Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, Leeds City museum, March 21st & 22nd, 2026

By Geoffrey Mogridge

published on 1^st April 2026 in Ilkley Gazette and Wharfdale Observer

THE Brodrick Hall is the circular central arena of Leeds City Museum, now restored back to its original mid-Victorian splendour.

This domed auditorium with the structural additions of a proscenium arch, stage and dressing rooms, housed the much loved Leeds Civic Theatre from 1949-2005. It has since emerged as one of the city’s most atmospheric performance spaces, in increasing demand for musical events. A suitably imposing setting then, for the Leeds premiere of Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass.

Three performances were given by Leeds Philharmonic Chorus in partnership with Leeds Conservatoire Strings and Northern Film School. Joseph Judge, chorus director of ‘the Phil’ prepared and conducted all performances.

The Norwegian composer describes his Sunrise Mass, composed in 2007 as, ‘A musical journey evolving from transparent and spacious to earthy and warm… from nebulous and pristine, through more emotional landscapes, to ultimately solid ground’.

Gjeilo’s Mass is written for mixed choir and string orchestra. Its four sections correspond with invocations from the Traditional Latin Mass: The Spheres (Kyrie eleison) opens with sustained chords alternating between the four-part choir accompanied by string orchestra. The sopranos open the Sunrise (Gloria) with a memorable theme taken up by the whole choir of 100 singers. The City (Credo) opens with shifting rhythms in the strings which are developed by the tenors and basses. The final section, Identity and The Ground, corresponds with the Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei of the Latin Mass.

Gjeilo’s score resolves in expansive music evocative of vast plains and endless azure skies. Projected video footage of central Leeds streets and hazy sunrise over rivers and viaducts was beautifully filmed by students of the Northern Film School. These performances were transformed into an enthralling audio visual experience enjoyed by hundreds.

Bach St John Passion

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, St Edmunds Roundhay, Saturday 15th March 2025:

by Melanie Eskenazi
published: 17 Mar 2025 in Opera + Classical Music Reviews

‘O Mensch, mache Richtigkeit…’ in these dark times, the advice in the second part of the St John Passion to ‘act justly’ seems especially appropriate, as we hover on the brink of so much conflict. This concert season is dominated by the St John, with few outings for the St Matthew Passion, and this seems appropriate since the John is a passion of love and reconcilement.

The Leeds Philharmonic Chorus has been around since 1870, and it is now based at the Leeds Conservatoire. It’s stronger on sopranos and altos than tenors and basses, but Joseph Judge, its conductor and Chorus Master, manages to elicit a very homogenous sound from its numbers. ‘O grosse Lieb’ concluded with a finely phrased ‘Und du must leiden’ (and you must suffer) and ‘Wer hat dich so geschlagen’ demonstrated the kind of fine control which comes from intensive preparation. The wonderful closing chorale showed the Chorus at its best, ‘Mein Heiland und Genaden thron’ (My saviour and throne of mercy!) ringing out with declamatory ease.

The soloists were a youthful team, with the strongest performances coming from the bass James Berry and the soprano Isla MacEwan. The former’s distinctive bass, sonorous in the lower register yet mellifluous higher up the stave, brought his arias to dramatic life, with an especially gripping ‘Betrachte, meine Seel’. The soprano has a very bright, flexible voice, strong in ensemble and fluent in her arias; ‘Ich folge dir gleichfalls’ was sung with real distinction. Both these artists are members of the Royal Danish Opera.

“The wonderful closing chorale showed the Chorus at its best…”

William Balkwill’s voice is on the light side for the Evangelist but he made the most of his recitatives, giving suitable emphasis to the key moments such as ‘Als nun Jesus wusste alles, was ihn begegnen sollte‘ (As Jesus knew everything that was to happen to him). Jonny Hill was a calm, benevolent Christus, and Julianne Coates brought her considerable experience to the alto part, her ‘Es ist Vollbracht!’ one of the evening’s highlights. The punishing tenor arias are not easy for anyone, and the young Henry Strutt gave them a creditable performance.

The players of the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra took a little while to get into their stride, but under the sympathetic baton of Joseph Judge, they produced some gently supportive playing for the arias and some superb continuo and accompaniment for the recitatives. Special mention must be made of the flute in ‘Ich folge dir gleichfalls’, the Viola d’amore in ‘Betrachte, meine Seel’ and the violins in ‘Mein teurer Heiland’. The playing in those arias would grace any concert hall.

St Edmund is the patron saint of, amongst other things, those affected by Plagues and Pandemics, and the church consecrated in his honour is a handsome Edwardian edifice. The acoustic is ideal for large scale performances yet does not diminish the more intimate moments.

As part of our collaboration with the Leeds Conservatoire, the chorus worked with two Conservatoire students during the Thursday 10^th April rehearsal session.

Mark Francis offered a new arrangement of ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’ and Melodie Edoria Adessa’s composition was entitled ‘Painted Blue.’

Joe Judge commented ‘I think the composers found it very helpful and Ben Gaunt (Head of Composition there) was very enthusiastic and keen in helping us to create and promote an open ‘Call for Scores’ or Composition Competition next year.’

The chorus thoroughly enjoyed this enriching experience.