A Grand Evening of British Masterpieces at Ely Cathedral

Saturday 27th September 2025 · 7:30pm

Ely Cathedral will resound with the soaring power and profound beauty of British orchestral music on Saturday, 27th September 2025 at 7:30pm, in a spectacular evening featuring works by Malcolm Arnold, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Edward Elgar.

Under the baton of Steve Bingham, this evocative programme promises an unforgettable journey through the heart of 20th-century English musical writing, performed in one of the most majestic and atmospheric venues in the country.

Opening the concert is Malcolm Arnold’s Peterloo Overture, a bold and cinematic portrayal of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre, the violent suppression of a peaceful protest near Manchester in 1819. Filled with drama, protest and, ultimately, triumph, it is a fitting memorial to the people who died or were injured.

Next, audiences will be transported by the serene and spiritual beauty of Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. Written for double string orchestra, this hauntingly expressive work resonates especially deeply in the cathedral’s ancient and ethereal acoustics.

The evening culminates in Elgar’s Symphony No. 1, a sweeping, emotional masterpiece that moves from noble optimism to introspective lyricism and stirring resolution, a defining statement from one of Britain’s greatest composers.

“As summer winds down, this concert provides the perfect way to step into a new season with music that’s full of passion and intensity,” says conductor, Steve Bingham. “Arnold is well known for lively, pretty tunes such as his Scottish Dances. But nothing could be further removed from these than the clashing overture commemorating the horrors of the Peterloo massacre. The Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis is a huge contrast to this and is one of the most evocative pieces ever written by a British composer. Finally Elgar, who was largely self-taught, enters new, unexplored and exciting musical concepts in his Symphony No. 1. “

This is an excellent opportunity to experience the grandeur of Ely Cathedral resounding to the finest in British symphonic music in a performance that celebrates both national heritage and the enduring power of live orchestral sound.

Tickets start at £10 and are available from Ely Cathedral Box Office (Tel 01353 660349), email box.office@elycathedral.org or online from https://www.elycathedral.org/events.

About Ely Sinfonia

Ely Sinfonia is the first ever high quality ensemble to be based in Ely. Launched in November 1999, it is made up of players of all ages and backgrounds, including school and college students, business professionals, retired individuals and local music teachers. The orchestra plays a wide range of music, from contemporary to mainstream, and has commissioned its own pieces. Ely Sinfonia gives two or three full orchestral concerts every year, frequently takes part in local events such as the Ely Arts Festival and, in addition, provides smaller groups to play at events such as the Easter Day orchestral mass in Ely Cathedral. Teaching is a vital part of the orchestra’s mission and it runs annual workshops for less experienced players and students.

Ely Sinfonia was founded by a consortium of local arts organisations, led by ADeC (Arts Development in East Cambridgeshire), to become a beacon of excellence as East Cambridgeshire’s own community orchestra. It has more than lived up to this, particularly since local celebrity violinist, Steve Bingham, took over as artistic director.