Tavener premiere to go ahead in London on Friday

13 November 2013, 11:00 | Updated: 15 November 2013, 10:29

The premiere of Three Shakespeare Sonnets will go ahead as planned on Friday November 15 in spite of Sir John’s passing on Tuesday, aged 69.

The Chamber Choir of Southern Iceland will perform at the concert at Southwark Cathedral, which also features new works from Kjartan Sveinsson and British rising star Jack White.

A celebration of both landscape and literature, the concert is taking place at what is generally regarded as Shakespeare’s place of worship, featuring a choir handpicked by Tavener. 

Sir John’s collaboration with Chamber Choir of Southern Iceland stretches back to 2004 when they performed the first complete concert of his works in Iceland. 

The late composer then visited the country in November 2010. Soloists include Bjorg Thorhallsdottir, Tui Hirv and Adrian Peacock. Tickets are still available for the concert, which begins at 7.30pm.