What’s on in York; summer events at York Minster for children

Each Wednesday during the summer holidays (27th July- 3rd September) families can enjoy hands-on animal craft activities that celebrate the theme of Noah’s Ark.

There will also bespecial storytelling sessions and fun family-friendly tours of the cathedral on each of these activity days.

Take part in a craft activity and earn a sticker towards your Arts Award Discover certificate, in partnership with York Theatre Royal, Explore York, York Army Museum and York Museums Trust.

Whats on in York: Organ recitals at York Minster

Internationally acclaimed guest organists will join York Minster’s renowned team to perform a stunning range of music across five successive Saturday evenings this summer. The popular summer Organ Recitals return for 2017 and include works ranging from classics by J S Bach, Elgar and Mendelssohn to more recent works by composers such as Messaien and Langlais.

 James Lancelothas been Master of the Choristers and Organist of Durham Cathedral since 1985. Under his direction the choir has maintained its reputation as one of Britain’s leading cathedral choirs. The choir broadcasts, records and tours regularly; but its priority is always the daily Opus Dei – daily Evensong, together with Matins and Sung Eucharist on Sundays.

James pursues an active recital career both in Britain and abroad; he played a recital from Durham Cathedral live on BBC Radio 3 in 2015.  He has many recordings to his credit, including two DVDs on the organ of Durham Cathedral.  His recording of Bach’s Orgelbüchlein was released last year; a further Bach recording is due for release later this year.

Benjamin Morris hails from Basingstoke and was educated at Reading School. After a gap year organ scholarship at Gloucester Cathedral, he was awarded the Organ Scholarship to Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read music, graduating in 2014 with first class honours. He then served as Assistant Organist of the College, including a period as Acting Director of Music, before moving to York Minster as Organ Scholar in 2015. He received the diploma of Fellow of the Royal College of Organists in 2013, winning three prizes. In addition to his work at York Minster, Ben is active as a recitalist and keyboard continuo player.

Ben’s programme will include several pieces by JS Bach as well as works by Gabriel Jackson, Judith Bingham and William Cole. Click here for his full programme

ohn Scott Whiteley started his career at York Minster in 1975 and was made Organist Emeritus on his retirement in 2010. A virtuoso of international renown, John performs extensively across Europe and the USA. His acclaimed work for the BBC2/BBC4 series ‘21st Century Bach’ was a landmark for organ music. He has recorded more than 26 CDs as a soloist and more than 20 as an accompanist for prestigious labels such as EMI and Regent.

John’s programme of music will include the complete ‘Robertsbridge Codex’ and works by JS Bach and Percy Whitlock. Click here for his full programme

Jeremy joined York Minster in September 2016 as the cathedral’s Assisting Organist, having previously held positions at Peterborough Cathedral, The London Oratory, and Methodist Central Hall, Westminster. He is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music with first class honours, and is in demand throughout the UK as a solo performer and accompanist.

Jeremy is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, and holds the LRAM teaching diploma from the Royal Academy of Music. He is in demand as a soloist, accompanist and continuo player, and has most recently accompanied for the York Musical Society, The Stamford Bridge Singers and The Bridgeman Singers. Jeremy has given organ recitals across the country in venues including the Cathedrals of St. Paul’s, Westminster and Southwark, as well as Westminster Abbey and Reading Town Hall.

 Bringing the season to a close is York Minster’s Director of Music, Robert Sharpe. A celebrated organ recitalist who has performed in major venues both in the UK and abroad, Robert joined the cathedral in 2008. He is responsible for organising and directing all aspects of the Minster’s music, including the choir and the famous Minster organ, as well as arranging its programme of concerts, broadcasts and tours. In 2008, Robert was made an Honorary Fellow of the Guild of Church Musicians and awarded the 2008 Cornwhylen Cross by the Cornish Gorsedd for an “outstanding contribution to Church Music”.

Click here for his programme

What’s on in York: Early Music Festival 2017: Telemann’s Fantasias

RICHARD BOOTHBY viola da gamba

York Minster

13 Jul 17

9.00pm-10.00pm

From £15

Telemann composed sets of solo fantasias for flute, violin and harpsichord, but although it has long been known that he also wrote and published a set for viola da gamba, no copy was known until in 2015 one was discovered in a vast collection of music in a castle near Osnabrück.

In the 250th anniversary year of Telemann’s death, Richard Boothby introduces us to some of this long-lost music by one of the Baroque giants.

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What’s on in York: “Yarn storming” hits York Minster

Explore the knitted nature trail around Dean’s Park

1st -30th Jun 17

All day

FREE

York Minster’s Dean’s Park will be transformed into a knitted nature trail during June when the cathedral teams up with local craft community the York KnitWits for our first yarn storming installation.

The park, which runs along the north side of the cathedral, will be filled with knitted, crocheted and cross-stitched animals and plants – from wild flowers and fairies to bugs and woodland creatures.

You can get involved with the event at a series of crafting workshops taking place at the cathedral.

And to help you explore the garden in June, we’ll be creating downloadable maps to guide you from fairy village to ugly bug ball and bunny burrow to wild flower meadow.

The York KnitWits is a York craft community where people who love to knit, crochet and cross-stitch can meet other crafting enthusiasts. The group supports local charities by knitting and crocheting items for those in need and holds yarn storms – where handmade woollen items are used to create street art – throughout the year to entertain York’s residents and visitors. For more information, please click here.

What’s on in York: Minecraft at York Minster

Chapter House in York Minster :

Tue 30; Wed 31 May & Thu 1 Jun :

10.00am – 2.00pm :

Free

MinsterBecome a master mason and build your own version of York Minster! Have a go at making the Minster using Minecraft and see it projected onto a big screen.*

Design a cathedral in Lego, and decorate a cardboard Minster den!

