
Concerts & Recordings
Mahler - Symphony No.8
Sarah Wegener - soprano
Jacquelyn Wagner - soprano
Regula Mühlemann - soprano
Jennifer Johnston - mezzo-soprano
Hilary Summers - alto
Vincent Wolfsteiner - tenor
Michael Nagy - baritone
Shenyang - bass
Philharmonia Chorus
Chorus Master - Gavin Carr
Bournemouth Symphony Chorus
City of London Choir
The Temple Church Choir
Tiffin Boys' Choir
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Vasily Petrenko
Royal Albert Hall, London
Recent Reviews

Handel - Messiah
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Eduardo StrausserRoyal Albert Hall, London
The chorus were in bright, bouncy voice, crisp and very far from woolly in All we, like sheep
Neil Fisher - The Times, 16 December 2020

Berlioz - Grande Messe des Morts
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by John NelsonSt Paul's Cathedral, London - Erato DVD
Four hundred performers shake the pillars of St Paul's Cathedral and set the dome ringing in this immense live recording which blazes with hell-fire and brimstone.
Alexandra Coghlan, The Spectator, 2 May 2020

Mahler - Symphony No.2 'Resurrection'
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Jakub HrůšaRoyal Festival Hall, London, 20 February 2020
Then the pianissimo choral entry with the Resurrection Ode - has it ever sounded more mystical?
David Nice, The Arts Desk, 21 February 2020
...the Mahlerian chorus starts unaccompanied, in an almost imperceptible pianissimo which builds slowly to the massive organ-laden climax. Hrůša and the rapt orchestral players carried us with them with impeccable dynamic control.
David Karlin, www.bachtrack.com, 21 February 2020
The chorus was as fine as the orchestra, the almost inaudible entrance stopping time. Good for Hrůša to give the clarion choral call of 'Bereite dich' space, an expansive gesture that led to a simply glowing 'Aufsteh'n'.
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard International, 22 February 2020
The first entry of the chorus - on such a diminished pianissimo - was ravishing, audible enough, but one almost had to strain to hear them. The chorus were magnificent, even cataclysmic, the clarity of the diction almost irrelevant given the sheer scale of its climax.
Marc Bridle, Opera Today, 23 February 2020
The fabulous Philharmonia Chorus
Ian Skelly, BBC Radio 3, 21 February 2020

Handel - Messiah
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Christoph AltstaedtRoyal Albert Hall, London, 18 December 2019
The Philharmonia Chorus is in wonderful voice and fills the vast hall with beautiful and balanced sound. "For Unto Us A Son Is Born" is suitably bright, lively and optimistic. With excellent diction and huge amounts of energy, the performance of the chorus is the standout of the evening. The sheer size of the Royal Albert Hall can present the most accomplished performers with a challenge, but the Philharmonia Chorus really rose to the occasion. Overall a beautifully engaging and festive evening.
Aliya Al-Hassan, broadwayworld.com, 19 December 2019
Altstaedt's tempos were on the fast side, and he certainly took no prisoners, yet his performers, both soloists and choir, we well up to the task and throughout the evening we had some admirably fleet passage work. In the early 1980s, I worked with a veteran choral conductor in Edinburgh who commented that the overall timing of Messiah could be gauged from the speed at which the choir could sing the semi-quaver passages. In the case of the wonderfully admirable Philharmonia Chorus that seemed to be at whatever speed Altstaedt wanted, and they sang with a nice lightness and unanimity too. Conductor Christoph Altstaedt clearly relished having a large chorus which could give him both fluidity and speed (with impressively light and fast passage-work), but also weight and drama.
Robert Hugill, Opera Today, 19 December 2019

Mahler - Symphony No.8
Orchestre National de Lille conducted by Alexandre BlochAuditorium du Nouveau Siècle, Lille, 20 November 2019
Le chœur britannique Philharmonia Chorus (impliqué, vivant) relève les défis d'une partition qui saisit et même foudroie: ici l'incantation du verbe choral « terrasse » même ; il assoit la solidité de l'édifice qui se déroule et se déploie sous nos yeux, occupant un espace de plus en plus large.
Alexandre Pham, Classiquenews.com, 21 November 2019

Mahler - Symphony No.3
Orchestre National de Lille conducted by Alexandre BlochAuditorium du Nouveau Siècle, Lille, 3 April 2019
Quant aux chœurs, ils n'ont pas d'autre choix que de se surpasser : dans le cinquième mouvement, les timbres clairs du Chœur maîtrisien de Wasquehal répondent joliment aux sopranos aériennes du Philharmonia Chorus.
Tristan Labouret, bachtrack.com, 5 April 2019