Annual Macmillan Cancer Support carol concert with choral music by the Oxford Bach Soloists and readings by Toby Jones, Jeremy Irons, Sinead Cusack, Max Irons and Mel Giedroyc.
Follow the Stars returns to Christ Church Cathedral on Friday 11 December, the annual carol concert that's become a bit of a fixture in Oxford's festive calendar. This year is a big one: it's the 30th anniversary of the event, which Macmillan Cancer Support first launched in 1996 as a way to raise money for people living with cancer. Since then, it's raised almost £1 million, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to improving the outcome and survival rates of those living with cancer. It's a cause that relies heavily on public donations — 98% of Macmillan's income comes from the public — so the night does more than just sound good.
The format is the same one that's kept it going for three decades: choral music from one of Oxford's premier vocal ensembles paired with readings from some of the country's best-known actors. The music comes from the Oxford Bach Soloists, conducted by Steven Grahl, who's the Director of Music at Trinity College, Cambridge. The readings are handled by Toby Jones OBE, Jeremy Irons, Sinead Cusack, Max Irons and Mel Giedroyc. Because it's the 30th anniversary, this edition brings back nostalgic elements from the very first concert alongside today's names.
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It's a single evening, 90 minutes long with no interval, so you're in and out without a break in the middle. Doors open at 7.15pm and the concert starts at 8pm. Tickets range from £30 to £130, with Green unreserved seats at the lower end and Red, Silver and Gold reserved seats going up from there. The venue is Christ Church Cathedral, St Aldates, Oxford OX1 1DP.
