Five Beacons of Light

Saturday 25 April 2026 in the inspiring setting of Worcester Cathedral at 7.30-9.00pm

A concert of powerful choral music for our times performed by the vibrant young voices of Youth Choral Worcs, with some of the UK’s most exciting and inspirational artists, composers and musicians. The concert features the World Premiere of composer Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s cantata Five Beacons of Light - a bold new response to the climate emergency. Inspired by four extraordinary rock lighthouses — symbols of human endurance against overwhelming forces — the work celebrates resilience while demanding action. Young voices lie at the heart of the piece: passionate, defiant, and fiercely committed to life in all its fragile biodiversity. In the end, it is they who become the true “Beacons of Light”.

Bob Chilcott’s Five Days that Changed the World is a sweeping and uplifting musical journey through five moments that reshaped humanity: the invention of the printing press, the abolition of slavery, the first powered flight, the discovery of penicillin, and the first human in space. Composed for the inaugural Worcester International Festival for Young Singers in 2013, the imaginative text by poet Charles Bennett highlights human ingenuity, courage, and the power of collective progress.

Youth Choral Worcs – 130 students and teachers from Worcestershire secondary schools, under the direction of conductor Neil Ferris (co-Artistic Director, Sonoro; Chorus Director, BBC Symphony Chorus).

SONORO – the London-based professional chamber choir renowned for its “outstandingly refreshing” sound (BBC Music Magazine) and “abundant vibrant colour” (The Guardian) 

ESO string quintet & percussion – principals and players of the English Symphony Orchestra, with pianist Michael Higgins (co-Artistic Director, Sonoro)

Pre-concert Talk: (free event, but ticket required via Worcester Theatres)
Composer Cheryl Frances-Hoad and librettist Diane Sherlock
5-6pm, Saturday 25 April
Henry Sandon Hall, Royal Porcelain Works, WR1 2NE

https://purchase.worcestertheatres.co.uk/ChooseSeats/147401