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SONGS OF THE SPIRIT Music & words by Thomas Hewitt Jones

The Royal School of Church Music launches a major new choral commission as part of its centenary celebrations in 2027.

Songs of the Spirit is an exciting new suite of songs by award-winning British composer Thomas Hewitt Jones, created to uplift and inspire singers of all ages and backgrounds. With accessible yet impactful music, this 40-minute piece is perfect for community choirs, youth ensembles, chamber choirs, church choirs and can be performed in a wide range of settings. 

At its heart, the work explores a deeply human theme – the longing for safety and belonging in an increasingly complex world. Rooted in Christian values, the piece offers a message of kindness and hope, whilst inviting reflection on profound questions about identity, purpose and the human spirit in 2026 and beyond.

Unforgettable melodies, lyrical clarity, and radiant harmonies will all weave into a musical tapestry expressing the emotional weight and beauty of the themes at play. 

The piece is scored for SATB but is flexible and will include movements suitable for children’s choir alone, and a rousing final hymn-like movement with the option of audience participation. It will be suitable for performance either as a whole, or as standalone movements, with scoring options for piano, organ and strings. 

Listen to an excerpt here:

Following the success of A Season to Sing, the RSCM’s previous co-commissioning project with composer Joanna Forbes L’Estrange and over 50 choirs worldwide, the RSCM now invites choirs to be part of its centenary celebrations. In exchange for a donation of £300, co-commissioning choirs will have the exclusive right to perform Songs of the Spirit during its first year, and also receive the following benefits: 

  • A commemorative, hard-bound signed score 
  • Your choir’s name in the list of commissioners in the printed score 
  • 30% off all scores purchased for your choir within the first year of publication. 
  • Access to full support resources to aid learning 
  • Media promotion of your choir and its performance of the piece 
  • A personalised video message from Thomas Hewitt Jones for your choir 

This is an exciting opportunity to bring a powerful, appealing and uplifting new work to the contemporary choral music repertoire while allowing choirs to share their journey with the RSCM to ensure choral music stays accessible and widespread.

Songs of the Spirit will be available from September 2026

FIND OUT MORE / GET INVOLVED

The success of a previous jointly commissioned work, A Season to Sing by Joanna Forbes L’Estrange (premiered in Spring 2025, with over 50 performances world wide to date), demonstrates the value of this model, with co-commissioning choirs praising the excellent resources provided, efficiency, and feeling valued throughout the process.

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VIVUM MUSIC RELEASES CHORAL SINGLE TO CELEBRATE LINDSAY GRAY AND HIS CHORAL MUSIC LEGACY

‘May the Spirit Sing in Your Heart’ by Thomas Hewitt Jones is a choral single, originally composed for the 70th birthday of Lindsay Gray on 22 July 2023. This release marks the retirement of Lindsay from his role as founder and conductor of Caritas Consort, and celebrates his choral music legacy. The anthem is in the rich key of A-flat major, and sets a new text by Gordon Giles, which celebrates spirituality and the value of music. The piece was commissioned by Lindsay’s daughter Susanna, who sings soprano on the recording, and the music is published by Encore Publications.

Lindsay Gray says, ‘I feel very honoured indeed to have been the recipient of such a fine piece of music written for my 70th birthday by such a highly regarded composer! It has been fabulous to work with Tommy [Hewitt Jones] over the years, and we have greatly enjoyed performing his music in Caritas ever since the choir’s very first ever concert in March 2013, which Tommy so kindly attended. Warmest thanks; this is massively appreciated by me, by Caritas and by the Nepal charity which has also benefited so much!’

Thomas Hewitt Jones says, ‘Lindsay’s wonderful legacy in choral music needs to be celebrated, as does his tireless work raising money for good causes. As well as an esteemed musician. Lindsay has championed countless young musicians over the years (including me, when I started out). I am delighted to call him both a friend and colleague and very pleased we could release this recording to help celebrate the legend that is Lindsay Gray!’

