John Taverner Masses & Motets with Patrick Allies on 25th July 2026

We welcome back Patrick Allies to lead this vocal workshop.

John Taverner was an extraordinarily talented English composer of the Renaissance.
Born in Lincolnshire, his career took him to Christ Church, Oxford, where he worked for Thomas Wolsey. His music makes the most of the new, five-part choirs that had become popular, writing lines from low bass up to high soprano, and everything in between. Taverner’s musical style is at turns virtuosic and ecstatic, but always satisfyingly melodious. The sacred repertoire for this workshop shows off his awe-inspiring choral writing in mass movements and motets; we will exploring the following:
Mater Christi sanctissima (Antiphon to the Virgin Mary)
Sanctus from the Western Wynde mass
Audivi vocem de cælo (Matins Respond for All Saints)
Agnus Dei from the Missa Corona Spinea.

Patrick Allies is a conductor and musicologist based in London. He began his musical education as a chorister at the Temple Church, and sang in Gloucester Cathedral Choir before taking up a choral scholarship to study music at King’s College London. Patrick went on to postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge where he was a member of Jesus College Choir.

In his role as artistic director of the London-based vocal ensemble Siglo de Oro, Patrick has made five acclaimed recordings with Delphian Records of music from the Renaissance to the present day. Under Patrick’s direction, the group has taken up invitations to perform in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Malta, Canada and the USA.

Patrick is currently conductor of Imperial College Chamber Choir, the flagship choir of Imperial College London. In addition to directing the choir in its regular services and concerts on the college’s South Kensington campus, Patrick has led the choir on international tours to Estonia and Finland, and broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Choral Evensong.

Alongside his work as a conductor, Patrick is a doctoral student in music at the University of Oxford. Patrick’s research, funded by the Arts and Humanities                                                            Research Council, involves fifteenth-century choirs and their performance spaces

Venue: Dorridge Village Hall, Grange Road  B93 8QA.  https://dorridgevillagehall.org.uk/find-us/

The hall is clearly signed from the end of the road leading to it.  The What3Words location is sponge.flopping.wedding .  There is ample parking at the hall.

The hall is about a 10 minute walk from Dorridge railway station; from Solihull you can also catch the A7 Solihull South Circular bus – the Hansell Drive stop is 3 minutes’ walk away.

Timetable for the day
10.00             Registration and drinks
10.30             Morning session (with a short break)
1.00               Lunch (bring your own /or use local pubs and cafes)
2.00               Afternoon session
3.30 approx Tea break
4.00               Final session
5.00               Finish

Workshop Organiser is Jonathan Spencer: jonathan-spencer@blueyonder.co.uk

Booking is now open – Book here

Closing date 17th July