The Weather Book premiere and other choral works

Exeter Philharmonic Choir begins its new season with the first ever performance of an ambitious new choral work called The Weather Book, written for the choir by one of the UK’s leading contemporary composers and highlighting Exeter’s unique status as the home of the UK’s Met Office.
The new work for soprano soloist, choir and chamber orchestra, composed by Cecilia McDowall, is a joint commission with a top chamber choir from Sweden. It links the two countries through reference to aspects of the history of the weather and meteorology.
In its entirety, The Weather Book lasts about twenty minutes. It will be the centrepiece of an exciting and varied programme that also includes Poulenc's Gloria, Vaughan Williams’ Toward the Unknown Region and Brahms' Tragic Overture and Alto Rhapsody, four wonderful pieces showcasing the choir’s range and versatility.
The singers will be accompanied by the Bristol Ensemble, a versatile collective of professional musicians whose repertoire spans 17th-century works (played on original instruments) to contemporary and experimental music.