The programme begins with the mystical sounds of Arvo Pärt, whose pieces ‘O Wisdom’ and ‘Beatitudes’ inspire the audience to reflect on the wisdom and blessings of life. This is followed by Gustav Holst’s cheerful ‘Ave Maria’ and the powerful ‘Nunc Dimittis’. Caroline Shaw’s ‘And the Swallow’ offers a modern and refreshing perspective. ‘The sparrow found a house and the swallow her nest, where she may place her young’ – a beautiful image of a bird trying to keep her children safe.

The centrepiece of the programme is John Tavener’s ‘Mother and Child’, a twelve-minute work that explores the sacred bond and emotional depths of motherhood. Tavener’s evocative music captures the intimate and universal aspects of this relationship. Composed by John Tavener for Tenebrae in 2002, it is a work from the choir’s early years, fitting for its return to Geneva Cathedral.

An organ interlude follows, preparing the audience for the lively and dynamic ‘Magnificat’ by Giles Swayne, a powerful and jubilant expression of praise. We then return to Tavener with ‘The Lamb’, a hauntingly beautiful setting of a poem by William Blake that reflects on innocence and sacrifice, themes inherent in the motif of mother and child.

The concert concludes with Arvo Pärt’s ‘Salve Regina’, a majestic and contemplative piece that is a final, heartfelt homage to the Virgin Mary, the eternal symbol of maternal love and mercy.