The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) is delighted to announce its 2025 Singing Break led by acclaimed composer, vocalist and music director Joanna Forbes L’Estrange. Taking place from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th October, this immersive event will be hosted at Auckland Palace in Co. Durham, offering a unique opportunity to sing in a spectacular, historic setting.
Participants will explore Joanna’s major new work, A Season to Sing, a captivating choral reimagining of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, through workshops and a sing-through performance of the piece. Additionally, attendees will have the chance to sing an Evensong, including Joanna’s hugely popular King’s College canticles and her responses. A Sunday Eucharist in the Chapel will also feature Joanna’s St Helen’s Service.
This weekend promises to be an engaging and positive experience, offering an immersive encounter with both the repertoire and the composer herself. The event is designed to appeal to both singers and choir directors, providing valuable insights and inspiration. A reasonable level of music-reading ability is expected, and rehearsal tracks will be made available in advance.
The setting for this enriching musical experience is the magnificent Auckland Palace, a remarkable symbol of faith and power that was once the seat of the Prince Bishops of Durham. Participants will be singing in St Peter’s Chapel, one of the largest private chapels in Europe.
Accommodation is available at the comfortable Park Head Hotel, a five-minute drive from the Palace. Meals and refreshments will be provided throughout the weekend, with Friday night’s dinner in the award-winning restaurant at the Park Head Hotel. An informal performance of A Season to Sing on the Saturday will be followed by a private tour of the astonishing Spanish Gallery at Auckland Palace, where participants will also dine.
Full details at: rscmshop.com/features/singing-break
Joanna Forbes L’Estrange is a highly respected British vocalist and choral composer whose career began with seven years as music director of the Swingle Singers. Her mission is to create tuneful, singable, and well-crafted music for every choir to enjoy.
‘someone who knows, from a singer’s perspective, how to compose music which every choir will want to sing’ – Sir John Rutter, CBE, composer
joannaforbeslestrange.com
