Platinum Jubilee Concert
The Bank Holiday weekend kicked off at Nottingham Cathedral with a spectacular musical celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s extraordinary reign.
The sell-out event saw over 600 attendees gather at the Cathedral, including a number of civic dignitaries and ecumenical guests from across the city and county. Sir John Peace, the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire and Her Majesty’s Representative in the County was also in attendance. It was a joy to see the Cathedral so full and it certainly added to the conviviality of the celebrations.
Opening with a stunning performance of Handel’s ’Zadok the Priest; the combined choirs, organist and orchestra set the tone and standard for the evening, Mozart’s Coronation Mass followed and then a number of pieces from Byrd, Elgar and Parry filled the second half of the evening. The folk song set piece by Nottingham Cathedral’s Girls and Boys Choir was especially enjoyed by those in attendance.
The evening was blessed with fine weather, enabling those attending to enjoy a glass of fizz in the beautiful Cathedral gardens during the interval. A collection was also taken for Emmanuel House, a local homeless charity with strong connections to the Catholic Community here in Nottingham, and over £1000 was raised.
A significant number of attendees had never visited the Cathedral before, and it was great to be able to welcome them to this celebration. On Twitter the Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Wendy Smith, thanked the Cathedral for this ‘magnificent ecumenical concert’ and added that ‘the delightful children’s choir made a perfect evening.’ Nottinghamshire’s High Sheriff, Paul Southby, also commented on a ‘lovely musical celebration’ and then showcased ‘a fine example of bunting made by local schoolchildren’ on his Twitter account. Those attending commented on how uplifting the concert had been and how it had really put the Cathedral on the map.
