At the beginning of 2009 the Rodolfus Choir joined with Signum Records to record a CD of Howells Choral Music. The release date of the disc has unfortunately been delayed, but as soon as copies are available news will be posted here, so do check back soon.

The disc promises to be a one of the choir's best to date, with well-known settings such as Howells' Collegium Regale setting of the Te Deum and Benedicite alongside some pieces recorded less frequently, including Walking in the Snow and Sweetest of Sweets.

[Update: you can pre-order this CD online, now.]

This review by Roger Jones first appeared in the Gloucestershire Echo on 13 August 2009:

Bach's best bits provide an inspirational evening Rodolfus Choir and Corelli Orchestra Tewkesbury Abbey Tewkesbury Abbey has a unique status. Every Three Choirs' Festival, whether at Gloucester, Worcester or Hereford, holds at least one concert here, and this years event, Bach's Mass in B Minor, proved especially popular.

The Rodolfus Choir's most recent appearance as part of Bath's Sing for Life festival has garnered high critical acclaim in the local press. The choir performed an eclectic programme ranging from Tallis to Whitacre on Saturday 2 May in the magnificant setting of Bath Abbey. Peter Lloyd Williams writes the following review:

“This remarkable choir – just 20 singers, all under 25 – is selected by conductor Ralph Allwood from the Summer Choral Courses held each year at Eton College.

Among their objectives are the promotion of choral music and the achievement of excellence.

On Sunday 5th April Alex Stobbs conducted the Bach St Matthew Passion at the Cadogan Hall. He was musically highly-charged and confidently in control. Players and singers immediately recognised his impeccable musicianship and knew they were in good hands. Musicians are inspired because he loves it so much; his conducting is entirely about the music and not about himself.

On the Wednesday before, forty-four members of the Rodolfus Choir had gathered to rehearse with him at Westminster School. He started the week a little nervously, but very soon got into his stride, and it was clear that he knew exactly what's what. Two orchestras and six soloists joined the choir at the Cadogan Hall on Saturday, and started to put together this complex three-hour work.

Rodolfus give two performances of Bach's B minor mass at prestigious UK festivals

This summer, the choir is greatly looking forward to singing two performances of J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor. The first will be as part of the Hereford Three Choirs Festival in the glorious setting of Tewkesbury Abbey, 2.30pm Monday 10 August. Ralph Allwood, Precentor of Eton College and founder of the Rodolfus Choir, will conduct period ensemble the Corelli Orchestra. Elizabeth Weisberg, Polly May, Ben Johnson and James Oldfield comprise a quartet of some of the most promising vocal talent of the moment.

The beacon in the Choir's 2009 calendar is a performance of Bach's Matthew Passion, conducted by Alex Stobbs, in London's Cadogan Hall on April 5th. The recent documentary A Boy Called Alex was filmed while Alex, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, was a student at Eton, and followed him as he conducted a performance of Bach's Magnificat at the school. Alex was asked, “so what's next?” He replied, “The Matthew Passion. All three hours of it.” Rodolfus are tremendously excited to give Alex the chance to fulfil this wish to a sell-out audience in April, with a top line-up of soloists and the renowned orchestra the Southbank Sinfonia.

Tickets are sold out for this concert. This is fantastic news for the project, but understandably a disappointment to those who have been unable to buy tickets.

The box office is managed by the Cadogan Hall, who kindly suggest telephoning nearer the time for returns or trying on the day of the concert (Cadogan Hall Box Office: 020 7730 4500).

Rodolfus performed a varied programme from Tallis to Whitacre in an atmospheric riverside venue in Twickenham for the Richmond Concert Society on Tuesday 10 February to a rapturous response. Here are some of the comments from audience and promotors alike:

Just a short note to say what a wonderful and inspiring concert you gave on Tuesday evening. The vibes I and others felt as the audience left into the cold night were most positive. Clearly the Rodolfus will need to be a RCS fixture in the future!

I decided at Christmas that we should have a Howellsfest. Herbert Howells towers above everyone in 20th Century English Church Music, but I was worried that a service, the recital and the recording might just be too much for everyone, but my fears were ungrounded. We started with a broadcast in which all except the hymn was by Howells, using in particular his "Dallas" Canticles, and then gave a recital in the wonderful and unusual Douai Abbey. For that I chose a programme of music by Howells together with those who had influenced him, and one composer, Paul Spicer, who was influenced by him.

The Rodolfus Choir will be singing in the sublime setting of Bath Abbey on Saturday May 2nd at 7.30pm - a concert of well-loved choral music as part of a new music festival called Bath Sing for Life.

This weekend is organised by Grenville Jones, a Rodolfus Trustee who lives in Bath. The weekend will support local Charities and tickets for the concert are expected to sell very quickly and are priced from £8 to £25. The Historic City will be alive with music and dance through the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend from May 1st - 4th, including the Bath Dance Festival and the 2009 Bath Spring Flower Show in Royal Victoria Park. To find out more about the Spring Weekend in Bath, call Rosie on 01761 472468 or visit the Sing for Life website.

As the celebration continues in the New Year, the Rodolfus Choir have recorded an exciting disc of music by Herbert Howells, due for release in Summer 2009 on the Signum label.

Following their highly successful live broadcast of the composer's music on Radio 3 on 31 December 2008, the choir, director Ralph Allwood, organist Tom Winpenny and producer Adrian Peacock spent the first week in January recording the CD, which promises to be a fantastic addtiion to the choir's discography.

[Update: you can pre-order this CD online, now.]