In the spring of 2026, Radix has a very special project planned: a rare performance of Welcome Joy and Welcome Sorrow by British composer Imogen Holst (1907-1984). This multi-movement work for treble choir and harp was commissioned for the 1950 Aldeburgh Festival by Benjamin Britten, who described the set as “six little treasures.” Long overshadowed by her famous father, Imogen Holst is just now beginning to receive more attention from performers and audiences for her significant talents. Radix is proud to present this beautiful work as the centerpiece of our spring 2026 concert, a program devoted to the interplay of opposites: joy and sorrow, night and day, life and death, mourning and celebration. In addition to the Holst set, the program will include “Dirge and Hymeneal, H.124” by Gustav Holst (which hilariously describes a meeting of funeral and wedding processions at a church door) and Shruthi Rajasekar’s “Ushās - Goddess of Dawn,” as well as music by Abbie Betinis, Linn Andrea Fuglseth (of Trio Mediaeval), Nicky Mehta (of The Wailin’ Jennys), Robert Schumann, J. S. Bach, and Philip Lawson.

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash.