A list of carols commissioned for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College, Cambridge, 1983 - Present
- peter-relph
- Nov 24, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 8, 2025
It's difficult to think of the Advent/Christmas season without the service of Nine Lessons and Carols at Kings College, Cambridge. A particular highlight of this service is the premiere of a new carol commissioned annually, a tradition initiated by the Director of Music Stephen Cleobury in 1983.
Not being able to find a definitive point of reference for these commissions online, I thought it might be a good idea to list them below. So, after a surprisingly difficult search (there is no one place where this information is available), here is the list.
Where possible, I've included further information on the piece such as links to publishers for the scores and recordings - you can expand each individual commission by clicking on the corresponding arrow (please be aware that the links are external to my website). If you have any further information or amendments to this list, do send it over via my contact page.
Happy advent.
PWR 2025
2025 The Darkling Thrush | Rachel Portman
2024 Three Points of Light | Grayston Ives
2023 The Cradle | Cheryl Frances-Hoad
2022 Angelus ad Virginem | Matthew Martin
2021 There is no rose | Cecilia McDowall
2020 No commission
The only year in which there was no new commission this century, due to COVID-19. More information here.
2019 The angel Gabriel | Phillip Moore
2018 O Mercy Divine | Judith Weir
2017 Carol Eliseus | Huw Watkins
2016 This Endernight | Michael Berkeley
2015 The Flight | Richard Causton
2014 De Virgine Maria | Carl Rutti
2013 Hear the voice of the Bard | Thea Musgrave
2012 Ring Out, Wild Bells | Carl Vine
2011 Christmas Eve | Tansy Davies
2010 Christmas Carol | Einojuhani Rautavaara
2009 The Christ-child | Gabriel Jackson
2008 The night when she first gave birth | Dominic Muldowney
No score found, though referenced at Hyperion records.
2007 Now Comes the Dawn | Brett Dean
2006 Misere Nobis | Mark-Anthony Turnage
2005 Away in a Manger | John Tavener
2004 God would be born in Thee | Judith Bingham
2003 The Gleam | Harrison Birtwistle
2002 The angel Gabriel descended to a Virgin | Robin Holloway
No score or recording found, though you can see the piece within the order of service on an archived page from King's College's website.
2001 Spring in Winter | John Woolrich
2000 The Three Kings | Jonathan Dove
1999 On Christmas Day (to my heart) | Richard Rodney Bennett
1998 Winter Solstice Carol | Giles Swayne
1997 The Fayrfax Carol | Thomas Adès
1996 Pilgrim Jesus | Stephen Paulus
1995 Seinte Mari moder milde | James Macmillan
1994 The Angels | Jonathan Harvey
1993 Christo paremus Cantica | Diana Burrell
1992 Swetë Jesu | Nicholas Maw
1991 A Gathering | John Casken
1990 Bogoróditse Djévo | Arvo Pärt
1989 Carol for St. Stephen | Alexander Goehr
1988 The Birthday of thy King | Peter Sculthorpe
1987 What sweeter music | John Rutter
1986 Nowel | Richard Rodney Bennett
1985 Illuminare Jerusalem | Judith Weir
1984 One Star, at Last | Peter Maxwell Davies
1983 In Wintertime | Lennox Berkeley
*Attributed to public domain, sourced here.
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