Rütti Requiem with Lewisham Choral Society

Join Lewisham Choral Society for the London premiere of Swiss composer Carl Rütti’s Requiem in the presence of the composer. This striking work was commissioned and premiered in Winchester in 2008 by the Bach Choir, who requested the same orchestration as for the Fauré Requiem: strings, harp and organ. The result was a haunting seven-movement work for double choir with soprano and baritone soloists. The mass opens and ends in a serene, contemplative mood with an ethereal solo voice, reflecting on our moment of entry and departure from this world. The central movements contrast in style, from tranquil to fast and furious, reflecting Rütti’s aim to express the gamut of emotions we experience at times of bereavement - grief, despair, fury, but also peace and comfort. We are delighted to perform this unique and very moving work. In addition to the Requiem, our programme includes two beautiful Bach motets and a much-loved orchestral work, Barber’s Adagio for Strings. We also begin with a piece for solo harp. Ellen Mawhinney, soprano, is a recent graduate from the Royal Academy of Music Opera School and award winner of several prestigious prizes. She has been a featured artist live on BBC Radio 3 and has performed a variety of operatic roles around the UK. We are delighted to welcome her back to LCS following her performance as soloist in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle in 2025. Jonathan Brown, baritone, studied music in Toronto and Cambridge. He made his debut with Sir John Eliot Gardiner in the Netherlands as the baritone soloist in a concert of Bach cantatas and thereafter became a regular soloist with performances in Zurich, Brussels and Paris. He has since built an extensive portfolio of choral and operatic performances around the UK, Europe, America and Australia. We are excited to welcome Jonathan back to LCS following his performance as soloist in Brahms’ German Requiem in 2025. Esther Beyer is an award-winning harpist based in London. A passionate orchestral musician, Esther frequently works with orchestras including the London Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, English National Ballet, English Touring Opera and Sinfonia Cymru. An avid chamber musician, Esther performs regularly across the UK as part of flute and harp duo, the Equinox Duo. Cliodna Shanahan, organist, is much in demand internationally as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. She performs regularly with London Sinfonietta, London Philharmonic, Britten Sinfonia and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Our musical director, Dan Ludford-Thomas, is a conductor, composer and singing teacher working with many organisations around the UK. Dan is Head of Vocal Studies at Dulwich College and directs several choirs. He is Musical Director of the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain and Principal Conductor of vocal group Vox Urbane. Lewisham Choral Society is one of London’s most accomplished community choirs with around 150 active members. The choir performs regularly in major venues around the capital, including six highly successful performances at the Royal Festival Hall. The choir has toured abroad to Paris, Berlin and the Netherlands. The performance takes place in the glorious ‘arts and crafts’ church, Holy Trinity, Sloane Square.