Friday 18 September 7.30pm
£25 (Under 30 £18 | Under 18 free)

Ex Corde Vocal Ensemble (‘top flight musicianship’ Music Opinion) and Matthew Wadsworth (lute) (‘his intensely focused playing flows direct from the heart’ Classic FM Magazine) team up to mark the 400th anniversary of John Dowland. Lute songs, including Come again sweet love, Can she excuse my wrongs, Flow my tears, and lute solos by Dowland, are set alongside similarly contrasting pieces by William Byrd, including his penitential motet Ne irascaris and madrigal When I was otherwise. The programme also features the premiere of Humble Verses, a striking new work by Christopher Fox with text by female contemporary of Byrd and Dowland, Emilia Lanier.

EX CORDE VOCAL ENSEMBLE use vocal music to create, collaborate and connect, bringing composers, performers and audiences closer together. The group was formed in 2020 and consists of singers from across the UK, many of whom are alumni of the University of York. Recent collaborations have included music groups York Waits and Rose Consort of Viols, and composers Christopher Fox, David Lancaster and Ambrose Field, and have performed on BBC Radio 3’s Early Music Show and the York Early Music Festival.

MATTHEW WADSWORTH is a British lutenist and theorbo player, with an extensive international career as a soloist, chamber musician, and continuo specialist. After studying at the Royal Academy of Music, he quickly gained recognition and began performing at major festivals and concert halls across Europe, North America, and beyond. He has collaborated with leading early music ensembles, including the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and the Academy of Ancient Music, and has appeared regularly on radio and television. As a recording artist, he has released numerous critically acclaimed albums on labels such as Channel Classics and Linn, earning awards including Gramophone Editor’s Choice.