Meet The Marian Consort

The Marian Consort is a bold and thrilling British vocal ensemble that has performed regularly on UK and international TV and radio, having made a name for themselves with their imaginative programmes of music from the 12th century to the present day. For their Harrogate programme the acclaimed ensemble will perform a diverse concert titled ‘The Language of Flowers’, inspired by this year’s Earth theme. Their wonderful candlelit concert in St Wilfrid’s Church will combine expressive choral works by Renaissance composers, alongside atmospheric world premieres of works by exciting contemporary composers Hugo Bell and Nneka Cummins.

Who (or what) inspired you to first start performing?

The Marian Consort’s origins lie in discovering that so much of the wonderful choral music from the Renaissance and Baroque period was originally performed very much as chamber music, with one voice per part and a real sense of intimacy between the singers. Having sung in larger choirs and been particularly drawn to this repertoire we wanted to try this out, and found a real sense of belonging and connection in making music this way. We’ve also benefitted from inspiration and guidance from some amazing pioneers in the field of early music performance along the way, including Bruno Turner and David Wulstan, for which we’re forever grateful.

What have been your music career highlights so far?

As an ensemble these have been many and varied, but giving a televised concert in Tokyo a couple of years ago, and appearing for the first time at the BBC Proms, are definitely up there.

What advice would you give upcoming artists wanting to follow in your footsteps?

Don’t be afraid to do things differently and find your own voice!

What do you hope the audience in Harrogate takes away from your performance?

How beautifully the music of the past and present can come together, and in doing so shed new light on both old and new.

Describe your programme in three words.

Timeless, ecstatic, surprising.

Do you have any pre-concert rituals?

Good coffee!

What do you most enjoy about performing live and why is it still important in our digital age?

That sense of connection, not only between performers but especially with an audience, which is impossible to be replicated with a recording. We very much think of the audience as a member of the ensemble, and it’s amazing how much our rapport and the audience’s energy can shape a particular performance.

If you could collaborate with any other artist, past or present, who would it be and why?

Impossible to answer – too much choice!

What music are you listening to at the moment?

Perhaps inevitably Bach (there’s always something new to discover) but also the Shostakovich string quartets, a relatively new discovery – amazing! And music by Stef Conner.