmament on high With all the blue ethereal sky And spangled heavens, a shining frame, Their great original proclaim.

with Noye and Mrs Noye Th’ unwearied sun from day to day Doth his Creator’s power display, And publishes to every land The works of an almighty hand. All Animals Soon as the evening shades prevail The moon takes up the wondrous tale, And nightly to the listening earth Repeates the story of her birth. with Noye, Mrs Noye and Children Whilst all the stars that round her burn, And all the planets in their turn Confirm the tidings, as they roll, And spread the truth from pole to pole. All (standing) What though in solemn silence all Move round the dark terrestrial ball, What though no real voice nor sound Amid their radiant orbs be found. In reason’s ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice; For ever singing as they shine, ‘The hand that made us is Divine.’ Amen. The Voice of God My blessing, Noye, I give thee heare, To thee, Noye, my servante deare,

For vengeance shall noe more appeare, And nowe fare well, my darling deare. The audience is invited to remain standing until the end of the opera.

Biographies Julian Wright Julian Wright has been Musical Director of the Durham Singers since

2007. He has developed the choir's repertory, which ranges from the high renaissance to works by contemporary composers such as Julian Anderson and Paul Spicer, and founded the 'Durham Singers Ensemble', a professional period-instrument chamber orchestra which has accompanied the choir in performances of Bach's B Minor Mass and Handel's Messiah among others.

Julian is Senior Lecturer and Director of Studies in History at Durham University and Vice-chair of governors of Polam Hall School, Darlington. Michael Sadgrove Michael Sadgrove was appointed Dean of Durham in 2003. The Dean is

the principal dignitary, after the Bishop, of the Cathedral and, on behalf of the Cathedral Chapter, directs the life and work of the place. The Dean is also ex-officio member of the University Council and is Rector of St Chad’s College. Michael was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1996. He has been a member of the General Synod and is the author of several books on theology and ministry. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of County Durham in 2011.

Richard Scrivens Richard Strivens, bass-baritone, originally from Kent, grew up in Belgium and graduated in chemistry from Oxford University. He studied singing at the Royal Northern College of Music, the National Opera Studio and EurOperaStudio, Milan.

Operatic appearances include Nick Shadow (The Rake's Progress) for English Touring Opera, the Stage Technician (The Makropulos Case) for Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Colline (La Bohème) for Scottish Opera on Tour, Masetto (Don Giovanni) at Cologne Opera, and Tergisto (Messalina) at the Batignano Festival in Italy. Richard has created the roles: Shadow Edgar in Stewart Copeland’s The Tell-Tale Heart at

ROH2, Abbot Samson in Judith Bingham's The Ivory Tree for the Bury St Edmunds Millennium celebrations and, most recently, Feder in Alan Williams’ and Marcos Lucas’s Stefan and Lotte in Paradise, about the writer Stefan Zweig, with Psappha contemporary music ensemble at MediaCity in Salford. Other modern roles include Boatman/Lightning in Julian Philips’ children's opera Dolffin for Welsh National Opera, Håkon in Maxwell Davies's The Martyrdom of St Magnus for The Opera Group, Vermeer in Birtwistle’s The Second Mrs Kong and The Athlete in Lulu. Richard has played Noye in the large-scale production Noye’s Fludde in Camden, and at the Loch Shiel Festival, with James Naughtie as the Voice of God. Charlotte Heslop Charlotte Heslop is a 20-year-old mezzo-soprano from Spennymoor. She

is currently in her third year at the Sage Gateshead Weekend School, studying voice under Miranda Wright alongside studies in piano and music theory. She recently took part in Samling Academy, performing in masterclasses with Paul Farrington, Patricia MacMahon and Caroline Dowdle. Her recent engagements have included the Durham Singers' Mozart Requiem (alto solo) and the Miranda Wright Singers' Dido and Aeneas (second witch). She also enjoys choral singing:

after being a member of Durham County Youth Choir for six years she

went on to become a founding member of John Forsyth's North East Youth Chorale with whom she recently recorded Britten's War Requiem as part of the Gabrieli Young Singers Scheme. She has also recently become a member of the Rodolfus Choir, directed by Ralph Allwood. Alex Banfield Alex is a graduate of the University of Leeds and is now pursuing his career as a professional tenor. He sings regularly in Newcastle Cathedral Choir as a lay clerk, in local productions, concerts and recitals, and has just accepted a scholarship to study postgraduate vocal performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Tom Rowarth Tom is a first-year sports student at Durham University and a choral scholar in University College Chapel Choir. He sings with the University Chamber Choir, Durham Cathedral Consort and Renaissance. He is currently studying singing under Miranda Wright. Peter Thomson Peter is in his second year at Durham University and is reading music. He is an active member of numerous university ensembles. He has been a choral scholar at Durham Cathedral since November 2011. He has singing lessons with Miranda Wright. Clare Tunney Clare is a 20-year-old soprano from Middlesbrough. She studies with Miranda Wright and on The Sage Gateshead's Young Musicians Programme. Clare's roles include Cherubino in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (2011) and Dido in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (2012). This September she will take up a place to study voice at The Royal Academy of Music.

