Paul Carr is a living English composer who has written chamber music, concertos, and orchestral pieces, but is perhaps best known for his choral works. Requiem for an Angel was championed by Classic FM in 2011, Stabat Mater was commissioned and recorded by English Arts Chorale in 2017, and his more recent Ubi Caritas is fast becoming a favourite from a set of three religious texts for choir, orchestra, and different instrumental soloists.

On Saturday, 13th July, in Lord Pirbrights’s Hall, The Octavian Singers will perform his Four New Seasons, which is a reimagining of Antonio Vivaldi’s iconic work, and sets three poems for each of the seasons, alongside the accompaniment of the familiar Vivaldi music, provided for us by a pianist. Our audience will hear beautiful poetry by English and American writers such as A.E. Houseman, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Emily Brontë, and William Shakespeare in Carr’s original setting.