Looking West, a concert-theatre work created by Guildhall School Head of Composition, Professor Julian Philips and librettist Rebecca Hurst, was commissioned jointly by the Nova Music Trust and the Presteigne Festival to mark the 150th anniversary of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ birth. It receives its London premiere on the date of Vaughan Williams’ birthday. 

The work interweaves three voices: Celtic Saint Bega travelling across the Irish Sea in search of sanctuary in Cumbria, the Cumbrian artist Winifred Nicholson who painted unforgettable pictures of St Bee’s Head, and a contemporary Pilgrim, making his way across country, guiding the audience on a shared journey. Join us for a work that takes key themes from the life and work of Vaughan Williams – especially the spiritual enrichment found in the natural world and the transformative power of music and art – and asks what they mean today.