A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols – Akerk

Step into the atmosphere of an English cathedral and experience the way Christmas has been celebrated in England for over a century. On Tuesday 23 December, familiar and lesser-known carols will fill the beautifully lit Akerk, performed by the Roden Girl Choristers. As hundreds of candles flicker, their pure voices will lead you through the Christmas story, with short readings (in English) interwoven with carols and congregational singing. Glorious arrangements of classics by John Rutter and David Willcocks sit alongside more modern works by composers such as Herbert Howells and Benjamin Britten. The organ accompaniment will be provided by Sietze de Vries. Everyone present is warmly invited to join in the singing of well-loved carols.

For 25 years, the Roden Girl Choristers have sung in the Anglican tradition under the direction of Sonja de Vries. Regular study trips to England, masterclasses with leading conductors, and joint concerts with renowned English ensembles – including Trinity College Choir Cambridge – ensure the highest standards. The Roden Girl Voices, an ensemble of the choir’s more experienced singers, will perform their own repertoire, while the youngest members of the training choir will make their first steps into this cherished tradition.

“The quality of this choir is simply overwhelming”
— Johannes Leertouwer

Concert begins at 8.00 pm; doors open at 7.15 pm.