The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace
Saturday 29th July 2023
St John the Baptist Catholic Church, Woy Woy
Central Coast Philharmonia performed Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, a powerful contemporary choral work reflecting on conflict, remembrance, and the hope for a more peaceful world.
Written in 1999, The Armed Man was composed to mark the relocation of the British Armoury Museum from London to Leeds and to commemorate those who died in the Kosovo conflict. Composed on the eve of the new millennium, Jenkins intended the work as a message of hope — envisioning a future shaped by peace rather than war.
The performance was supported by the Central Coast Youth Orchestra, with additional works presented by the Central Coast Children and Youth Choir and local choral ensemble Ebb & Flow.
Soloists:
- Hannah Greenshields : Soprano
- Anne Haslam : Contralto
- Ron Marsh : Tenor
- Ian Fisher : Bass
Reviews
- "The Armed Man was an amazing performance. It was powerful and moving and could not have been better. The singing was wonderful, the orchestra was brilliant and Patrick Brennan brought it all together perfectly. If it was on again next week, I would buy tickets today. The Angry Flames had me fighting back tears which continued to Better is Peace, which ended the performance perfectly. It was all so moving."
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"Four days later, I’m still beset by ear-worms."
- "What a wonderful performance in every possible way and each part beautifully woven together by Patrick Brennan to produce this powerful work. The Philharmonia has evolved over the years into a superb choir while the young orchestra continues to impress with some gifted musicians. I have attended performances for over 10 years and feel that this concert was “top shelf” and I eagerly look forward to the next one."
Programme
Gallery
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Photography by Mark Haslam
