Seeking solace in song

In July 2009, Christian Forshaw was commissioned to write and perform Remembrance at the unveiling of the Hyde Park memorial to the July 7 London bombing victims.

The ceremony was attended by the Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister and was broadcast around the world.

The performance came about as a result of the bond through music that had formed between Christian and Julie Nicholson, whose daughter Jenny was killed in the bombings.

The relationship has led to Songs Of Solace, an album and musical response to her book, A Song For Jenny.

The music will be performed in Southwell Minster a week on Saturday at 7.30pm by Christian and The Sanctuary Ensemble.

In Songs Of Solace, Christian writes for his ensemble of saxophone, organ, voice and percussion, including songs with words based on the texts, alongside songs without words.

The latter are a more visceral response to having read and re-read the book and portray the responses of sorrow, questioning, anger, despair, grief, memory and love.

He incorporates short interludes derived from some of the longer works, featuring distant singing from The Sanctuary Singers directed by Nigel Short.