Elen Lloyd Roberts Elen is a second-year music student at Durham University, from St Aidan’s College. She is a pupil of Miranda Wright, and is a member of Durham Opera Ensemble and the University Chamber Choir.

Holly Brunskill Holly is in her second year at Durham University, studying French and German. She has sung in several productions since coming to Durham, including productions by Durham Opera Ensemble and Dido and Aeneas with the Miranda Wright Singers. Durham Johnston School Durham Johnston is a long-established and highly successful comprehensive school serving 1500 young people from Durham City and surrounding communities. Founded in 1901 as a mixed grammar school, it took its current form in 1979. After 30 years as a split-site school, our new building opened in April 2009. We have an exceptional staff and a huge range of extra-curricular activities. Johnston has young people from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities. Our staff are equally at home with those who struggle to learn as with some of the best young minds in the country. Our A-level results are among the best in the country and we are highly ranked nationally for entry to highly competitive university courses. Ofsted judged us ‘outstanding’ in February 2011. We are proud of our traditional ethos, celebrating stability and reliability. We know that it is in the maintenance of a happy and successful community built upon classroom excellence, long-term commitment and strong personal relationships that we root our success. We take education seriously at Johnston. We expect students to strive for high standards and become good citizens. We are committed to academic excellence and social justice, and we seek to transform lives through learning. Durham Cathedral Young Singers (DCYS) Durham Cathedral Young Singers was set up six years ago as a flagship children's choir with the inception of the Cathedral outreach programme. Children aged 8–13 meet weekly on Saturday mornings during term time

to sing, eat biscuits during the break and make new friends. The choir is open to all comers, enthusiasm being the only criterion for entry. Children tackle all styles of music from Venetian 16th-century polyphony to modern pop, singing in unison or up to three parts. The choir now numbers 30 girls and 18 boys who sing all together, as separate girls/boys choirs or as chamber/training choirs. Recently we have taken on a voice coach, who will help the children work towards ABRSM singing grades. In addition DCYS is following the Kodály method, as trialled by the National Youth Choir of Scotland, to help our young singers in reading music. A further development is the expansion of our age groups: VOX dcys for 14–17 year olds (must be able to read music) and Minstrels dcys for 5–7 year olds. When children leave DCYS they go on to join a number of other singing groups. These include: Durham Cathedral choristers, The Sage Gateshead’s Quay Voices, Durham Youth Choir and the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. DCYS welcomes all enthusiastic young singers. For more information contact: musicoutreach@durhamcathedral.co.uk.

Thanks to: Edwin Holmes, Concertmaster, Head of Music at Durham Johnston School Mish Kelly for her organising role at DCYS and for construction of the ark Jessica Holmes, Music Department, Durham Johnston School Claire Sinclair, Music Department, Durham Johnston School Simon Lee, singing tutor at DCYS Charlotte Rowbotham and Creative Industries, art and design students from East Durham College for making the masks Durham Music Service for the loan of vocal scores and instrumental parts Miranda Wright for coaching Noye’s family The Chapter Office of Durham Cathedral for their invaluable assistance Bugle Major K McVittie and Colonel C Tearney of the Durham Army Cadet Force for the loan of bugles

www.armydogtags.co.uk for financial support and the supply of souvenir dog tags to the young performers Sue Shaw, members of the Durham Singers committee and everyone who has generously helped with this production.

The Durham Singers: Forthcoming Events 22 June 2013, Elvet Methodist Church, Durham ‘Blessed Cecilia’ – Choral and solo music by Britten, Purcell, Holst, Walton, Anderson and Rowarth. With Ben Rowarth and members of Renaissance. 12 October 2013, Elvet Methodist Church, Durham St Matthew Passion ‘come and sing’ workshop. 23 November 2013, Durham Cathedral St Matthew Passion, with the Durham Singers Ensemble on period instruments. For more details, please see our brochure or our website.

To find out more about the Durham Singers and our concerts, or to contact/follow us, you have the following options: Website: www.durham-singers.org Email: info@durham-singers.org Telephone: 0191 386 6130 (general enquiries) or 07790 148062 (tickets and publicity) Facebook: www.facebook.com/DurhamSingers Twitter: @DurhamSingers The Durham Singers is a registered charity, number 518274.