Choir to start new season with weather-inspired world premiere

Newly composed piece The Weather Book, links Exeter's Met Office with work of Swedish scientist Anders Celsius

- 

> The Exeter Philharmonic Choir Martin Stubbings

EXETER Philharmonic Choir is counting down the days to the start of its 2025/26 season, which begins with a very special musical first at Exeter Cathedral on Saturday, November 8.

The choir (EPC) will be performing an ambitious new choral work called The Weather Book, written for the choir by one of the UK's leading contemporary composers and highlighting Exeter's unique status as the home of the UK's Met Office.

The new work for soprano soloist, choir and chamber orchestra, composed by Cecilia McDowall, is a joint commission with a top chamber choir from Sweden. Gustaf Vasa Kammarkör performed the first movement called 'Celsius Rising' in March in their home city of Stockholm. Swedish soprano Agnes Auer will be coming to Exeter in November to give the première of the entire work, with the addition of the second and third movements composed especially for EPC. It was sheer chance that the two choirs approached Cecilia at the same time to commission a bespoke work. The result is a composition that links the two countries through reference to aspects of the history of the weather and meteorology.

In its entirety, The Weather Book lasts about 20 minutes, and it will be the centrepiece of an exciting and varied programme that also includes Poulenc's Gloria, Vaughan Williams' Toward the Unknown Region and Brahms' Tragic Overture and Alto Rhapsody, four wonderful pieces showcasing the choir's range and versatility.

Cecilia McDowall's inspiration for the commission was to link the UK and Sweden through references to climate. She worked with poet and librettist Kate Wakeling to discover different aspects of weather-related topics.