Two-time JUNO-nominated Luminous Voices invites audiences to experience Lamentations, a deeply moving Good Friday concert featuring transcendent choral works by Tallis, Bach, Howells, and Nystedt. The performance takes place Friday, April 18, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. at the Bella Concert Hall, Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts at Mount Royal University.
The evening opens with Norwegian composer Knut Nystedt’s Immortal Bach, a hauntingly beautiful arrangement based on the first line of Bach’s Komm, süsser Tod. It is a powerful and emotional tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach. From there, the program flows into the luminous harmonies of Tudor composer Thomas Tallis’s Lamentations of Jeremiah I. Written in the 1560s during the early years of the reign of Elizabeth I, this hauntingly beautiful work has captivated listeners for centuries.
In the final chapter of Luminous Voices’ acclaimed Bach motet series – launched in 2013 – the choir presents Jesu, meine Freude, a virtuosic piece composed of 11 contrasting movements that weave together chorales, intricate choral textures, and expressive solo trios.
The concert concludes with Requiem by Herbert Howells, an introspective masterpiece that showcases the full range of vocal colours and emotional depth that define Luminous Voices.
The choir will be joined by two outstanding guest artists: cellist Janet Kuschak and organist Wendy Markosky, whose contributions will add even greater depth and richness to the performance.
Learn more