Newcastle Cathedral invites people from across the city and wider region to honour those who have served and died in conflict through services of remembrance and a concert presented in partnership with Durham University Choral Society.
Sunday, 8 November – Newcastle Cathedral – Act of Remembrance
The programme provides opportunities for reflection and remembrance at the city’s cathedral.
On Remembrance Sunday, 8 November, an Act of Remembrance will take place during Newcastle Cathedral’s weekly Sung Eucharist at 10am. Elsewhere in the city, a parade will depart from the Civic Centre at 10:30am and arrive at the War Memorial in Old Eldon Square at approximately 10:50am. The city’s main Service of Remembrance will then begin with a welcome from the Bishop of Newcastle.
On Armistice Day, Wednesday 11 November, visitors are invited to gather at the Cathedral at 10:45am for a short Act of Remembrance, followed by the national silence at 11am. The service marks the anniversary of the Armistice that ended the First World War and will conclude with the laying of poppies to honour all who have served and sacrificed in conflict.
That evening, Durham University Choral Society, conducted by Tim Burke, will present ‘The Music Makers’, a concert exploring themes of remembrance, sacrifice and creativity.
The programme opens with Finzi’s ‘Magnificat’, marking the 125th anniversary of the composer’s birth and the 70th anniversary of his death. His anthem ‘Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice’ follows, reflecting on suffering and sacrifice.
The concert concludes with Elgar’s ‘The Music Makers’. Written before the First World War, its themes of loss and renewal have particular resonance on Armistice Day.
Lewis Wilkinson, Manager of Performing Arts at Durham University, says:
“Elgar’s ‘The Music Makers’ explores legacy, continuity, and the way dreams and hope shape the present. Its interest lies in the fact that it is one of the last major pieces of British music written before the outbreak of the Great War, and lines like ‘each age is a dream that is dying’ took on new meaning after 1914, when an entire cultural era did collapse. Its tone – nostalgic, elegiac, reflective – felt prophetic at the time, once the war began.”
The concert begins at 7:30pm and runs for approximately 90 minutes, including an interval. Doors open at 6:45pm. Refreshments will be available in return for a donation from a bar in the Cathedral nave before the performance and during the interval.
Tickets are priced at £17 for standard admission, £14 for concessions, £12 for Durham University staff and students, and £10 for Performing Arts Members.
The Cathedral’s Remembrance Sunday service and Armistice Day Act of Remembrance are free to attend. No booking is required.
For concert tickets and information about the Cathedral’s year-round programme of services and events, click here.
