THE Ebor Singers will construct Thursday's concert around Victoria: Requiem at the medieval All Saints' Church, North Street, York.

The requiem was written on the death of the Spanish Empress Maria in 1603, and is not only Victoria's best work, but one of the last masterpieces of the Renaissance.

In the 7.30pm programme, conducted by director Paul Gameson, it will be set alongside motets by Victoria and other Spanish composers.

The Ebor Singers' chamber vocal ensemble, from York, specialises in 17th century French sacred music, but concert performances over the past five years have embraced English Renaissance, German Baroque and the 20th century repertoire, too.

The ensemble will follow up its Desolata Est CD with a recording of the Service of Compline led by the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, and sung at the Chapel at Bishopthorpe Palace, to be released on CD at Christmas.

In the summer, the Ebor Singers undertook a concert tour of Cornwall, singing at Penzance, St Austell, Truro and St Anthony-in-Meneage, and their forthcoming engagements include Guillaume Bouzignac's The Christmas Story, as part of the York Early Music Christmas Festival, on December 15, at 7.30pm, at St Olave's Church, Marygate.

Tickets for November 7 cost £6, concessions £3, on the door from 7pm; tickets for December 15, £10, concessions £8, on 01904 658338.

Updated: 10:46 Monday, November 04, 2002