Lindsay Gray
Caritas Consort

MAY THE SPIRIT SING IN YOUR HEART

Music by Thomas Hewitt Jones, words by Canon Gordon Giles

Caritas Consort conducted by Lindsay Gray

Recorded in St German’s Church, Cardiff, by Thomas Hewitt Jones for Vivum Music

Available now on all major streaming platforms

ABOUT LINDSAY GRAY AND CARITAS CONSORT

Lindsay Gray has had a distinguished career as singer, conductor, musical director and educator. He served as Director of the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) from his appointment in 2007 through to 2012, having previously been a school headmaster for sixteen years, including fourteen at The Cathedral School, Llandaff. After his tenure at the RSCM, he continued to promote choral excellence through initiatives such as the Caritas Consort, embodying his lifelong commitment as an educator, enabler and supporter of sacred music and charities.

In 2013, Lindsay founded the Caritas Consort, a chamber choir that performs concerts to raise funds for charities and other good causes, directing it with a focus on high-quality sacred and classical music. Under his leadership, the ensemble has supported a wide range of causes, with over £80,000 raised from performances and donated to over 70 charitable organisations working in areas such as health, community support and education; in the case of this recording, £500 was raised for a project which supports disadvantaged families in Nepal.

In September 2025 Lindsay hands over the reins of Caritas Consort to focus on his other charitable work, in particular as Director of the Cardiff and District Branch of Samaritans, a leadership rôle in which he oversees 140 volunteers; this release helps celebrate his musical legacy.

www.caritasconsort.org

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FROM SHADOWS TO LIGHT: MUSICAL JOURNEYS IN CONFLICT & PEACE

Hertfordshire Festival of Music 2025, 7th to 14th June

The Hertfordshire Festival of Music (HFoM) is proud to announce the programme for its ninth annual festival, running from 7th to 14th June 2025. Under the theme From Shadows to Light: Musical Journeys in Conflict & Peace, the festival explores how music serves as a medium to document personal and collective struggles while also illuminating paths towards renewal.

The 2025 festival builds towards HFoM’s milestone tenth anniversary in 2026, which will be celebrated under the banner Made in Herts, marking a decade of cultural contribution. This year’s programme is designed to pay heed to heritage, strengthen community bonds, and pave the way for future creative enrichment.

The festival opens on 7th June with a performance by prize-winning young ensemble Brompton String Quartet, performing music by Beethoven and Haydn at Hertford’s historic Friends Meeting House, a building almost certainly visited by Haydn during his time in Hertingfordbury in 1791.

On the opening evening, From Shadows We Rise: The Music of Reflection and Renewal, at All Saints’ Church in Hertford, commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. It will feature the Hertfordshire Festival Community Concert Band, led by Chris McGinity, and the Hertford Chamber Choir, led by Manvinder Rattan. A local school choir will participate in the world premiere of From Shadows Hope Shall Rise, a piece specially written for the occasion by composer and Festival Artistic Director James Francis Brown, alongside other popular works linked to the wartime era, including music by John Williams, Eric Coates, William Walton, and Karl Jenkins.

The festival programme includes a variety of events beyond traditional concerts. A special Festival church service at All Saints’ Church will pair a young organ scholar with handbells. Stepping outside, a guided tour will explore Hertford’s wartime history, with an invitation to wear period costume. The popular Soundbites recital series at All Saints’ Church will feature music that blends past and present, including the world premiere of a new work by Lloyd Moore, Schumann’s Fantasiestucke op 73, and Brahms’ Viola Sonata in E♭ major, Op. 120, performed by Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola) and James Francis Brown (piano).

Central to the festival are its community initiatives. Songs of Friendship and Adventure: Making Music Together Across Generations is a project engaging primary school children to explore wartime songs through intergenerational storytelling, reflection, and school concerts, with some performances traveling to local care homes to bridge generational divides. The Music in Mind programme, now in its fifth year, delivers live music sessions to residents living with dementia, their carers, and families in local care homes, demonstrating music’s enduring power to soothe, uplift, and connect.

Thoughtful reflections on shared history are also key. An illustrated talk, Hertfordshire During the War: The Evacuee Story, will gather multiple generations to recount and reflect on wartime evacuation experiences. A corresponding event, The Evacuee Story II, will be a 1940s-inspired jazz concert given by the Chris Eldred Trio, highlighting music as a form of solace during adversity.

