Genesis Sixteen alumna Sarah Latto’s ensemble, echo, joins forces with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

10 July 2017

echo, a new ensemble launched by former Genesis Sixteen Conducting Scholar Sarah Latto will perform in Debut Sounds: New Musick, a concert presented by the London Philharmonic Orchestra on 12 July at St John’s, Smith Square.

Debut Sounds: New Musick is a programme celebrating British composers from Purcell to the present day including four world premieres by young composers Yvonne Eccles, Nathan Dearden, Alex Paxton and Stef Conner.

The musicians will be conducted by celebrated composer/conductor Magnus Lindberg and will be hosted by BBC Presenter Suzy Klein.

Sarah Latto says: “We are singing two pieces by MacMillan, a composer that wefeel very close to – we sang (as Genesis Sixteen) at the Cumnock Tryst last October, which is the festival that James MacMillan set up in his home town, where we met and worked with him – and that was when we first decided to set up an ensemble.” 

Sarah Latto launched echo in April, gathering 18 singers who met through Genesis Sixteen.

“Since starting echo, we’ve really enjoyed working together as a group – we are all good friends and it’s a lot of fun spending time together; a connection which I hope comes across in performance.”

echo has performed with Genesis Sixteen as part of The Sixteen’s Sounds Sublime Festival on 8 July, at a pop-up performance at St Clement Danes Church, The Strand. echo intends to explore the full range of ensemble singing, working both with and without a conductor, improvising and performing music from both inside and outside the Western classical canon.

“We are determined to strive for the same high musical standards and emotional commitment that we worked to during Genesis Sixteen; working in close detail, getting to the heart of each piece and creating a real experience for our audiences.”

echo joins a number of now established Genesis Sixteen alumni ensembles including Eo Nomine and Reverie, as well as The Gesualdo Six and Fieri Consortwhich are releasing their debut albums in spring/summer 2017.