*First-come, first-served, depending on availability. Free event but York Minster admission apply (which is free for all Under 16s and York Residents)

Minecraft suitable for ages 6+. Lego suitable for ages 4+.  For further information please visit this website.

What’s on in York: Unlocking Robert Harris’ Novel, Conclave at York Minster

  • 10th Jun 17

10.00am

BOOK TICKETS

The international best-selling author, Robert Harris, is well-known for tackling big subjects in an imaginative, compelling and gripping way. Beginning with his first novel, Fatherland, which imagines a world in which Germany won the Second World War, Harris has written variously about ancient Rome (Pompeii, Imperium, Lustrum, Dictator), Russia (Archangel), France (An Officer and a Spy), as well as a novel loosely based on Tony Blair (The Ghost).

In his latest novel, he turns his attentions to Italy and the machinations of the Vatican following the death of a fictional Pope. Set over the three days between the death of a Pope and the election of his successor, it raises issues about human ambition, politics, power, God, faith, terrorism, religious extremism, gender, sexuality, and much more. Such issues will be explored not only through talks and discussion, but also by engaging with objects from the Minster’s priceless historic Collection – a rare opportunity to see some things that are not readily accessible to the general public for much of the time.

Prior reading of the novel is not essential, although revealing the various twists and turns of the plot will be an inevitable and unavoidable part of the event.

10.00am to 4pm Upper Hall Old Palace, Dean’s Park, York.  (2 sessions Saturday 10th & 17th June 2017).

Please note there is no lift access to the lecture theatre.  Please bring your own lunch.

Prices: £10 per day, £15 for both sessions   Over 65s £8 per day, £12 for both sessions   NUS £7 per day, £10 for both sessions  (Select both sessions with relevant price type & the discount will apply automatically at the basket),

What’s on in York: The Ebor Singers at York Minster

A Baroque Holy Week, by Candlelight

  • 25th Mar 2017

19:30

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Complementing the liturgical season of Lent, The Ebor Singers explore Baroque music from across Europe for Holy Week.

We travel from Italy with Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, a powerful depiction of Mary standing at the cross of Jesus; from France with Charpentier’s telling of Peter’s betrayal of Jesus in Le Reniement de St Pierre and Couperin’s Troisième Leçon de Ténèbres; and from England with Pelham Humfrey’s expressive verse anthem setting of Psalm 22, O Lord my God.

For more information, see: www.eborsingers.org

The concert takes place in the Chapter House.

Tickets £12.00 (£10 Over 65, £5 NUS, U16s free with full paying adult)

What’s on in York: Israel in Egypt – Handel at York Minster

York Musical Society

  • 01st Apr 17

19.30

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YORK MUSICAL SOCIETY and SAINT MICHAEL’S SINGERS, COVENTRY

YORK MUSICAL SOCIETY ORCHESTRA

CONDUCTOR: DAVID PIPE

The story of the Israelites’ escape from servitude in Egypt will be told again when York Musical Society (YMS) is joined by the Saint Michael’s Singers from Coventry. The two choirs will join forces for a performance of Handel’s mighty oratorio, Israel in Egypt, on Saturday 1 April.

Using biblical texts from Exodus and Psalms, the 280-year-old work tells how Moses was able to lead the Israelites out of Egypt after God sent a whole series of plagues – frogs and flies and everything else – to force the Egyptians to let them go. Large choruses and thrilling music describe the chaos, including the parting of the Red Sea.

The Saint Michael’s Singers last sang with YMS in November 2014 when they together presented an outstanding Verdi’s Requiem at York Minster and Coventry Cathedral.

Soloists: Ruth Holton (soprano), Julie Cooper (soprano), Nicholas Hariades (countertenor), Nathan Vale (tenor), Richard Bannan (baritone) and Jonathan Sells (baritone)

Tickets: £20–£10 (Concessions Available, Under 12s free with full paying adult)

www.yorkmusicalsociety.org.uk

York Press reviews for YMS:

“The Dies Irae always hits the spot, but with forces unleashed by this massive choir, orchestra and the Minster acoustic, the sense of power radiating from the score was awesome.” – Verdi Requiem, November 2014

“Ensemble, dynamics and connection with David Pipe were impressively consistent and accurate; no mean feat for such a large group.” – Orff Carmina Burana, June 2016

New book about York Minster’s stained glass launched today

Stained Glass at York Minster

Stained Glass at York Minster by Sarah Brown introduces the magnificent stained glass at York Minster, starting with evidence for the glazing of the pre-conquest Minster and the earliest surviving glazing from the twelfth century church.

She then embarks on an extended tour of the Minster’s windows including amonst others, the Rose Window, the Great West and Great East windows and the Five Sisters window, with a ground plan of the Minster to enable every window to be located.

The windows of York Minster are regarded as one of the wonders of the world; they illustrate the art and craft of glass painting extending over nine centuries.

Over 100 colour illustrations capture the history and splendor of this internationally important collection of stained and painted glass, with photography by Nick Tweed.

£15.00  click to buy

The York Glaziers Trust

York Minster’s 128 stained glass windows are regarded as one of the wonders of the world, dating back nine centuries and containing the largest collection of medieval stained glass in the country.
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What’s on in York: Chapter House Choir At York Minster

Renaissance Grand Tour

  • 25 Feb 17

19.30

Tickets £15.00 (£13.50 Over 60s, £5.00 Full-time students and children)

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An exhiliarating musical journey around Europe through c17th century choral works.

Including music by Sweenlinck, Schutz, Monteverdi and Gabrieli.

Performed by The Chapter House Choir