Karl Jenkins: Stella natalis CD on EMI and UK tour

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Karl Jenkins: Stella natalis CD on EMI and UK tour

(October 2009)

Karl Jenkins’s latest EMI album, Stella natalis, released in November, features two new choral collections exploring seasonal themes (EMI 50999-6886482-8 CD; 50999-6886485-9 digital).

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Listen to Jenkins soundclips in our Audio Visual area.

The first work on the new EMI release, Stella natalis, comprises twelve Jenkins pieces celebrating aspects of Christmastide – winter, the sleeping child, tidings of peace, thanksgiving – with words ranging from the Psalms to new texts by Carol Barratt. The second work, Joy to the World, casts the net internationally, assembling nine traditional carols from Germany, France, Spain and the Caribbean, in new arrangements by Jenkins. The new recording features the voices of Tenebrae, and guest appearances by soprano Kate Royal, trumpeter Alison Balsom and BBC Radio 2 Young Chorister of the year Alice Halstead.

Karl Jenkins describes how "Stella natalis means 'star of birth' or 'star of origin', and the music conveys the Christmas message of peace, goodwill, compassion and a new beginning whilst using a wider palette of inspiration than is usual in such treatments: Zulu text, reference to Hindu gods, as well as the Old Testament, all make an appearance!"

A UK concert tour of Stella natalis, tied in with the EMI release, is planned between 28 November and 22 December, visiting Chelmsford, St Albans, Bristol, Banbury and Norwich. For full information visit the Stella natalis tour website.

Visit the Stella natalis website for full information on the CD and a video of Karl Jenkins recording the album.

Both Stella natalis and Joy to the World are scored for string orchestra, keyboards and percussion and will be available for performance by choirs in the run up to Christmas 2010, with choral scores published by Boosey & Hawkes mid-year.

Choral highlights next year include the first performance of a new Gloria written for the Really Big Chorus at the Royal Albert Hall in London in July.

Jenkins’s Euphonium Concerto was premiered on 25 July with David Childs as the virtuoso soloist. The new four movement work is a sparkling showpiece, characteristic in its deliberately “off-the-wall” style that the composer frequently adopts for his concertos. Childs gives a further performance of the orchestral version in Swansea on 12 December and the US premiere of this version at Carnegie Hall in New York on 6 March, conducted by the composer. Versions with brass band and wind band are performed with the Cory Band in Cardiff on 29 November and at the New York Wind Band Festival at Carnegie Hall on 26 March.

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