REHEARSAL FOR PARTICIPANTS 2PM
DOORS OPEN FOR CONCERT AUDIENCE 4PM

Join David Owen Norris and enjoy a colourful afternoon recreating – or just listening to – the sounds of country churches 200 years ago.

Psalmody, also known as West Gallery Music after the spaces where choirs would perform it from, is the music described by Thomas Hardy in many of his novels. Simple to perform, it is written for various combinations of singers and instruments. There are many amateur ‘Quires’ devoted to it who often dress in period costume.

This afternoon’s event is also an opportunity to view the University of Southampton’s psalmody collection. Housed in the Hartley Library, the collection was recently expanded with the acquisition of the Rollo Woods bequest of manuscripts and working papers, named after the renowned folk musician and music researcher.

11.30am Rehearsal for student instrumentalists & WGMA instrumentalists (rehearsal open to singer participants)
1pm Bring your own lunch break.

1pm-3.30pm Exclusive drop-in session in the Archives and Special Collections, Hartley Library.

As part of the Come and Psing Psalmody event, there will be an opportunity to view manuscript and rare book music items in the Archives and Special Collections, Level 4, Hartley Library, between 1pm and 3.30pm. This will include west gallery music that forms part of the Rollo Woods collection. Visitors also will be able to view the new exhibition in the Special Collections Gallery celebrating 40 years of archive collecting.

2pm-3.45pm Full rehearsal, with all singer participants and instrumentalists

4.15pm Concert part 1 including talk on composing for worship, with special guest composer, Cheryl Frances-Hoad
4.55pm Interval including complimentary tea & cake
5.15pm Concert part 2 including performance of Lord Wellington’s March, composed in the early 19th century by Princess Charlotte of Wales, and the manuscript for which is in the University archives.

Listeners to the rehearsal very welcome too – rehearsal 2 – 3.45pm

Performance starts at 4.15 – 6pm

For participating singers: copies of the music for study beforehand will be available from September on davidowennorris.com

Participants £5 (price includes tea and cake)
Audience £10 (price includes tea and cake)

Come and Psing Psalmody is a collaboration between the University Music Department, the West Gallery Music Association (WGMA), University of Southampton Voices, and singers from local choral societies.