Life, death and divine ecstasy.
Music and movement are doorways to spiritual experience. Enter the Shakers. A radical Protestant sect with roots in 18th-century Northern England, they harnessed this power for holy connection and transcendence. American minimalist composer John Adams pays homage to their frenzied worship and ecstatic energy in the high-octane ‘Shaker Loops’.
This is no ordinary concert. Weaved into Adams’ oscillating rhythms is freshly-penned poetry from lyrical force Christ Bryan. The Lancastrian poet emerges from the depths of The White Hotel – the iconoclastic Salford nightclub and arts space – to join the Collective live on stage. In three poems, we wade through the industrial smog of the past and the spiritual malaise of the present to seek salvation.
Before we reach the heavens, there’s a mysterious ode to the departed and an ancient hymn invoking the Holy Spirit. Come, let the light in, and surrender to a force larger than yourself.
★★★★ “An evening of intensity and introspection” The Times
★★★★★ “Love and commitment [shines] through the entire performance, reaching out to the audience with directness and intelligence” Bachtrack
Dates
26 Sep – London – Southbank Centre
27 Sep – Leeds – Howard Assembly Room
3 Oct – Bristol – St George’s Bristol
5 Oct – Manchester – Royal Northern College of Music
Check times, ticket prices and access info via the booking links
Setlist
Dobrinka Tabakova Such Different Paths
Kaija Saariaho Terra Memoria
Hymn arr. Rakhi Singh Veni Creator Spiritus
John Adams Shaker Loops feat. Christ Bryan
Approximate runtime: 90 mins plus interval
Programme notes →
Line-up
Manchester Collective String ensemble / string orchestra
Christ Bryan Poetry
For full line-up, see programme notes above