On Sunday 17th March 2013 at 7.30 pm, Alan Bullard’s new Passiontide cantata, “Wondrous Cross”, will be 
showcased in an Easter Choral and Orchestral Celebration at Queen’s College in Taunton.
This will be the first performance in the South West of the UK of “Wondrous Cross”, a cantata based on the Seven Last Words.
The composition should prove a significant event in the classical music calendar as Alan Bullard is one of the UK's most highly regarded contemporary composers and a popular writer of both instrumental and choral music. The piece is designed along the lines of classic Easter pieces such as the Bach Passions and Stainer’s Crucifixion.
Like the latter, it is designed for performance by enthusiastic amateurs and there is a chance for the audience to join in as well, especially at the end when the beautiful Isaac Watts hymn ‘When I survey the wondrous cross’ is introduced.
Conducted by Queen’s College Director of Music, Miles Quick, the Easter Choral and Orchestral Celebration will feature talented musicians from Queen’s College Choral Society, The College Choir and Orchestra.
The programme for the evening also includes choral favourites including extracts from Handel’s Messiah, from Rutter’s Magnificat and from Bob Chilcott’s Little Jazz Mass.
Soloists for the evening include tenor, Peter Evans PPRNCM, and the highly regarded British soprano Lorna Anderson, who has performed as soloist with the BBC’s Philharmonic and Symphony orchestras and won the Purcell-Britten Prize for Concert Singers, as well as the Peter Pears and Royal Overseas League Competitions.
Said Director of Music and Conductor Miles Quick: “We are delighted to be able to perform such a new and exciting piece in our Easter Choral and Orchestral Celebration and we hope that people in Somerset will come and enjoy the spectacular voices in this choral premiere. Our pupils are extremely fortunately to be able to perform with such talented professional musicians and that we have such a perfect 550-seater venue for the occasion.”
In past years, the Queen’s College Easter Choral and Orchestral Celebration has attracted music lovers – professional and amateur – from the local community and the 2013 celebration is set to be an impressive event.
Tickets are available by emailing ptc@queenscollege.org.uk or telephoning 01823 272559 and are priced £8 for adults and £4 for concessions.