Portsmouth Choral Union: Music for Eastertime
2026-03-07 19:30 - 22:00 (Europe/London) | West Sussex
Read preview notes.With the PCU and Southern Pro Musica. Conductor: David GostickAccompanist: Sue Graham SmithSchofield – Stabat MaterMcDowell – Ave maris stellaMozart – Regina coeli

Tickets: £20/£3 from the PCU website.Ian Schofield (currently living in Portsmouth) composed the Stabat Mater between 2013 and 2014. It is scored for choir, soprano solo and string orchestra and was first performed in 2015 by Guildford Choral Society and conducted by Jonathan Willcocks.

Stabat Mater refers to a famous 13th-century Christian hymn that describes the Virgin Mary’s deep sorrow as she stood at the foot of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, a devotional theme inspiring many musical compositions and artworks.

Cecilia McDowell has been described by the International Record Review as having a ‘communicative gift that is very rare in modern music. An award-winning composer, McDowall is often inspired by extra-musical influences, and her choral writing combines rhythmic vitality with expressive lyricism.

Ave Maris Stella was commissioned by Portsmouth Grammar School for the Portsmouth Grammar School Chamber Choir and was first performed by them in Portsmouth Cathedral on 11th November 2001.The text has a special significance for Portsmouth with its great naval heritage; the central section “they that go down to the sea in ships” being particularly poignant. McDowall, was horrified by the events of 11th September 2001, and with Ave Maris Stella successfully composed a simple peace anthem which cannot fail to touch the hearts of all those who experience it.

Mozart Regina Coeli, or “Rejoice, Queen of Heaven,” is a bright, joyful work, which honours the Virgin Mary, and is used in the Roman Catholic liturgy during the Easter season. Mozart composed three settings of this text—this work is the last of the three. The exact date that the piece was written is unknown, but scholars believe it was completed in 1779.

Petersfield Musical Festival: Verdi - Requiem
2026-03-21 00:00 | Petersfield Festival Hall, Heath Road, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU314EA, United Kingdom
Read preview notes.Festival Chorus: Fernhurst, Petersfield and Rogate choral societies Madeleine Perring, sopranoCharlotte Clapperton, mezzo-sopranoHarry Jacques, tenorRedmond Sanders, bassSouthern Pro MusicaPaul Spicer, conductor

Verdi’s powerful exploration of mankind’s spiritual place in the universe, with its soaring melodies, dramatic orchestration and rousing choruses, is one of the pinnacles of Western choral music. For singers and audience alike, this promises to be an evening of uplifting and unforgettable music making.Visit the PMF website.

Tickets on sale to the public as from 2 February.Tickets: £19, £25, £5 (under 19s)View other events in the festival.

Portsmouth Choral Union with The Consort of Twelve - Handel: Samson
2026-07-05 18:30 - 21:00 | St Paul’s Church, Chichester, Churchside, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6FT, United Kingdom
Conductor: David GostickWith Portsmouth Choral Union and The Consort of Twelve. Portsmouth Choral Union with The Consort of Twelve presents Handel’s Samson, first performed in Covent Garden, London in 1743. Renowned for its dramatic power, magnificent choruses, expressive solos and intricate orchestration. Come and enjoy this compelling oratorio.

Handel composed Samson immediately after Messiah in 1741 but it was not performed until 1743 in London. It proved an instant success and has never fallen entirely out of favour since then.Samson is about the biblical judge Samson, focusing on his betrayal by his Philistine lover Dalila, who discovers his strength comes from his uncut hair and has it shorn, leading to his capture, blinding, and enslavement by the Philistines.Tickets will be available from the PCU website or at the door.
