Press quote This venerable institution has had a spring in its collective step ever since David Hill was appointed as its music director. The choir now sounds younger and fresher, the blending and balancing of voices more refined. A choir of some 130 voices might be substantially greater than the scale of forces nowadays favoured by many

Press quote Leeds Philharmonic brought its refreshingly young sound along... There was dynamic force for the big moments, but, in the hugely risky and complex double fugue at the Sanctus, this could have been a mere octet. And with the opening pianissimo – as well as the chanted Libera Me at the end of the piece –

Press quote Working together, backed by an enlarged orchestra, the breadth of experience of the massed choirs ensured the depth of expression and sustaining of power needed to make the cataclysmic zero tolerance of Verdi’s Day of Judgement (Dies Irae) both theatrically terrifying and musically terrific. That meant that the tumult, when it came, even gave the

Press quote The combined sound was so regulated, that when it came, it was never overstretched into a braying frenzy, but remained both refined and sustainable.No struggle then to create the most thrilling crescendo... But there was also simplicity, the Agnus Dei taking on the mantle of a monastic plainsong, while in the concluding and extended Libera

Press quote The undeniable zing of last Saturday’s performance gave to it a freshness and spontaneity that was breathtaking. Opera North music director Richard Farnes secured from his massed forces crystalline clarity of orchestral and vocal textures. Every word of the text was delivered with directness and immediacy. The whole thing was infused with tremendous, unrestrained theatrical

Press quote Bring together the Leeds Festival and Philharmonic choruses augmented by the local St Peter’s Singers, and you could only sit back and be thrilled at Walton’s great choral showpiece. [The] tingle factor was in abundance from the choruses in a thrilling conclusion... Yorkshire Post Published September 2008