Art historian Barry Dodge will present an illustrated talk on war artist Paul Nash at St Andrew’s Church, examining his work alongside an original composition by James Francis Brown inspired by three of Nash’s paintings.

A ‘relaxed rehearsal’ at All Saints’ Church will give people an opportunity to see musicians at work and offer a glimpse of the creative processes involved. The festival will culminate in a chamber orchestra concert featuring Benjamin Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, a work written in the wartime year of 1943, performed by young tenor Guy Elliott and horn player Chloe Harrison, highlighting the festival’s commitment to nurturing future artists.

The Hertfordshire Festival of Music is fundamentally a community endeavour, created to bring people together, educate, and foster meaningful dialogue. Every element – from performances and educational projects to outreach and talks – is part of a larger conversation linking shared history with the promise of a more engaged future.

Festival website: hertsmusicfest.org.uk

BOOK TICKETS

About the Festival

An annual summer event dedicated to celebrating musical heritage, fostering community engagement, and promoting creative enrichment in Hertford and Hertfordshire, HFoM is the vision of conductor Tom Hammond and composer James Francis Brown, and is registered as a charity supported by a board of Trustees and a team of volunteers.

Since its founding in 2016, HFoM has grown rapidly from a small weekend event to one of the UK’s major summer music festivals, featuring international artists and ensembles alongside innovative outreach and educational projects, all based in and around the attractive historic county town of Hertford. HFoM has presented concerts that have inspired extraordinary audience responses to artists such as Tasmin Little CBE, Dame Emma Kirkby, Sir Stephen Hough, Steven Isserlis CBE, Ben Goldscheider, the Carducci Quartet, Emma Johnson MBE, Jack Hancher, the Galliard Ensemble, Chloe Hanslip, ZRI and The Prince Consort.

HFoM receives no Arts Council funding and is fortunate to receive support from a number of charitable trusts and foundations, county, district and town councils, local businesses and other organisations. A ‘Deer Friends’ Scheme allows individuals to play an important role in supporting the Festival and furthering its scope and potential. The Festival offers affordable ticket prices, several free events, concessions for those under 24 in full-time education, free tickets for the under 8s and a complementary ticket for a carer accompanying those patrons with access needs.

HFoM exists to celebrate and nurture exceptional music-making, featuring some of the world’s finest performers. The Festival also supports professional and young musicians from Hertfordshire, presents fascinating music by living composers and devises major, innovative projects for education and participation. Hertford is just over twenty miles from central London, easy to get to by rail and road, but nestled in the beautiful countryside of the Lea Valley. Most concerts take place within a ten-minute stroll of the town’s centre, which boasts excellent restaurants, many independent shops, and pleasant accommodation.

The Festival celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2026.

X: @HertMusicFest Instagram: @hertsfestofmusic Facebook: @ Hertsmusicfest

Registered Charity Number 1175716

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Originally composed during the UK Covid lockdown in 2020, Can You Hear Me? by award-winning British composer Thomas Hewitt Jones still has the power to resonate with its enduring message of kindness.

The piece was written to offer comfort and strength in difficult times, and its message is celebrated as universal and timeless. The song was originally released in May 2020, during Mental Health Awareness Week. The beautiful words by poet Matt Harvey touch upon themes of loneliness, longing and hope of better times to follow, accompanied by gentle, yet heartfelt music.

While originally scored for choir, soloist and orchestra, Can You Hear Me? was created for the enjoyment of singers and instrumentalists of all abilities worldwide. This accessibility underscores the composer’s intention for the piece to reach a wide audience and offer solace and connection through music.

The power and beauty of Can You Hear Me? are captured in a recording by the Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London, with soprano Laura Wright. This recording serves as a testament to the emotional depth and enduring quality of the work.

Can You Hear Me? stands as a poignant reminder of the shared human experience during challenging times and continues to offer a message of hope and connection. This reshare marks the fifth anniversary of the first lockdown and provides an opportunity to revisit this powerful and uplifting work.

The music is available on all major streaming platforms and the score is published by Stainer & Bell