An acclaimed all male choir is breaking a tour of two continents to play a concert in Swanage in Dorset, and give a special preview of its new album.
The Gesualdo Six, who perform all over the world, will stop at St Mary’s Church, Swanage on Thursday 3rd July 2025, after a European tour including performances in Paris, Frankfurt and Padua.
Trumpeter Matilda Lloyd joins the Gesualdo Six on their new album, Radiant Dawn
Sacred music ancient and modern
The band, who sing atmospheric sacred music ancient and modern, will be in Swanage after cathedral concerts in Skara and Uppsala, Sweden, and before heading to New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco on a summer tour of the USA and Canada.
Their concert in Swanage was arranged by St Mary’s director of music Simon Lole, who has personally taught two of the band’s six members as choristers – although he says he can take no credit for their world class skills!
Trumpeter Matilda Lloyd, a former BBC Young Musician of the Year, will join the Gesualdo Six to present Radiant Dawn, music from the group’s tenth album which will be released in August 2025, and which includes a range of compositions from the 16th century to contemporary.
The Gesualdo Six, who formed at Cambridge University ten years ago, are credited with bringing sacred music to a 21st century audience and, through their use of social media, attracting a younger demographic.
Director of music at St Mary’s, Simon Lole, cannot wait to welcome the Gesualdo Six to Swanage
“It no longer feels like old fogies’ music”
Simon Lole said:
“They are all in their 20s and all very brilliant. If you stopped most people in the street and asked if they had heard of Gesualdo, let alone heard his music, they would say no.
“But it is incredibly emotional and atmospheric music and they are bringing it to a wider audience. If you have young guys performing this kind of music to the very highest standard, that’s appealing, it no longer feels like it is old fogies’ music sung by guys with long beards.
“I have a personal connection with them because I actually taught two of the members when they were choristers.
“Joseph Wicks was a chorister of mine when I was at Salisbury and Alasdair Austin was in the choir at Jesus College Cambridge when I did a year teaching there – although I take no credit at all for their skill today!”
One of the choir’s most recent concerts was held in a former missile base in Germany
“Delighted they are coming to St Mary’s”
Simon added:
“They tour all over the world now, more than a hundred concerts a year. They have been talking to me about coming to Swanage for a while but I resisted at first, as Purbeck Art Weeks featured them in 2023 and 2024, and they did a concert in Dorchester last year so I wanted to leave it for a little.
“But I am really delighted that they are coming to St Mary’s Church – the acoustics are very good for orchestral and choral music and their programme, a complete variety from early music right the way through to contemporary music, should sound amazing.
“The stunning programme explores different shades of light through music and highlights include Sir James MacMillan’s In Splendoribus Sanctorum, a meditative and atmospheric setting from the composer’s Strathclyde Motets.
“St Mary’s can seat 320 people and I would love to get at least 300 people there. We will have a good crowd, but a full house would be even better – tickets can be bought in advance at eventbrite or on the door on the night.
“We are really excited to be hosting a concert by such an esteemed vocal group and it is a great privilege for me to welcome them here – it will be lovely to see them again after quite a long while!”
Lovely St Mary’s Church in Swanage has amazing choral and orchestral acoustics
Come and Sing evensong sessions
Simon Lole is one of the top arrangers in the field of classical crossover, has worked as both arranger and musical director for world renowned artists including Celeste, All Angels, Aled Jones and Laura Wright, and has recently been orchestrating a new album for Matteo Bocelli.
Simon is also a regular conductor, arranger and organist for the BBC’s Songs of Praise, is musical director for ITV’s Christmas Eve carol broadcast and music producer for BBC 2’s Carols from King’s and Easter from King’s programmes.
As director of music at St Mary’s Church, he runs regular Come and Sing evensong sessions at Swanage where singers of all abilities have the chance to be led by distinguished guests, who have recently included Ian Wicks, head of keyboard at Rugby School, and David Flood, former director of music at Canterbury Cathedral.
From Sydney Opera House to Swanage, only the most iconic locations for the Gesualdo Six!
Venues like Sydney Opera House
The Gesualdo Six is an award-winning British vocal ensemble comprising some of the UK’s finest consort singers, directed by Owain Park, who formed in 2014 for a performance of Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories in Cambridge.
They have since has gone on to perform at numerous major festivals around the world at renowned venues including the Sydney Opera House, the Oratoire du Louvre in Paris, New York’s Miller Theatre and the Royal Albert Hall in London for the BBC Proms.
The ensemble have harnessed the power of social media to make classical music accessible to millions worldwide, creating captivating videos from beautiful locations while on tour.
Owain Park, left, is looking forward to the choir’s visit to Dorset
“Always a pleasure to be back here”
Director and founder Owain Park said:
“I felt something click when we came together to rehearse for the first time, and I don’t think we’ve looked back since then!
“For the initial concert, I simply asked six singers that I already knew well to come together and perform. Three are still with the group and, while it has been sad to lose colleagues we have been fortunate to find fine replacements.
“We can’t wait to return to the USA and Canada this summer. For our eighth tour, we will be giving concerts in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, New York, California, Illinois and Ontario, Canada, but we are delighted to be playing in Swanage before that.
“It’s always a pleasure to be back in the west country, particularly in this weather, and we’re looking forward our next concert here.
“Our new album, Radiant Dawn, is a collection which takes listeners on a journey through 500 years of music, featuring a special collaboration with star trumpeter, Matilda Lloyd and we are excited to perform some of it at St Mary’s!”
Bringing sacred music to a new audience, the choir is on its way to Swanage
Further information
- Tickets for the concert at St Mary’s can be booked at eventbrite
- Follow the Gesualdo Six on their tour through the choir’s website
