Join us on 7 June 2025 at St George’s Church, Bickley for a concert celebrating the music of Love.

The Song of Songs is an unparalleled expression of love in its many forms—sensual, spiritual, and profound. This concert explores its enduring influence, pairing settings of its timeless verses with a broader reflection on love’s many dimensions.

The first half of the programme delves into the rich choral tradition inspired by the Song of Songs, from Renaissance polyphony to contemporary interpretations. Music by Palestrina, Victoria, and Clemens non Papa captures its sacred beauty, while modern voices like Bob Chilcott and Pablo Casals bring fresh perspectives to its themes of devotion and desire.

In the second half, the concert broadens its scope to explore love in its many facets, structured around the ancient Greeks’ many different words for love. From Whitacre’s tender This Marriage (Agape—universal love) to Monteverdi’s cheeky Si Ch’io Vorrei Morire (Ludos—playful love), each piece reflects a different shade of human connection. Works by Bairstow, Duruflé, Stanford, and Cornelius evoke themes of acceptance, religious love, deep friendship and family. The programme concludes with Palestrina’s Duo ubera tua, symbolizing Eros – sensual love, and Whitacre’s exquisite A Boy and a Girl, a poignant reflection on Pragma, love’s quiet endurance

The concert begins at 7:30pm. Donations are suggested at the door (suggested £15; £5 for students and job-seekers).