500 Years Lutheran Reformation
In 2017 the British Council of Lutheran Churches commissioned me to create a music program around their 500 year Lutheran Reformation celebration.
Events took place in London and Cambridge with services, lectures and the arrival of the Luther Mobil, a truck that traveled the world with information about the Reformation
The main event of the celebrations was a service at Westminster Abbey, attended by over 100 bishops from around the world. For this special service I invited 12 Choirs from Lutheran Churches in the UK. This included choirs from the Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Chinese, Swahili speaking, Icelandic, Latvian and other churches. I then commissioned Matt Gio to write a new piece for all these choirs. ‘The Answered Hymn’ was premiered at the service.
The service started with all 12 Lutheran Choirs singing Luther’s Hymn ‘Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott’ together
I took members of the German Choir to Cambridge to sing together with world renowned Choir of Kings College Cambridge Bach’s Cantata BWV 70 ‘Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild’ under the direction of Stephen Cleobury
Members of the German Choir also sang for a Seminar at St. Edwards Cambridge with Dr. Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury as speaker.
The London celebrations also included a performance at St-Martins-in-the-Field of ‘The answered Hymn’ by Matt Gio, including international Lutheran Choirs for a church service.
For the arrival of the so called Luther Mobil (a truck with information about the Reformation) in London (Trafalgar Square) and Cambridge, I invited choirs to come and sing Lutheran Hymns and works by Lutheran composers.
