THE INTERNATIONALLY-renowned vocal group The Tallis Scholars are preparing to perform at Durham Cathedral with a programme spanning centuries of choral music up to the present day.

The choir will be joined by Durham Cathedral Choir for part of the concert singing works for double choir by Palestrina and Giovanni Gabrieli.

One of the highlights of the evening will be the showcasing of two winning compositions of the York-based National Centre for Early Music’s 2012 Composers Awards - including Where is Thy God? by Durham University music student Ben Rowarth.

The concert at 7.30pm on Saturday June 2 will be recorded by BBC Radio Three and will feature in the Early Music Show on Sunday 1 July.

The Tallis Scholars director Peter Phillips said: "Once again it is a great pleasure for us to have the opportunity to showcase young talent in a magnificent space.

"What more could a composer of sacred music want than to be performed alongside Palestrina and Taverner in a building like Durham Cathedral?

"The fact that the BBC will broadcast their music will seem like icing on the cake. It should make for a wonderful Diamond Jubilee Weekend event."

He added: "We had over 100 entries in two categories and whittled it down to eight in each category, before choosing the winners.

"There are really a lot of quite bright people out there who have very good ideas. I am always surprised there are so many young people who want to write modern music. "And they are writing in their own style - not just pastiche."

Mr Phillips said the entrants had been encouraged to write to conform to The Tallis Scholars’ voice ranges.

He said: "They had to listen to what we do. Then they would then listen to a piece of music by Taverner which we recorded specially and put on a website.

"They then went from there and some were very imaginative."

Delma Tomlin, director of the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM) says: "We are delighted that the award has attracted so many young people from across the UK and particularly pleased with the high standard of submissions.

"They included works from composers aged from 12 to 25 living as close as Hexham and as far afield as Guernsey.

"It will be a thrilling evening for the winners to hear their new compositions in such a glorious venue with this award winning group."

The Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham, says, "We are delighted to welcome The Tallis Scholars, along with the young composers who have won the National Centre for Early Music’s 2012 Composers Awards, BBC Radio Three and of course our own choir.

"It is highly appropriate to host such a concert here at Durham where the British choral tradition is celebrated continually as the Cathedral Choir sings music to inspire in worship. The concert promises a wonderful evening of choral music."

Tickets are available from the Gala Theatre Box Office, Durham - 0191-332 4041 and www.galadurham.co.uk. Tickets range from £10 to £30 (conc £7 to £25).