Sinfonia Viva presents 'The Lark Ascending'
£35 (seats at the front of the Central Nave)/ £30/ £20/ £5 concessions*
Gallery
Date: 6 Jun 2026 7pm (doors 6.15pm)
Book Tickets
Description
Is there an English sound we can all agree on? Of course not. But at least we can celebrate the music of English composers and how they have depicted the country over time. Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending is enduringly popular as a portrait of rural England. But it was written amongst military manoeuvres preparing for World War I and so must be heard as much as a heartbreaking piece about loss as it is some depiction of bucolic Albion. Our leader, Sophie Rosa, is our violin soloist. If you’ve heard Sophie before you know what a treat you’re in for, and if you haven’t then you really wouldn’t want to miss this performance
We also have music by two composers who bookend the idea of English classical music. Henry Purcell wrote wild, emotive music for both the palaces and backstreets of early 17th century London. Edward Elgar is the composer we associate with pomp and circumstance and the rigour of Empire. But actually no – listen to Elgar’s Serenade for Strings and you can hear the same raw emotion of Purcell. Maybe the English aren’t so straight laced after all!
Purcell | Chacony
Elgar | Serenade for Strings
Vaughan Williams | The Lark Ascending
Tom Coult | La Folia (after Vivaldi)
Bridge | Valse Intermezzo à cordes
Vaughan Williams | Five Mystical Songs
Conductor | Karen Ní Bhroin
Violin | Sophie Rosa
Baritone | Jolyon Loy
Derby Cathedral Choir
More like this
Recently viewed
Disclaimer: The event details on this website are sourced from event organisers, advertisers, and partners of Visit Derby. We strive to maintain the accuracy and reliability of this information. As we cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, we strongly recommend that you verify all event information directly with the event host or facilitator before making any bookings or plans.