A Saturday evening concert in Sunderland Minster. Tickets are £10.00 (£8 concessions) or £5.00 (Gallery).

Conducted by David Murray, this concert features Sarah Redgewick (soprano), Katherine Allen (mezzo), Philip Salmon (tenor) and Christian Immler (bass).

The Mass in B Minor is widely regarded as one of the supreme achievements of “classical” music. The work has been summarised as ‘the consecration of a whole life: started in 1733 for ‘diplomatic’ reasons, it was finished in the very last years of Bach’s life, when he had already gone blind. This monumental work is a synthesis of every stylistic and technical contribution Bach made to music. It is also the most astounding spiritual encounter between the worlds of Catholic glorification and the Lutheran cult of the cross. Scholars have suggested that the Mass in B Minor belongs in the same category as the Art of Fugue, as a summation of Bach’s deep lifelong involvement with musical tradition.

A Saturday evening concert in the City Hall, Newcastle.

Tickets £12 to £25 from the City Hall Box Office

(Tel: 2612606) or from www.ticketmaster.co.uk.

This now annual charity evening is organised by the North east Promenaders against Cancer (NEPAC) and raises money for local cancer research and care for local people.

The featured artists this year are the English Philharmonic Orchestra, violinist Bradley Creswick and singers Janice Cairns – soprano, Suzanne Manuell – soprano and Blake Fischer – tenor. These artists will be backed up by a magnificent choir of over 200 voices from the local Bishopwearmouth Choral Society, the Ryton Choral Society and the Hexham Abbey Festival Choir.