MORE than 200 voices from Ely will join together on stage to give a magnificent performance at the annual May Day Concert in aid of the Ely Cathedral Trust and the Ely Standard has five pairs of tickets to give away. The programme includes only the secon

MORE than 200 voices from Ely will join together on stage to give a magnificent performance at the annual May Day Concert in aid of the Ely Cathedral Trust and the Ely Standard has five pairs of tickets to give away. The programme includes only the second-ever performance world wide of Zimbe, by UK composer Alexander L'Estrange. Zimbe is a sequence of uplifting and vibrant African music and is made up of 12 songs charting a day in the life of an African village. The piece was only completed in 2008.

The composer, Alexander L'Estrange, who is one of the UK's most established musicians and conductors, will be attending the concert to give a brief introduction to his work. Alexander himself has historical connections with the cathedral - his great, great-grandfather, Henry Styleman L'Estrange, was the artist commissioned to paint the nave ceiling at Ely Cathedral. He managed to paint the first six panels of the nave before his untimely death in 1862.

The concert will feature a mass of choirs including the Ely Imps, who consist of approximately 80 children from local schools from around Cambridgeshire. They will be joined on stage by the Ely Cathedral Choir, Ely Cathedral Girls Choir, The Ely Cathedral Octagon Singers and the Choirs of the King's School Ely. This is the first time ever all five choirs, numbering over 200 voices, will have performed together. The choirs will be accompanied by the Lantern Dance Theatre Company and a jazz quintet.

The Mayday Concert also includes songs from Britten's Friday Afternoons which was written for the choir of Clive House School, and whose choir practices took place on Friday afternoons.

To complete the ensemble, Elgar's Te Deum, Benedictus & Psalm 48 will also be performed by the choirs with organ accompaniment.

Paul Trepte, director of music at Ely Cathedral describes the musical programme as "one of the most exciting and varied we have ever done. Zimbe, which is Swahili for "Sing Them", is an uplifting piece of music written to celebrate life. It was designed to be sung by a mass of voices including children, and it will be amazing to have all these choirs performing together on one stage. The introduction of some wonderful works by Britten & Elgar will compliment the evening beautifully."

The May Day Concert at Ely Cathedral is now in its fourth consecutive year and is one of the biggest musical events in the cathedral calendar.

INFO: Tickets priced at �15, �10 and �5 and are available from the cathedral box office on 01353 660349 or online at www.cathedral.ely.anglican.org

HOW TO ENTER

If you want to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to the cathedral's May Day concert, then answer this question. What does the word Zimbe mean? The closing date for this competition is 5pm on May 1. Email: debbie.davies@archant.co.uk or on a postcard to: the Ely Standard, 38 Market Street, Ely, Cambs, CB7 4LS.