Newcastle Cathedral is inviting people from across the city and wider region to honour those who have served and died in conflict at a service of remembrance and a special concert presented in partnership with Durham University Choral Society.
The public will be able to gather in reflection and remembrance at the city’s Church of England Cathedral for everyone of all faiths to mark the sacrifice of those that have served and died in conflict.
Act of Remembrance and national silence
On Armistice Day, Wednesday November 11, visitors are invited to gather at the Cathedral at 10.45am for a short Act of Remembrance leading into the national silence at 11am. Marking the anniversary of the Armistice that ended the First World War, the service will conclude with the laying of poppies in honour of all who have served and sacrificed in conflict.
The Cathedral's Armistice Day Act of Remembrance, starting at 10.45am on Wednesday November 11, is free for all to attend with no booking required.
Evening concert with Durham University Choral Society
That evening, Durham University Choral Society, conducted by Tim Burke, will perform ‘The Music Makers’, a concert exploring themes of remembrance, sacrifice and the enduring power of creativity. The programme will open with Finzi’s ‘Magnificat’, marking the composer's 125th anniversary of his birth and the 70th anniversary of his death.
Following will be his anthem ‘Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice’ which offers a moving reflection on suffering and sacrifice. The concert concludes with Elgar’s ‘The Music Makers’, which was written before the First World War but its themes of loss and renewal carry particular resonance on Armistice Day.
Concert details and tickets
Lewis Wilkinson, manager of performing arts at Durham University, said: “Elgar’s ‘The Music Makers’ explores legacy, continuity and the way dreams and hope shape the present. Its interest lies in the fact that it is one of the last major pieces of British music written before the outbreak of the Great War and lines like ‘each age is a dream that is dying’ took on new meaning after 1914, when an entire cultural era did collapse. Its tone, nostalgic, elegiac and reflective felt prophetic at the time, once the war began.”
The concert begins at 7.30pm and lasts approximately 90 minutes including interval. The doors open at 6.45pm with refreshments available by donation from a bar in the Cathedral nave before the performance and during the interval. Tickets cost £17 for standard admission, £14 for concessions, £12 for Durham University staff and students, and £10 for Performing Arts Members.
