SAINT Cecilia, the patron saint of music, will be celebrated by The Ebor Singers on her saint day with17th century masterpieces by Purcell and Charpentier at the National Centre for Early Music, York, on Saturday night.

The evening begins at 6.30pm with drinks and canapes and an opportunity to meet choir members. At 7pm, the choir gives an exclusive performance and unveils its 20th anniversary concert series for 2015, followed at 7.30pm by a talk by the director, Dr Paul Gameson, who discusses the music to be performed in the 8pmgala concert.

"France had a particularly strong relationship with St Cecilia during the 17th century'," says Paul.

"France, with its own internal religious conflict, was drawn to Cecilia. They compared her faith and martyrdom in early-Christian Rome to their own (Catholic) evangelizing zeal in the face of Protestant reformers. In England, by contrast, it became the opportunity for a celebration of music and musicians – a good party – which is exactly what we'll be doing.

"With this French music, the choir are very much returning to the repertoire we introduced to the York music scene almost 20 years ago and it will provide the focus of our 20th anniversary celebrations next year, which will include Charpentier’s grand Te Deum and the expressive Leçons de Ténèbres by Couperin."

As well as Purcell’s St Cecilia Ode, Welcome To All The Pleasures, and Charpentier’s ravishing Litanies de la Vierge, Saturday's concert reflects the choir’s support and engagement with emerging young composers. Hence the programme includes the premiere of A Prayer Of Alcuin by Ben Rowarth, the 2012 winner of the NCEM Young Composers Award.

"The choir has worked with Ben in different contexts; we first collaborated with him as part of the Young Composers Award, and you can hear The Ebor Singers perform Ben's winning entry at our website, eborsingers.org," says Paul. "During a year in York studying for a MA in Music Performance, Ben also sang with the choir."

Tickets for A Musical Feast For St Cecilia cost £15, concessions £12, students £5, on 01904 658338 or at ncem.co.uk. The Ebor Singers will return to the NCEM on December 20 for their 7.30pm Christmas concert of Britten’s A Ceremony Of Carols.