An Irish Blessing performed by The Chapel Choir of Pembroke College, Sophia Membery (harp), written and conducted by Anna Lapwood. “I very rarely compose, but when I do it’s always in response to people or a particular situation. In this case, I wrote ‘An Irish...
Last year saw the retirement of Pembroke College’s long-term Master, Lord Chris Smith. I asked if he had any requests for his final concert, and he requested Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’. I spent a couple of days looking at different...
“I wanted to create an album where the listener doesn’t quite know where it’s going to go next. There are lots of little easter eggs in there that you wouldn’t expect – even the first appearance of the choir – and a through-line of flight and spreading wings, because...
“I wrote this arrangement for the Pembroke College Chapel Choir; we were in the middle of a tricky term with emotions running high, and I wanted to write something to give them hope and bring them some joy! The piece starts soft and meditative – almost...
