An english journey - Summer Academy 2026

Every summer, Les Éléments – National Centre for Vocal Art opens the doors of its summer academy to singers from a variety of backgrounds: music students, teachers and experienced amateurs, all united by a shared passion for choral singing.

In 2021, Les Éléments launched a partnership with Toulouse les Orgues as part of the festival’s “Quartiers d’été” programme, focusing on transcriptions for choir and organ of the great requiems in the repertoire. The first edition provided an opportunity to commission Shin Young Lee to create a transcription for organ and harp of Saint-Saëns’ Requiem. The following year, the choir of the National Centre for Vocal Arts’ Summer Academy delighted in performing Martin Focke and Andreas Köhs’ transcription of Mozart’s Requiem, conducted by Claire Suhubiette, with William Fielding at the organ. In 2023, another masterpiece of choral art – Duruflé’s Requiem, in a transcription by the composer himself – was honoured in a memorable performance at the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, with Michel Bouvard at the organ. In 2025, to bring this cycle of transcriptions to a close, Joël Suhubiette chose to perform Desenclos’s Requiem, originally written for orchestra in 1963, of which Alfred Desenclos himself created a version for solo organ.

For the 2026 edition, under the direction of Joël Suhubiette, artistic director of Les Éléments, participants will spend five days exploring a vast panorama of English choral music. This ambitious programme will span several centuries of musical history, from the refinements of the English Renaissance with Thomas Tallis to the great figures of the 19th and 20th centuries such as Charles Villiers Stanford, Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Herbert Howells and Benjamin Britten, not forgetting the distinctive voice of the contemporary composer Judith Weir.

The selected repertoire bears witness to the extraordinary richness of the British choral tradition. Sacred and secular works interplay in a succession of contrasting moods: the intense spirituality of the liturgical pieces by Howells and Britten; the expressive depth and compositional mastery of Tallis’s polyphonic works; the poetic delicacy of Gustav Holst’s Part-Songs and Vaughan Williams’s songs inspired by English folklore; and the luminous modernity of Judith Weir. Singers will be required to tackle both a cappella works and the interplay between the choir and the organ.

This stylistic diversity is one of the academy’s great strengths, but also one of its greatest challenges. Precise intonation, mastery of vocal balance, the quality of phrasing, attention to the English language and the constant pursuit of timbres suited to each historical period are the focus of in-depth study. The academy thus offers an intensive immersion in the choral repertoire, closely aligned with the artistic standards upheld by the professional ensemble Les Éléments.

The work carried out throughout the week will culminate in the closing concert, to be held on 15 July 2026 at 7.00 pm at the Temple du Salin, whose grand organ – built in 2004 by organ builder Jean Daldosso – provides the ideal setting for this programme thanks to its exceptional sound quality. The organ part will be performed by Yves Rechsteiner, director of the Toulouse les Orgues festival, partner of the concert. 

This event will give the audience the chance to discover the fruits of this musical and human adventure, founded on sharing, collective commitment and the pursuit of artistic excellence.

Au Programme

Thomas Tallis (1505-1585)

Remember O Lord god

Lamentations of Jeremiah (extrait)

Charles Stanford (1852-1924)

The Blue bird (Part songs op 119-3)

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Easter Hymn

The Springtime of the year (English folk songs  op)

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

Part songs:

The Autumn is old

Winter and the birds

Herbert Howells (1892-1983)

Collegium Regale Service

Kyrie 

Sanctus 

Agnus Dei 

Jubilate 

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

A  Hymn to Saint Columba

Agnus Dei (Missa brevis op63)  

Judith Weir (1954)

Vertue. I

Drop down, ye heavens, from above

About the composers

Thomas Tallis (1505–1585)

A leading figure of the English Renaissance, Thomas Tallis occupies a central place in the history of British music. Serving in the Royal Chapel under four successive monarchs, he navigated the religious upheavals of sixteenth-century England by adapting his compositional style to the requirements of first the Catholic and then the Anglican liturgy. His work is distinguished by the richness of its counterpoint, the expressive beauty of its vocal lines and a profound spiritual intensity. Regarded as one of the founding fathers of the English school, he exerted a lasting influence on several generations of composers.

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924)

An Irish composer, conductor and teacher, Charles Villiers Stanford played a key role in the revival of British music in the late 19th century. As a professor at the Royal College of Music in London, he taught, amongst others, Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams. His catalogue includes symphonies, operas, chamber music and a substantial body of choral works. As a heir to the German Romantic tradition, he developed an elegant and masterful musical language, particularly evident in his sacred works and part-songs. His music remains a mainstay of the English choral repertoire to this day.

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)

A leading composer of the 20th-century English musical revival, Ralph Vaughan Williams left a profound mark on the history of British music through his commitment to folk heritage and the choral tradition. Trained notably by Charles Villiers Stanford and Maurice Ravel, he developed a personal musical language that blends modality, lyricism and harmonic richness. Fascinated by traditional English folk songs, which he began collecting early in his career, he incorporated them into many of his works. His catalogue includes symphonies, operas, chamber music and a vast vocal and choral repertoire. His work, which is both deeply national and universal, remains one of the most significant in modern English music.

Gustav Holst (1874–1934)

Gustav Holst is regarded as one of the most influential English composers of the early 20th century. Best known for his orchestral suite *The Planets*, he was also interested in choral music, the English folk repertoire and non-European musical traditions, particularly those of India. A teacher for much of his career, he maintained close ties with Vaughan Williams and played a part in the British musical revival. His personal style combines clarity, a sense of rhythm and a quest for original harmonic colours. His choral works reveal a great sensitivity to the text and the voice.

Herbert Howells (1892–1983)

An English composer and organist, Herbert Howells is one of the leading figures in 20th-century sacred music. Trained at the Royal College of Music under Charles Villiers Stanford, he developed a refined harmonic language, characterised by a rich palette of colours and intense expressiveness. His work is deeply rooted in the Anglican tradition, and he revitalised liturgical composition through numerous services and anthems that have become staples in British cathedrals. His famous *Collegium Regale* perfectly illustrates the balance between spirituality, lyricism and vocal subtlety that characterises his art.

Benjamin Britten (1913–1976)

A composer, pianist and conductor, Benjamin Britten is regarded as the leading figure in 20th-century British music. His body of work spans all genres, from opera to chamber music and large-scale choral works. Deeply committed to the voice, he composed numerous works for both amateur and professional choirs. His style combines formal clarity, melodic invention and dramatic expressiveness. As co-founder of the Aldeburgh Festival with the tenor Peter Pears, he made a decisive contribution to the international reputation of contemporary English music.

Judith Weir (1954–)

Born in Cambridge, Judith Weir is one of the most acclaimed British composers of her generation. Her work draws inspiration from folk traditions, legendary tales and ancient texts, which she reinterprets through a clear, inventive and accessible style of composition. Active in the fields of opera, orchestral music and choral music, she pays particular attention to the intelligibility of the text and vocal colour. From 2014 to 2024, she held the prestigious post of Master of the King’s Music, a testament to the important role she plays in contemporary British musical life.