The final recital in Shetland Arts Trust’s current classical concert season will take place at the Town Hall on Sunday 21st March at 7.30pm, with leading choral group Cappella Nova.  The group was founded in 1982 by Alan and Rebecca Tavener, and its members have an unrivalled reputation as champions of Scotland’s unique treasury of early vocal music.  They are also famous for their performances of contemporary music, having commissioned and premiered more than 50 works since 1986 (including works by John Tavener and James MacMillan).

Cappella Nova has recorded eight CDs of Scottish Mediaeval and Renaissance music, the latest being The Thistle and the Rose which was released last year.  Besides their many appearances in Scotland and the rest of the UK, Cappella Nova is in demand in many countries, having toured in France, Germany, Hungary, Russia and the USA.  Among the group’s awards are several Enterprise Awards from the Performing Rights Society in recognition of their commitment to new music, and a Glenfiddich ‘Living Scotland’ Award for their ground-breaking work with Scottish mediaeval and Renaissance material.

The first half of their concert in Lerwick is all early Scottish music. The thread tying it together is the 13th century repertoire of chant for St Columba’s day from the Inchcolm Antiphoner, created by the Augustinian monks of Inchcolm Priory on their tiny island in the Firth of Forth.  There will also be works by Robert Carver and by Rebecca Rowe.  The second half of the concert includes works by Gibbons, Hildegard von Bingen, William Byrd, Poulenc, Bairstow and Bach.

“This promises to be such a special evening,” said the Arts Trust’s Projects Manager Kathy Hubbard.  “This music is rarely heard, and we certainly havn’t had anything like it in Shetland before.”  Cappella Nova will also be holding a free choral workshop for adults on Saturday 20th March at the Town Hall (contact the Arts Trust for details).  A schools’ choral workshop will be held on the Sunday afternoon, and all choral workshop participants will get the chance to perform with Cappella Nova at some point in the Sunday evening’s recital.

The Concert Season has been made possible by funding from the Shetland Charitable Trust and the Scottish Arts Council National Lottery.

Tickets and information are available from Shetland Arts Trust’s office at Pitt Lane, 01595 694001.