THE DURHAM Singers will perform a contrasting pair of Requiem Masses based on medieval plainchant at their next concert.

Tomas Luis de Victoria’s setting was written on the death in 1605 of his patron, the Empress Maria, sister of King Philip II of Spain.

The simple plainchant is sung in its original form, then Victoria skilfully weaves it into the sublime harmonies of his six-part choral writing.

The intimate style of Maurice Durufle’s Requiem will be recognisable to anyone familiar with the more famous setting by his fellow French composer Gabriel Faure.

Like Faure, Durufle avoids depicting the terrors of death, writing music to comfort the bereaved. The medieval chant can be clearly heard in his beautiful melodies.

Eighteen-year-old mezzo-soprano Sarah Ryan of Hebburn will make her classical concert debut in the latter Durufle’s work.

The rising young star began singing at the age of four, singing pop and theatre songs.

She then moved into singing classical music after passing an audition to join the Sage Gateshead’s prestigious Young Musicians Programme, where she studies with Miranda Wright Last year she made her first appearances at music festivals in Ryton and Saltburn, winning awards in several categories, including Singer of the Year at Ryton. She also sang for the South Shields Christmas lights switch-on and has performed at many charity events.

She will sing the beautiful Pie Jesu solo, a piece she has already performed several times on its own. She said "I love singing the Pie Jesu, and I’m really looking forward to performing it with the Durham Singers as part of the complete work".

She will be accompanied by cellist Deborah Thorne, and Durham Cathedral sub-organist Francesca Massey. Sarah is joined in the Durufle Requiem by the excellent young baritone, Ben Craw, who studies ancient history and archaeology at Durham University.

Dr Julian Wright, musical director of the Durham Singers, said: "Sarah has an extraordinary natural mezzo-soprano voice.

"It's a radiant, powerful voice which is full of richness. It's such a privilege for us to work with young voices like those of Sarah and Ben, which are already showing such deep quality."

He added: "Like a musical thread, the plainsong binds together Victoria’s wonderful polyphony and Durufle’s exquisite organ part across a gap of four centuries, and gives the listener a spiritual line to focus on.

"In Brancepeth church, these two devotional works will sound intimate and immediate. It's a wonderful programme, and we hope it will be a spiritual and moving evening".

Durham Singers: Requiem Masses by Victoria and Durufle, St Brandon's Church, Brancepeth, near Durham City, at 7.30pm on Saturday 24. Tickets £12 (£10 concessions) available from Durham Gala Theatre 0191-332 4041 or www.galadurham.co.uk.