The Armed Man

A Mass for Peace

The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace

by Sir Karl Jenkins

“an outstanding concert” “spine tingling moments”

“blown away” "our most polished performance"

"a spectacular show” “outstanding professionalism”

Just some of the comments following our joint concert with Midlands Hospitals' Choir, at Birmingham Town Hall on Sunday 7th July 2024.

For this concert we were joined by some incredibly talented instrumental and vocal musicians -

· Gemini Brass, Ensemble

· Cantores Beati, Chamber Choir

· Daniel Bull, Cello

· Daniel Jones, Flute

· Suzie Purkis, Mezzo-soprano

· Richard Dawson, Organ

· Sara Wilander, Piano

As well as Imam Asif Quayam who recited the Call to Prayer, which is an integral part of The Armed Man.

Our performance of The Armed Man was also accompanied by a powerful, and at times, harrowing video, depicting scenes of conflict, which was synchronised with each piece of music.

Billed as a Concert for Peace, the programme also included:

further works by Sir Karl Jenkins - Cantate Domino, For the Fallen and Palladio
two pieces by Dan Forrest - Come to Me and And Can It Be?
Handel's Zadok the Priest
James Whitbourn's A Prayer of Desmond Tutu

Purcell's Music for a While and Sweeter than Roses
Sonata for Solo Cello: III Toccata by Crumb
World in Union by Holst (arr Michael Williams)

The overall verdict:

This concert was an outstanding and emotional experience, leaving the audience visibly moved and appreciative, culminating in standing ovations after "The Armed Man" and at the end of the concert. The performance has been praised for its power, emotional depth, and polish, featuring spine-tingling moments and hauntingly beautiful music that created a tangible sense of drama and emotion. The choirs were consistently amazing, delivering a powerful and moving rendition with outstanding professionalism.

Fittingly, our chosen charity for this concert was Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) who are an international organisation providing medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics and disasters.

An amazing total of £3228.50 was raised from donations on the night and via the dedicated Just Giving page.