Concerts

This concert gives the premieres of the prizewinning entries of the Delius Singers Composition Competition 2026, showcasing five composers whose work was held in high esteem by our judges, the celebrated composers Matthew Martin and Francis Pott. The composers were asked to respond to Delius's Ein Arabeske, and have written pieces that respond to Delius's style, to the text by Jens Peter Jacobsen, or to the theme of 'Nature's Voice'. Alongside the creative and varied winning entries, we will perform Ein Arabeske in a new arrangement for baritone solo (sung by Allyn Wu), organ (played by Hugh Rowlands), and the Delius Singers.

The idea of nature having a voice has appealed to poets and composers for centuries, but in an age of environmental degradation and climate change it feels more important than ever that we should listen to nature's voice. Our five prizewinners have produced an array of different responses that reflect upon where we are now, and how we still find positivity and creativity in a moment of ecological crisis. These new works are presented with pieces from the twentieth century that reflect on the same theme, giving a sense of perspective and showing how humans have responded creatively in the past to the idea of nature's voice.