Cantare Choir and the Pankhurst Anthem

Cantare at Manchester's Pankhurst Centre

Rochdale's Cantare choir helped to mark an historic event at Manchester's Pankhurst Centre this week.

On the evening of Tuesday 6 February, the centenary of the Representation of the People Act, the centre hosted an open house party and book launch for Dr Helen Pankhurst's new book Deeds Not Words: The Story of Women's Rights - Then and Now.

Dr Pankhurst is a women's rights activist and great-granddaughter of Emmeline, and the Pankhurst Centre was originally the house where the very first meeting of the suffragettes - led by her great-grandmother, her grandmother Sylvia Pankhurst, and great aunts Christabel and Adela Pankhurst - took place.

As part of the sell-out event, at 8.00pm, the time when the People's Representation Act which first gave some British women over 30 the right to vote was passed, Cantare Choir, conducted by their musical director, Michael Betteridge, were proud to sing The Pankhurst Anthem, a brand new choral piece commissioned by BBC Radio 3 to mark 100 years of women's suffrage.

The Pankhurst Anthem features music by composer Lucy Pankhurst and text by Helen Pankhurst, based on words written by her great-grandmother. The BBC Singers, conducted by Hilary Campbell, have recorded The Pankhurst Anthem, available in an online premiere on the BBC Radio 3 website.

Michael Betteridge explained how Cantare came to perform it live: "The members of Cantare decided that in 2018, to celebrate the 100-year anniversary, they wished only to sing music by female composers, songwriters and arrangers.

“We were honoured to be approached by Lucy Pankhurst to perform The Pankhurst Anthem, arranged for female voices, at the book launch on Tuesday. The choir were very excited to be invited to sing such an appropriate and inspiring new work at this wonderful occasion."

Speaking on behalf of the choir, chairwoman Jackie Holt said: “This has been a really amazing experience. It's been quite a challenge to learn a completely new piece, in four-part harmony, in just three rehearsals, but both the words and music are so uplifting that the whole choir has enjoyed learning and performing The Pankhurst Anthem.

“This year, we are planning several concerts to highlight and celebrate music created by women, and to explore the changes in women's lives in the UK in the last 100 years. We intend to make this song a centrepiece of our concerts throughout 2018 and we are sure our audiences will love it."

Speaking after the event, composer Lucy Pankhurst said: "I am very grateful to Cantare and Michael for all their hard work in preparing the piece for this very special performance.

“Hearing the anthem sung live was very moving, especially in the very fitting surroundings of the Pankhurst Centre. I hope many more choirs will be inspired to sing the piece, with Helen's wonderful words."

Vocal scores of The Pankhurst Anthem are now available to download free of charge from the BBC Radio 3 website and other amateur choirs are encouraged to learn and perform the piece and to share recordings.