New CD: Advent Calendar

Robert can be heard playing the new Kenneth Tickell organ at Keble College Chapel on Somerville College Choir's new CD. This musical advent calendar from Oxford University's leading mixed-voice college choir is the ensemble's second release on the Stone Records label, following a highly successful recording of Duruflé’s Requiem and Milford’s Mass for Five Voices. 

The beautifully-presented album is a countdown to Christmas of 24 tracks (with a bonus track for Christmas Day) featuring wonderful performances of some of the best-loved carols of all time, and a handful of première recordings that will delight all classical music lovers. Each Advent Sunday is marked by a Bach chorale, and the listener is guided through Advent, as the excitement builds for the arrival of Christmas Day. The track list includes favourite carols by Rutter, Warlock, Poston, Gardner, Cornelius, Goldschmidt and Wood as well as newly commissioned works by Toby Young, Raymond Head and Paul Sartin (member of the folk band Bellowhead).

The Choir of Somerville College, conducted by David Crown, is joined by guest soloists Mary-Louise Aitken (soprano) and Jeremy Carpenter (baritone), who was most recently seen in the Royal Opera House's production of Britten's Gloriana. The CD also features Douglas Knight (organ) and Keith Fairbairn (percussion).

The album will be released on 4 November 2013 (UK) and 12 November 2013 (USA and all other countries). Advent Calendar is available for purchase from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Presto Classical, Stone Records and Blackwell's Music (Broad Street, Oxford). Please see Robert's discography for a full track list.