Eclectic Voices and Guildhall Jazz Ensemble perform Ellington’s Sacred songs

jpg" alt="ecletic-voices" width="333" height="199">Choir Eclectic Voices (EV, pictured left) will perform some of the ‘most important music’ Duke Ellington ever wrote as part of a free Good Friday celebration at the American Church. The Guildhall Jazz Ensemble, from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, will team up with the 60-strong choir, led by Guildhall fellow and EV’s musical director Scott Stroman.

On the billing is Ellington’s Second Sacred Concert, which has been arranged for choir and jazz ensemble by Stroman, plus a collection of African American spirituals. The music was composed as part of three Sacred Concerts, in the last decade of Ellington’s life, which he referred to as "the most important thing I have ever done".  The second, premiered at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, New York City, on 19 January 1968, quickly became very popular and was regularly performed around the world.

Stroman says: 'The music originally featured famous virtuosos in the band, the band itself, and vocal soloists. While choirs took part in the performances, their role was limited to mostly singing or chanting in unison. "My idea here was to select and re-arrange a group of pieces from the second concert to give the choir an equal role while still retaining the unique Ellington sound; attempting to remain faithful to Ellington's writing while creating a more satisfying collaboration between voices and instruments."

Highbury-based Eclectic Voices is a multi-stylistic choir formed in 1991 by Stroman, which has performed around Europe and have recently premiered a William Blake song cycle with Martin Speake. The concert takes place at the American International Church, 79 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4TD, Good Friday, 25 March, at 4pm. There will be a collection in aid of the church’s soup kitchen, which serves an average of 80 people five days each week.

– Hannah Crown