Follow the Star – Discover the magic behind ‘Carols from Kantos’
We are delighted to welcome Kantos Chamber Choir for their annual Christmas show with us on 7 December. Kantos is a dynamic vocal ensemble that prides itself on bringing contemporary masterpieces and beloved classics to life with unmatched energy and artistry. At this year’s Christmas performance at the Stoller Hall, be delighted by enchanting performances of timeless favourites, the reveal of the winning song from their 2024 Carol Competition, and even some traditional wassailing for good measure. Additionally for the second half of their show, you are invited to join Kantos for some relaxed carol singing in the stunning open space of our Atrium – and to enjoy a festive drink or two!
Ahead of their performance at the Stoller Hall, we caught up with Ellie Slorach, Artistic Director at Kantos, to find out what Kantos is all about and what we can look forward to hearing at their show.
We’d love to hear about Kantos! What’s your story, and what’s the driving force behind your work?
Kantos is a trailblazing vocal ensemble based in Manchester. Our vision is to enrich lives by using our voices to tell universal stories and share human connection. Our mission is to make high-quality music that evokes reaction, inspires reflection, and causes change. Our approach is people-led. We ask questions, collaborate with open minds, and respect but challenge traditions.
There’s so much Christmas music to choose from! What makes Kantos’s approach to Christmas unique, and how did you decide on the pieces for this event?
We love our annual Christmas carol concert at the Stoller Hall! We like to programme a mixture of Christmas carols that are well-known and loved, and also to programme plenty of contemporary carols written in the last few years; of course, that includes the world premiere of the winning carol from our 2024 Carol Competition. As our Christmas concert is one of the special times each year that our audience sing alongside our singers for the congregational classics, we’ve decided to change the format a little for the second half. We’re going to perform a ‘typical’ concert in the hall for the first half, and then after the interval, we’re all going to stay in the atrium. We’ll have the organ in there, played by the wonderful Anita Datta, and we’ll sing all together in that wonderful space – we think it’s going to sound absolutely amazing! We’ve also got a few Christmas pops carols for the second half too so you’ll have plenty of time to sit back and listen to Kantos whilst sipping on a drink from the bar too!
Is there a particular song that the group loves performing from this programme? Which one is it, and what makes it a favourite?
I think every year we love singing the congregational carols with our audience – it always feels really special when everyone in the room is singing together. (And perhaps our notorious encores are also our favourites… if we have one this year…)
We’re also really excited to hear the winning piece from the 2024 Carol Competition! Can you tell us more about the competition and why it was started?
The Carol Competition was started to give emerging composers a chance to have their new composition performed by a professional chamber choir in a public concert. It’s been a fantastic initiative since we began it and we’ve maintained links with our winners over the years. It’s always a brilliant moment in our concert when the audience know they are the first ever listeners of this new music! There’s also a cash prize for the winning composer!
Lastly, how do you hope the audience will feel when they leave the performance?
We hope the audience leave feeling joyful, festive and excited for their Christmas celebrations ahead!
Kantos Chamber Choir will be gracing our stage at the Stoller Hall on 7 December at 7:30pm. Don’t miss out on an evening of warmth, togetherness and festive fun!
