The Gesualdo Six
Portico Arts & Heritage Centre
Meeting House Street
Portaferry
Co. Down
BT22 1LE
Experience six voices becoming one transcendent sound in the elegant surroundings of Portico with The Gesualdo Six.
The Gesualdo Six present an exhibition of some of the finest vocal consort works from renaissance and modern-day composers. Taking inspiration from the darkness and shadows of Holy Week’s Tenebrae services, the programme explores atmospheric liturgical music through different lenses. Works from the Golden Age of polyphony by Tallis, Gesualdo and Victoria are juxtaposed with contemporary music by Judith Bingham and Owain Park.
The Gesualdo Six is an award-winning British vocal ensemble comprising some of the UK’s finest consort singers, directed by Owain Park. Praised for their imaginative programming and impeccable blend, the group formed in 2014 for a performance of Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories in Cambridge and has gone on to perform at numerous major festivals around the world. Notable highlights include a concert in the distinguished Deutschlandradio Debut Series, performances at renowned venues including Wigmore Hall (London), Miller Theatre (New York), the Sydney Opera House, and their debut at the BBC Proms in 2023.
The ensemble have harnessed the power of social media to make classical music accessible to millions worldwide, creating captivating videos from beautiful locations while on tour. The group released their debut recording English Motets on Hyperion in 2018 to critical acclaim. This has been followed by eight further albums (Christmas, Fading, Josquin’s legacy, Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories for Maundy Thursday, Lux Aeterna, William Byrd’s Mass for five voices, Morning Star, Queen of Hearts). Their tenth album, Radiant Dawn, featuring a special collaboration with trumpeter Matilda Lloyd, was released in August 2025.
Supported by Lottery Project Funding from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Supported by Ards and North Down Borough Council
