York Musical Society performed Bach’s monumental St Matthew Passion at York Minster on 14 March 2026, under the direction of David Pipe. Written for double chorus and double orchestra, the work narrates the story of Christ’s Passion through the Gospel of St Matthew, weaving together grand choral scenes, intimate arias, and reflective chorales into one of the most profound works in the choral repertoire.

The performance featured bass-baritone Alex Ashworth as Jesus, tenor Gwilym Bowen as the Evangelist, and soloists Clare Lloyd-Griffiths, Marie Elliott, Daniel Joy, and Jack Comerford, with singers from St Peter’s School forming the soprano ripieno choir.

Reviewer Steve Crowther wrote that “the choir sang their hearts out and held fast throughout” and that David Pipe’s “assured direction balanced both the drama and the inward reflection at the heart of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, even in the vast acoustic of York Minster.”