Historic voices arrive in Chichester
The Sixteen, one of Britain’s leading choral ensembles, will present their Choral Pilgrimage 2026 at Chichester Cathedral on 19 September at 7.30pm. The concert, titled Lead, Kindly Light, forms part of a national tour that follows the choir’s recent high-profile premiere in the Sistine Chapel and will visit more than twenty locations across England and Scotland.
The programme draws on music from the Spanish Renaissance and pairs it with contemporary responses. Works by Cristóbal de Morales and Sebastián de Vivanco sit alongside modern pieces commissioned for The Sixteen, including Kerensa Briggs’ Lead, Kindly Light and Sir James MacMillan’s Nothing in Vain, the latter commissioned by the Genesis Foundation in 2021.
“The range of emotion covered by composers in the Spanish Renaissance is demonstrated beautifully in the selected works by Cristóbal de Morales and Sebastián de Vivanco that form the basis of this Choral Pilgrimage: Lead, Kindly Light.”
Music and context
The chosen Spanish composers present contrasting lives and styles that inform the evening’s emotional arc. Morales, who suffered ill health for much of his life, is represented by settings that move from sorrow to exuberant rejoicing. The programme highlights pieces such as his setting of Jacob’s lament for Joseph and Benjamin (Lamentabatur Jacob) and the celebratory motet Jubilate Deo omnis terra.
Vivanco, by contrast, spent his career in Spain. The concert brochure points to his richly textured eight-part Magnificat and the exotic nine-part Caritas Pater est as examples of his skill at large-scale vocal scoring. The historical thread of Spanish mysticism is also evoked through the reference to Teresa of Ávila, whose influence on religious culture is picked up in the concert’s contemporary works and texts.
What Chichester audiences should expect
- A mixed programme of Renaissance polyphony and modern choral works.
- Performances of pieces by Cristóbal de Morales and Sebastián de Vivanco.
- Newer commissions including works by Kerensa Briggs and Sir James MacMillan.
For local audiences, the concert offers both a connection to early music traditions and an opportunity to hear how modern composers respond to those traditions. The Sixteen’s pilgrimage project has become a signature annual undertaking, bringing focused programmes to cathedral settings across the UK. Chichester Cathedral’s acoustic and setting make it a natural host for such repertoire.
Practical details
The tour begins at Southwell Minster and moves through a series of venues before calling at Chichester. The performance at Chichester Cathedral is scheduled for 19 September, 7.30pm. Audiences should check ticket availability and booking details through The Sixteen’s official channels or the cathedral’s box office.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | The Sixteen: Choral Pilgrimage – Lead, Kindly Light |
| Date | 19 September |
| Time | 7.30pm |
| Venue | Chichester Cathedral |
The visit will be one of more than twenty stops on the tour, and it follows a notable premiere earlier in the year. For the cathedral and the city’s cultural calendar, the concert underlines Chichester’s role as a regular host for national touring ensembles and high-profile sacred music events.
Local concert-goers who appreciate Renaissance polyphony or contemporary choral writing will find the programme offers both historical depth and fresh perspectives. The combination of rare early works and contemporary commissions aims to create a single, emotionally varied evening, reflecting themes of mysticism, lament and rejoicing rooted in both Spanish tradition and modern reflection.
