Lunchtime Concert: An Easter Celebration

St Margaret’s Consort

Helen Ashby and Amy Haworth sopranos 
Martha McLorinan alto 
Gareth Treseder tenor 
Jon Stainsby bass 

The St Margaret’s Consort is the professional vocal ensemble which provides choral music for the many high-profile services which take place in St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey. In particular, the Consort provides the music for celebrations of the life and works of prominent Parliamentarians, due to the close links St Margaret’s has enjoyed with both Houses of Parliament over the centuries. The lower voices of the Consort also sing regularly with the St Margaret’s Choristers.

There is evidence of choral music in St Margaret’s dating back to the church’s consecration in 1523, when prominent Tudor composers Nicholas Ludford and Robert Whyte were closely associated with the church. The current Consort has its roots in the Choir of St Margaret’s Church which in the past half century has been conducted by, among others, Richard Hickox, Simon Over and Aidan Oliver.

Greg Morris, Conductor and Organ

St Margaret's Consort is conducted by Greg Morris, Director of Music at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey. Greg oversees and directs the music both in St Margaret’s itself and in the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the Houses of Parliament. As part of this role, Greg founded and directs the St Margaret’s Choristers, the Abbey’s first girl choristers to take part in its centuries-long tradition of choral worship. Besides his work at Westminster Abbey, Greg is Musical Director of Collegium Musicum of London and Bar Choral Society. With both choirs, Greg performs music ranging from mediaeval to contemporary works, and in particular collaborates with leading soloists and period instrumentalists in the performance of major works from the Baroque and Classical eras. Greg is also an established organist, in which guise he has performed on four continents, broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, and played at the BBC Proms.