Caelis Academy Ensemble, under the direction of Matthew Larkin, make their debut album with Lily Long Foretold, a programme of sacred choral music for the Christmas season. Christmastide has inspired an extraordinary body of music across centuries and cultures, and this album brings together Gregorian chant with works from the Renaissance and Romantic periods alongside contemporary compositions. Drawing on music from England, Scotland, the Netherlands, France, Russia, and Canada, the programme reflects themes of Advent, the Annunciation, the Nativity, Epiphany, and the quiet solitude of winter. At the heart of the album is the image of the lily, a longstanding symbol of the Virgin Mary and the inspiration for Tate Pumfrey's title work, Lily long foretold. Bringing together music from different periods and traditions, the programme reflects on Mary's faith and the beauty of the Christmas story, while exploring themes of expectation, stillness, light, and renewal. Based in Ottawa, Caelis Academy Ensemble is a Canadian chamber choir specializing in liturgical and concert music rooted in the Anglican and Catholic cathedral traditions. Across nine seasons, the ensemble has given more than 200 performances and undertaken an international tour, while building a wide-ranging repertoire across cultures and genres. Matthew Larkin, the ensemble's Founding Director, is an organist, conductor, composer, recording artist, and educator who has been at the forefront of Canadian liturgical, choral, and keyboard performance for four decades. A Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists, he currently serves as Director of Music at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Ottawa.
