On Friday 19th of January the College was delighted to host the first public performance of The Culham Motets by Sir James MacMillan CBE, organised jointly by the Dean and the Von Hügel Institute for Critical Catholic Inquiry.

The Culham Motets were composed for the consecration of the Chapel of Christ the Redeemer at Culham Court on 9 December 2015. Sir James MacMillan conducted the performance in the Chapel of St Edmund’s College with a voices drawn from the Chapel Choir led by Louisa Denby and the Choir of Our Lady and the English Martyrs led by Nigel Kerry.  The concert started with a lecture by Prof Eamon Duffy, Emeritus Professor of the History of Christianity, on the history of domestic chapels in the great houses of England.

Sir James MacMillan CBE is one of today’s most successful composers and is also internationally active as a conductor. His musical language is flooded with influences from his Scottish heritage, Catholic faith, social conscience and close connection with Celtic folk music, blended with influences from Far Eastern, Scandinavian and Eastern European music. In October 2014 MacMillan founded his music festival, The Cumnock Tryst, which takes place annually in his native Ayrshire.

MacMillan is an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund’s College and was awarded a CBE in 2004 and a Knighthood in 2015.  The concert also marked the launch of a new Music Society for the College, of which Sir James has very kindly agreed to be a patron.

Further photos from the event can be viewed here.

For more information please contact: Kate Glennie, Development Director, kg386@cam.ac.uk

_{(The image accompanying this story was taken by Joe Howarth and he retains copyright)}