Christmas at St Martin-in-the-Fields

This Christmas, St Martin-in-the-Fields is delivering a packed programme of festive celebrations, full of uplifting spiritual music and familiar yuletide favourites.

St Martin-in-the-Fields, Christmas Concerts by Candlelight Photographer Liam Bailey

This Christmas, St Martin-in-the-Fields is delivering a packed programme of festive celebrations, full of uplifting spiritual music and familiar yuletide favourites. 

Here's our pick of the best festive concerts at St Martin-in-the-Fields this December:

On 5 December, the London Bach Singers will team up with their sister group the Feinstein Ensemble to perform the Bach Christmas Oratorio . Composed in 1734 by the German master Johann Sebastian Bach, this well-loved piece perfectly captures the spirit of the Nativity story, interspersing Gospel passages with arias and choruses. This concert concludes the magnificent Bach Choral Masterpieces Series, which has showcased the London Bach Singers' impressive expertise in Baroque music. The internationally-acclaimed Feinstein Ensemble, led by Martin Feinstein, specialise in faithfully recreating the sound of the eighteenth century. A must for Bach fans and church-goers alike.

For those who can't resist joining in, the Christmas Concert with Audience Carols on 7 December will feature plenty of sing-along carols, plus a selection of festive classical favourites. Here the London Musical Arts Orchestra , led by composer-conductor and presenter John Landor, will perform a varied programme including George Frideric Handel's Overture from Music for the Royal Fireworks, Arcangelo Corelli's Christmas Concerto, and Vivaldi's Winter from The Four Seasons . Throw in a generous helping of classic Christmas carols, and you have yourself a perfect winter evening.

Finally, on 14 December, the New London Singers will be joined by the Pavão Quartet for a performance of Benjamin Britten's A Ceremony of Carols . Composed in 1942, this choral piece consists of eleven movements, with Middle English text from The English Galaxy of Shorter Poems , edited by Gerald Bullett. The Pavão Quartet are a dynamic contemporary ensemble that formed a decade ago at the Royal Academy of Music.Their eclectic work ranges from traditional classical recitals, to collaborations with renowned rock, pop and jazz artists. Celebrating their fiftieth anniversary this year, the New London Singers are a choir who similarly pride themselves on their versatility. Their diverse repertoire features sacred, secular, Renaissance, contemporary and a cappella music. This performance looks set to be ambitious and exciting, but if you feel out of your comfort zone, don't fret – in true Christmas tradition, the concert will conclude with a selection of favourite carols.

Address & Map:  Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ  

Nearest Tube: Charing Cross, Leicester Square

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