Christopher Churcher - Moonrise (Somerville College Choir, Oxford)

Information

Composer: Christopher Churcher

1. Wonder
2. Wintersongs: I. There is No Rose
3. Wintersongs: II. Away in a Manger
4. Wintersongs: III. In the Bleak Midwinter
5. Nesciens mater
6. Everything is Going to be All Right
7. Pride Motets: I. My Love
8. Pride Motets: II. My Beautiful
9. Pride Motets: III. My Heart
10. Moonrise
11. O nata lux
12. Echo

Mar Umbert Kimura, piano

Somerville College Choir, Oxford

Will Dawes, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Resonus Classics

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Moonrise is the debut album of British composer Christopher Churcher, featuring works written between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one during his studies at the University of Oxford and his involvement with Somerville College Choir. Performed by the choir under conductor Will Dawes, the recording includes both a cappella and piano-accompanied choral pieces, ranging from Advent-themed sacred music to secular works exploring light, time, and queer identity. The collection highlights a balance of introspective stillness and luminous, lyrical choral writing. Overall, Moonrise serves as a confident introduction to Churcher’s emerging compositional voice, marked by clarity, emotional warmth, and expressive immediacy.

Christopher Churcher (b. 2004) is an emerging British composer and baritone whose work is noted for its expressive harmonic language and evocative natural imagery. Praised by figures such as David Hill and Iain Burnside, his music is increasingly performed by leading ensembles across Europe and North America. His commissions include works for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Consone Quartet, and the Southbank Sinfonia, with performances and broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and releases on labels including Delphian and Resonus Classics. Recent highlights include Egress and Skysongs, alongside a forthcoming choral album recorded by Somerville College Choir. He is currently studying at the University of Oxford and sings with Somerville College Choir, Oxford Bach Soloists, and Vox Urbane Next Gen.

The Choir of Somerville College, Oxford, founded in 2001 by Francis Knights and Sam Bayliss, is a collegiate choir based at the University of Oxford. It sings weekly services in the college chapel during term time and maintains an active concert schedule through the Somerville Music Society. Since 2007, it has been conducted by David Crown, supported by organ scholars and a choir manager. The choir has performed widely in UK cathedrals and toured internationally in Germany and Italy, alongside notable recordings and large-scale works including Bach passions and Handel’s Messiah. Its repertoire spans sacred music, opera, and contemporary projects, reflecting a versatile and increasingly prominent presence in collegiate choral music.

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