Sought after as a freelance conductor, countertenor, organist, and vocal coach, British musician Daniel Collins is also a member of the world-renowned vocal ensemble The Sixteen, and the Founder and Artistic Director of Peregrine Orchestra, Peregrine Voices, and the chamber recital series Peregrine Chamber.
Known for his creative programming and his encouraging and expressive direction of both choir and orchestra, Dan aims to empower his artists with confidence to get the best from them. Dan is also passionate about offering performance opportunities to emerging artists.
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Tewkesbury Abbey August 2026
Musica Deo Sacra has concluded for another year – and what a week it was!
From the opening notes to Sunday, August 9ths glorious Solemn Evensong and Benediction, the Abbey has been filled with music, prayer, reflection and fellowship.
This year’s festival brought together an extraordinary breadth of sacred music – from the polyphony of Thomas Weelkes, Samuel Sebastian Wesley and William Byrd to the music of Benjamin Britten, Charles Wood, and David Briggs. We were especially delighted to welcome Canadian composer Stephanie Martin for the first performance of Tabor’s Crest, commissioned specially for Musica Deo Sacra.
There were so many memorable moments: Paul Walton’s spectacular Milton Organ Recital, the atmospheric Compline, the deeply moving Requiem Mass, Solemn Matins, our fascinating lecture with historian Bijan Omrani, and Thursday's reception where we were regaled by Tim Popple.
Our Festival Director Carleton Etherington, Organist and Director of Music at Tewkesbury Abbey; Paul Walton and all our wonderful singers including Dan Collins and musicians; our guest preachers and speakers; and everyone who served, welcomed, organised and supported the festival throughout the week.
But a festival like this doesn't happen by itself, our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who made Musica Deo Sacra 2026 possible:
And finally, thank you to everyone who came, listened, worshipped, supported and shared in the week with us. Your presence is what makes Musica Deo Sacra such a special part of the Abbey’s year.
Until next year.
Pax et bonum.
Firmly established as one of Europe’s foremost early music courses, BAROQUE WEEK is now celebrating its 48th year. The course offers inspiration and guidance to both singers and players of baroque music from an expert team of leading specialists in historical performance.
Our theme for 2026 will be Northward Bound: A Musical Voyage around Northern Europe and the Baltics. We will follow the trading routes of the Hanseatic League which, although primarily a commercial alliance, had a hugely important impact on cultural exchange, giving the opportunity for musicians, together with their music and instruments, to sail from city to city. Our musical journey will take us through the North Sea and into the Baltic, exploring music performed in major Hanseatic cities such as Antwerp, Hamburg, Lübeck, Stockholm and Danzig (Gdańsk). Major composers represented will include Buxtehude, Telemann and CPE Bach but, in true Baroque Week tradition, we will be discovering hidden gems by delving into music by lesser-
What happens when The Sixteen’s Harry Christophers, probably the best known choral director in the world is indisposed and Associate Conductor Eamonn Dougan is otherwise engaged?
Daniel Collins The Sixteen’s Alto comes to the rescue
Daniel stepped in at short notice to make his conducting debut with The Sixteen in Truro Cathedral, Friday June 12 2026.
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2026
Peregrine Orchestra Previous Concert
Peregrine Orchestra and Voices
Sunday 21st June, 6pm: Mozart’s Requiem
St Augustines, Kilburn
Peregrine Orchestra and Voices performed a work especially close to Peregrine’s heart: Mozart’s extraordinary final masterpiece. Around it, a programme of music that moves through solemnity, radiance, grief and hope.
Mendelssohn – Overture to St Paul
Beethoven – Funeral March from Symphony No. 3 in E-flat, Eroica
Mozart – Laudate Dominum
Stanford – Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in A
Mozart – Requiem
Review of the Peregrine Orchestra and Voices concert 21/6/26
Last Sunday’s concert saw a change in the planned programme, Holst’s The Planets suite was replaced by Mendelssohn’s Overture to "St. Paul”, Beethoven’s Funeral March from Symphony no. 3, Mozart’s Laudate Dominum and Stanford’s Magnificat. All performed to perfection, with beautiful singing by fantastic soloists as well as the choir.
This was quite a feat by Daniel Collins, Musical Director of Peregrine Orchestra and Voices, to re-plan a program at the last minute, rehearse the music, even write concert notes for the audience, and still produce a quality evening that would make any top echelon orchestra proud.
The main piece remained as planned, Mozart’s Requiem. This was the most requested piece (by past audience poll, we were told). It too was enthusiastically received.
I urge you to seek out future concerts by Peregrine - you get more than just music played for you: Daniel Collins gives some insight about the music and his own take on what inspires him about it, which enhances the entire experience.
M B-L
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Sunday 30th June 2025 Dan joined the Grosvenor Chapel and Farm Street joint choir pilgrimage to Rome for a three day ecumenical pilgrimage with concerts and worship as well as ecumenical visits.
Grosvenor Chapel and Farm Street joint choir
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Three concerts on the pilgrimage
All Saints church, Rome
Church of Jesus, Rome
St. Ignatius church, Rome
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