Bury Bach Choir: African Sanctus
Location
The Apex, 1 Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3FD
Telephone
01284 758000- Next Event
- 15th November 7:30pm
- Event Finishes
- 15th November 9:30pm

About this event
David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus (meaning Holy Africa) is a piece of music like no other. Hailed as the defining Afro-Latin tribal-choral masterpiece, this jewel of World Music has been performed around the world and has a multi-national following. Talking about the work on BBC Radio 3, Anthony Hopkins said that “African Sanctus is literally unique, both in conception and completion”.
A thrilling setting of the Latin Mass harmonised with traditional African music, it blends beautiful choral music with unique and rare recordings collected by David Fanshawe on extensive treks through Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya in 1969-73. He achieved such a close rapport with many local communities that they gave him permission for their performances to be specially recorded. This recorded music is woven into African Sanctus alongside live performances from the on-stage chorus, percussion ensemble, piano, guitars and soprano soloist.
African Sanctus is a celebratory and visionary work expressing unity between peoples, their faiths and, above all, their music. This piece is more than a performance. It’s a spellbinding, immersive and electrifying event that breaks boundaries and magnificently celebrates the composer’s vision of shared humanity. You must come.
As a warm-up for the main event, the concert will start with a percussion extravaganza as well as one or two other unexpected musical surprises!
Tara Bungard soprano
Anne Reece piano
BackBeat percussion
Bury Bach Choir
Benedict Collins Rice conductor
Tickets: £29, £22 (all reserved); half price for under-30's
Starts: 7.30pm
Ends: 9.30pm
About the Venue
The Apex is an award-winning venue, known for its acoustic excellence and home to a diverse programme of live music and events; from classical concerts to pop, rock, jazz, blues, world, country and folk, plus comedy and dance performances.
It also hosts a number of community and corporate events, offering the local community and wider environs a unique and exciting space from which visitors can see a great selection of artists, bands and events.
It has been very well publicised (and we never tire of hearing it!) that, as well as its architectural beauty, The Apex also has the very best acoustics, with many musicians who've played here describing it as the best acoustic in the UK, if not Europe:
"Best new venue in the UK. Absolutely superb" - Funeral For A Friend
"Best acoustic wee had in 40 years of touring" - Fairport Convention
"The best hall we have ever played in" - The Escher String Quartet
