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 Since its inception in 1984, Crouch End Festival Chorus has been committed to performing innovative and exciting programmes. We have strived to involve and expand our audience and their musical experience. By becoming a CEFC New Music Patron you get an exciting opportunity to help us create the music of the new Millennium!

CEFC has become especially well known for its innovative programming; seasons that combine performances of the great choral "classics" with contemporary works have brought many new and exciting musical experiences to both chorus and audience. Over the past fifteen years, CEFC has commissioned new music from a range of composers, some well known and others at the very start of their careers. As a result of this commitment, so far ten new works have been added to the choral repertoire.

CEFC's first ever commission Saeta by Howard Haigh was premiered in 1990 at All Hallows' Church in Gospel Oak and has been recently (January 2004) been revived to much acclaim at the Barbican. It is a demanding work that exudes extraordinary energy and imagination, with its aleatoric opening, its Moorish chants and its beautiful polyphonic choral finale.

Our 2001 commission by David Bedford was our most ambitious to that point. The City and the Stars is a 30-minute piece for full chorus and orchestra based on the celebrated Arthur C Clarke novel. Ten New Music Patrons supported this successful commission.

We celebrated our 20th anniversary by commissioning Shift by Orlando Gough, which was inspired by the film Cool & Crazy (which examines the lives of a Norwegian amateur choir) and is a choral documentary about work. It has been innovatively scored for percussion and young voices in addition to the choir.

So how can you now take part?

By joining our New Music Patrons Scheme, we hope to share with you some of the excitement and satisfaction of being involved in the creation of a new piece of music. Our next commission, The Tension of Opposites by Matthew Ferraro, will be given its world premiere at the Barbican Centre in 2009. The work deals with humanity, diversity, and the major life issues we all face as human beings and will give young people in particular a unique opportunity to take part in a life-enhancing musical experience, one that will really make a difference to their knowledge and understanding of different cultures and communities.. 

For your New Music Patron Annual Subscription of £120 you will receive:

  • an acknowledgement of your contribution towards commissioning of The Tension of Opposites in our concert programmes and on this website (if you prefer you can dedicate your contribution to someone else)
  • an opportunity to purchase tickets to the world premiere of The Tension of Opposites at a 20% discount
  • an invitation to the dress rehearsal on the afternoon of the performance
  • an autographed copy of the choral score of the new work

    You can download an application form (in MS Word) here.

    Alternatively, if you prefer, application forms and full details of how you can join the NMP scheme are available from the CEFC Fundraising Manager Sonja van Oudsthoorn.


    Join the New Music Sponsors! So Far...
    Aron Cronin Shift premiered July 2004
    John Day Shift premiered July 2004
    Kate, Olivia, Alex & Tabitha Gray Shift premiered July 2004
    The Harrisons Shift premiered July 2004
    Pauline Hoyle Shift premiered July 2004
    Ken Wilson & Sue McCrone Shift premiered July 2004

    The Bedford Children: Tammy, Chloe, Sarah, Emily, Thomas & Rhiannon
    The City and the Stars premiered July 2001
    Peggy Nott-Bower The City and the Stars premiered July 2001
    In memory of Genefer Boxall The City and the Stars premiered July 2001
    The Harrisons The City and the Stars premiered July 2001
    Pauline Hoyle The City and the Stars premiered July 2001
    Jeremy Marchant The City and the Stars premiered July 2001
    Lady Medawar The City and the Stars premiered July 2001
    Rosemary Melling The City and the Stars premiered July 2001
    Mrs Carol Stokes The City and the Stars premiered July 2001
    Atsunobu Tsunoda The City and the Stars premiered July 2001

    The Harrisons of Brunswick The Same Dog premiered July 2000
    Liz and Francis Goodall The Same Dog premiered July 2000
    Anna GossThe Same Dog premiered July 2000
    Geoffrey and Emma Kemball-Cook The Same Dog premiered July 2000
    Jeremy Marchant The Same Dog premiered July 2000
    In memory of Glenys Jenkins The Same Dog premiered July 2000
    Sue Steel The Same Dog premiered July 2000