Tower and Town, June 2016 (view the full edition)Fauré At The CollegeJuly 1, 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the first day of the Battle of the Somme. On that fateful day in 1916, alongside many others, 20 Old Marlburians lost their lives, and to commemorate them the College will give a devotional performance of Gabriel Fauré's Requiem in the College Chapel. The event takes place on Thursday 30 June at 7.30pm, the eve of the 100th anniversary, and promises to be a poignant and moving occasion. Arguably one of the finest requiems ever written, each of the movements will be interspersed with specially selected readings, which include diary notes of old Marlburians and poetry by Siegfried Sassoon and Owen Sheers amongst others. In the case of Sassoon, these are particularly significant given that he remains one of the most famous of war poets as well as being an Old Marlburian. The College's Chapel Choir will be augmented by a number of special musical guests, some of whom are Old Marlburians themselves, and will be accompanied by a chamber orchestra made up of leading College music scholars and staff, in the version by eminent composer John Rutter. The soloists are Helena Mackie, soprano, (former chorister at Salisbury Cathedral) and Christopher Sheldrake, bass, (a member of Wells Cathedral Vicars Choral and the Prince's Consort). Marlborough College Choral Society director Alex Hodgkinson will be the organist, and the performance will be conducted by Marlborough College's Artistic Director, Philip Dukes. Admission to this event is free, but tickets are required and early booking is advised. Tickets can be obtained by contacting Ellie Adams on eadams@marlboroughcollege.org or by calling 01672 892202. The College's magnificent chapel should provide an extraordinary setting for such an occasion, offering the audience an opportunity to pause and reflect on the ultimate sacrifice made by so many in the pursuit of liberty and peace.  Philip Dukes |