The William Byrd Singers' Come-and-Sing Workshop
- Date: Saturday 4th July 2026
- Time:
- Start: 1000 for 1030
- End: c.1630~1700
- Location: Christ Church West Didsbury
- Music:
- Tomás Luis de Victoria
- Missa Gaudeamus á 6
- Motet: O Magnum Mysterium
- Alonso Lobo: Versa est in luctum á 6
- Tomás Luis de Victoria
You can sing with the Byrds without auditioning, and get a taste of Keith's directing style, by joining us for our annual come-and-sing workshop, which we call Sing joyfully! Over the course of a day we tackle one large work for multiple parts (occasionally including a shorter work as a warm-up piece). Last year we tackled the "other" 40-part motet, Alessandro Striggio's Ecce beatam lucem, while previous events have seen us rush headlong into Pizzetti's De profundis, and then try to find connections as we followed it with Palestrina's Missa Assumpta est Maria. And in 2019 we were memorably joined by members of The Sixteen, lending their expertise as a motley group tackled Byrd's Mass à 5.
This year...
This year's workshop is now open for registrations! Saturday 4th July 2026 was the lucky date that was selected from the piñata-shaped tombola, and so clearly the theme is Spanish polyphony. Victoria's glorious setting of O Magnum Mysterium is a warm-up for a look at one of his lesser-known, but no less attractive, masses, the Missa Gaudeamus. It's set for 6 voices, with one extra voice in the final movement. The name is a direct reference to an anthem by his predecessor and fellow member of Spanish musical royalty, Cristobal de Morales. His extremely popular Jubilate Deo omnis terra includes an ostinato on the word Gaudeamus, and this was borrowed by Victoria and runs through each movement of his mass. We'll also look at the 6-part anthem Versa est in luctum by Alonso Lobo.
If you want to join us, and we hope you do, then head along to Eventbrite to register and bag your ticket.
