Commotio

Commotio was formed in August 1999 to promote neglected contemporary choral repertoire. Performances have included the second UK performance of Alfred Schnittke’s mighty Requiem, and other rarely heard works including Paul Hindemith’s Mass, Kenneth Leighton’s Mass for Double Choir, and the world première of Pierre Villette’s Inviolata. Commotio also promotes and performs the works of a younger generation of composers including, most recently, Richard Allain, Jake Runestad, David Bednall and Thomas Hyde. The choir has made a number of recordings for Naxos, including a disc of the music of James Whitbourn (8.572103); In the Heart of Things (8.572739), the choral works of Francis Pott (8.572739); and The Rose in the Middle of Winter – Carols by Bob Chilcott (8.573159) which reached No. 1 on the Specialist Classical Chart. In August 2013 Commotio featured as a gala choir at the Association of British Choral Directors’ Convention. Commissions include works by John Duggan, Richard Allain and Edward Cowie.