Excerpts from Illumina's performance of J.S.Bach's "Mass in B Minor" on Saturday 16th February 2013.

Conductor: Solomon Lau

Illumina Choir and Orchestra

Soloists -
Soprano: Emily Armour, Charlotte Richardson
Alto: Jake Barlow
Tenor: William Morgan
Bass: Alexander Kalveks

Quartet and Quintet Sections -
Soprano I: Polly Gamble and Merryn Davies-Deacon
Soprano II: Abigail Ellison
Alto: Jake Barlow
Tenor: Daniel Reeve
Bass: Tomos Watkins

Cum sancto spiritu

Credo in unum deum

Credo in patrem onmipotentem

Et incarnatus est

Crucifixus

Et resurrexit

Confiteor

Sanctus

Osanna I

Dona nobis pacem

Founded in 2013 by conductor Solomon Lau and singer Jake Barlow, Illumina is a new ensemble made up of some of the best singers and instrumentalists from Oxford and beyond. Our aims are simple: to encourage young, emerging performers; to bring fresh interpretations to well-established repertoire and to place brand new works from talented composers alongside them; to support local charities that will change lives far beyond our concerts.

In a city that is already a hub for musical performance of all varieties, our commitment to what we do is all the more important to us. Alongside our links to the student music scene, we are also forging links with some of the country’s top music colleges, as well as performers from up and down the country. Instead of a fixed line up of performers, Illumina works on a shifting roster, whereby we have a large pool of performers from which to draw the ensembles for each concert we do, whether we need a chorus of fifty or a vocal quartet. We also hold regular auditions so that we can always expand the group, and make sure that we continue providing opportunities for emerging young performers.

Our choices regarding which charities to support are a big part of what we do – for any charity event, we don’t underestimate the importance of seeing the benefits in real terms. In a climate where arts funding is becoming ever more precarious, it might seem self-defeating for us not to want to make money for our own personal benefit. Our answer is that creative arts have far wider benefits than simply making a living for performers (although we’re the last to say it’s not important!) – their impact on society is far wider than simply giving people a good evening out. By demonstrating this in various ways on a local scale, we can hope that it will be translated into a much bigger picture one day.

With all these big ideas, though, we mustn’t forget one of the most important reasons for doing what we do – ultimately, we want people to enjoy what they do with us, whether singing, playing, composing, or just coming to listen. We hope to see you at one of our concerts soon!

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