Cambridge Philharmonic will bid farewell to conductor Timothy Redmond at a concert set for Ely Cathedral.

On Saturday, July 9, the orchestra returns to Ely for a performance of Mahler’s epic Second Symphony, ‘Resurrection’.

The concert marks an extraordinary 21-year association with conductor Timothy Redmond, who stepped down as Music Director last summer.

"My first ever concert with the Phil was at Ely Cathedral," writes Timothy Redmond, "and so it’s always had a very special significance to me.

"Some of our finest concerts have been played under the beautiful Octagon, and I’m absolutely delighted that my last concert leading the Cambridge Philharmonic is going to be in Ely."

Mahler’s Second Symphony is one of the most awe-inspiring pieces of music ever written.

The huge orchestra – including 10 horns, eight trumpets and the organ of Ely Cathedral – will be joined by massed choirs and two world-class vocal soloists, Katherine Broderick and Yvonne Howard.

Katherine is a London-based soprano who wins praise for her expressive range and versatility across repertoire that spans intimate lieder recitals to orchestral songs and leading Wagner roles.

Yvonne's work varies enormously, from the operas of Verdi, Britten and Wagner, to shows such as Carousel by Rodgers and Hammerstein and also recital, concert and oratorio.

Ely Cathedral was the location for Leonard Bernstein’s celebrated film of Mahler 2, and so music lovers all around the world have long associated the work with the historic venue.

This year has been one of transition for Cambridge Philharmonic with new Music Director, Harry Sever, making a brilliant debut with the orchestra in March.

The Cambridge Philharmonic was founded in 1887 and is one of Britain’s oldest and most distinguished music societies.

It comprises both a full symphony orchestra and large chorus and the society’s members are drawn from in and around Cambridge and represent a wide range of ages and backgrounds.

Next season’s concerts are soon to be announced, with highlights including Tippett’s A Child of Our Time and Ravel’s Bolero at West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge, and a popular opera double-bill next summer at Saffron Hall of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci by Leoncavallo.

Tickets for Mahler’s Symphony No.2 at Ely Cathedral on Saturday, July 9 at 7.30pm are available from £15, with £10 tickets for students and under 18s, at https://cambridgephilharmonic.com/concert/mahler-2/.