An Interfaith Festival
London is a world city, home to many different faiths and ethnicities. It provides safety and prosperity for a diverse global population. Preserving this existence requires an active effort on the part of the people of London. Recent events - terrorist attacks, a rise in hate crime, and a divisive politics – make clear the importance of providing safe spaces for shared culture and the forging of a shared identity. The Coronavirus pandemic has also reduced London's cultural life, and we wish to see this restored. Music provides one means of creating safe spaces for cultural interaction, and for refreshing Londoners who have dealt with a difficult year. Our contribution is the creation of a new interfaith festival that focusses on the human voice – Faithful Voices.
The festival includes workshops for amateur singers, a concert by professional ensembles and a second concert that combines both professional and amateur performance. There will also be special services and visits to places of worship (a church, a synagogue and a mosque). The music performed represents aspects of Judaism, Christianity and Hinduism. Please register for workshops or visits, or buy tickets for concerts, using the links below.
Click the image above for the Faithful Voices Flyer
A provisional programme for the festival for 20th-27th March
Last updated January 13th 2022 - Registration Details Coming Soon.
Sunday March 20th at St-Martin-in-the-Fields
1pm – 5pm Workshops
(£10 registration) [final workshop content TBC]
- Gospel Singing
- Contemporary Song for Jewish Worship
- Vedic Chanting
- Kirtan
5pm – Open Evensong at St-Martin-in-the-Fields
Workshop participants and guests are warmly encouraged to stay for a special evensong at St-Martin-in-the-Fields
Wednesday 23rd March 6pm, Brick Lane Mosque
A special visit to the only building that has been a church, a synagogue and a mosque. You can register for the visit here
Thursday March 24th 7.30pm, St-Martin-in-the-Fields
A concert featuring the Zemel Choir alongside professional performers from various faith backgrounds. Repertoire will include core works from the Hindu, Christian and Jewish liturgy, alongside music composed for interfaith purposes and music by Christian composers created for Jewish worship.
- The Zemel Choir
- The Choral Scholars of St-Martin-in-the-Fields
- The Professional Choirs of Belsize Square Synagogue and West London Synagogue
- Divyanand Caird (Saraswati Veena)
- Prathnap Ramachnadra (Mridangam)
Friday 25th and Saturday 26th March, West London Synagogue
Join the West London Choir and clergy for open services at one of London’s most beautiful synagogues. Pre-registration is essential for these services. Please register.
Sunday March 27th, 7pm West London Synagogue
The final concert of the festival takes place at West London Synagogue, and features performances by prominent amateur groups from different faith backgrounds alongside the professional choir of West London Synagogue. Please book tickets here
- The Zemel Choir
- The Professional Choir of West London Synagogue
- The London International Gospel Choir
- The Mixed-Up Chorus
