User:Bwn76/sandbox

Choir of Merton College, Oxford
The mixed-voice Choir of Merton College was founded in its current form in 2008 and sings the services in Merton College Chapel during full term. The Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Carol Services, and the Requiem Mass for All Souls attract large congregations.

During the vacations the Choir undertakes tours, most recently in France (2009, 2010 and 2011), the USA (2011) and in 2013, Sweden. Recent performances have included Tallis's Spem in alium in the Beaujolais Festival, Mozart's Requiem in St Germain-des-Pres, Paris, Orff’'s Carmina Burana in the St Jude’s Proms, the premiere of David Briggs’s Messe Solennelle in St Paul’s Cathedral and concerts in The Cadogan Hall and St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh.

The choir plays a leading role in the annual Passiontide at Merton festival, including performances of Bach’s St John Passion, Handel’s Messiah and Arvo Part’s Passio in 2013. The 2014 festival will see the premiere of Gabriel Jackson’s The Passion of the Lord. The choir's debut CD In the beginning features music by Gombert, Weelkes, Holst, Copland and Jackson and was named 'Gramophone Choice' in the December 2011 edition of Gramophone. Advent at Merton was released in 2012 and spent six weeks in the Specialist Classical Charts. Merton College Choir has broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, and in February 2013 was filmed for the BBC series, Music & the Monarchy. The College has begun a significant commissioning project in the build-up to the 750th anniversary celebrations in 2014, and Jackson, Tavener, Martin, Dubra and Skempton have already had works premiered by the choir.