Andrew Palmer, Group Editor

Classical Music: Anna Lapwood

The Waiting sky

Kerensa Briggs Seek Ye First The Kingdom Of God; James McCarthy Peaceful Was The Night; Owain Park Cradle Lullaby; Anna Lapwood & The Pembroke College Girls’ Choir Winter Time; The Waiting Sky; Rheinberger Abendlied

The Pembroke College Girls’ Choir
Directed by Anna Lapwood
EP Sony Classical

https://www.sonyclassical.com/releases/releases-details/the-waiting-sky

In an era where classical music struggles to capture young imaginations, Anna Lapwood's meteoric rise as Britain's most engaging organist has been nothing short of revolutionary. Her impact is perhaps best exemplified in this remarkable EP featuring the Pembroke College Girls' Choir, where her talent for nurturing young musicians shines as brightly as her celebrated performance career.

The recording showcases a choir operating at exceptional levels of musicianship. Under Lapwood's direction, their sound is characterised by immaculate tonal control, masterful dynamic balance, and phrase-shaping that would impress in any context, let alone from young performers.

The attention to detail that Lapwood's social media followers have come to expect is abundantly evident throughout each piece.

What sets this recording apart, however, is its spirit of artistic empowerment. Two standout pieces - Winter Time and The Waiting Sky - were composed collaboratively by the choir members themselves, embodying Lapwood's philosophy that musical education should be both participatory and ambitious. These works sit comfortably alongside pieces by established composers Owain Park and Kerensa Briggs, whose gift for melody provides perfect vehicles for the choir's evident enthusiasm and joy in performance.

The project captures something quite special: a moment in time when a group of young musicians discover just how far they've come. As Lapwood notes, the choristers themselves are often amazed by their achievements, regularly expressing disbelief at their current capabilities compared to just a few years ago. This sense of achievement and progression permeates every track.

How Lapwood manages to produce work of this calibre while juggling her duties as Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge with an increasingly demanding performance schedule is remarkable. But perhaps that's the point - she's showing these young musicians how, with dedication and the right guidance, barriers are meant to be broken through.