Choir of New College Oxford, with Instruments of Time and Truth
The Choir of New College, Oxford and Instruments of Time & Truth conducted by Andrew Lumsden will perform Parts I-III of Bach's Christmas Oratorio with Michael Alchin as the Evangelist.
The Choir of New College, Oxford is one of Britain’s most well-known choral ensembles. When William of Wykeham founded his ‘New’ College in 1379, a choral foundation was at its heart, and daily chapel services have been a central part of college life ever since. The choir is made up of sixteen boy choristers and fourteen adult clerks; the latter a mixture of professional singers and undergraduate members of the college. One of the many highlights of the year is their performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio at the University Church: this year they will be performing Parts I-III of the Oratorio under the direction of Andrew Lumsden and with Instruments of Time & Truth and Michael Alchin as the Evangelist. For many, it is an unforgettable and moving start to the Christmas period.
Instruments of Time and Truth - described on BBC Record Review as “an absolutely superb band of instrumental soloists” - was founded in 2014 by musicians Gabriel Amherst and Judith Evans to provide a platform for international performers based in and around Oxford, becoming a cornerstone of Oxford’s musical life and presenting inspired performances of the great landmarks of 17th- & 18th-century repertoire, from Handel and Bach to their many contemporaries.
IT&T regularly collaborates with the choir of New College and many others besides and maintains a close relationship with the University of Oxford’s Faculty of Music, coaching the student baroque ensemble, giving masterclasses, and contributing to conferences on historically informed performance. Its education programme, which brings the University’s musical resources to local schools, received national recognition in 2019, when the innovative InSpires project won the OMEP Music Partnership Cup at the Music Hub Gala Awards. The scheme continues to be praised for its pioneering approach to introducing young people to period instruments and performance practice through workshops, coaching, and individual tuition.