Renaissance Singers: Danza

The Renaissance Singers will be performing their first concert under new Music Director, Christine Archer-Lockwood. The concert includes both a cappella and accompanied songs of dance.

The songs range from Donato’s Chi la Gagliarda, Come Dance the Gagliard, written about 1600, to New Zealand’s David Child’s 2014 Celestial Dance - goose bump territory.

Included are choral dance songs by Brahms, Sullivan, Ravel, Gershwin, Copland and Roberton. The choir also sings from the suite of choral songs of Benjamin Britten’s popular Gloriana. The songs are typical Britten, lyrical with dancing rhythms.

Christine Archer-Lockwood’s extensive research into choral dance songs has resulted in a unique programme. Guy Donaldson accompanies the choir in a number of the pieces and the opening number promises to give the audience greater insight into the talents of the choir and its new Music Director. The Renaissance Singers are moving forward - a rebirthing as the choir’s name suggests while maintaining the choir’s integrity and reputation as a premier choir with strong classical roots.