'Radiance' is an apt title for this album of luminous, searingly beautiful and lyrical choral music from the English Arts Chorale and the English Arts Orchestra. Paul Carr's work has graced EM Records' releases and the English Music Festival often before, and we are delighted to feature for the first time works by Morten Lauridsen, Bob Chilcott, Ola Gjeilo and Eric Whitacre. This is haunting, glowing music of intensity and power which also remains highly accessible and attractive. The English Arts Chorale is an ambitious, auditioned choir of some 70 members based in Reigate, Surrey. Founded by it's conductor, Leslie Olive, in 1980, the EAC has broadcast for BBC radio, sung at the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican, and worked with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, under conductors including Klaus Tennstedt and Sir Roger Norrington, Outstanding orchestral playing by the English Arts Orchestra complements the distinctive English Arts Chorale sound. Audiences talk of "fresh performances from a young orchestra," "orchestra first rate", and "orchestra were fabulous!" One particularly telling comment said "I would have been pleased to hear this performance in any of the major London concert halls."
