The Westminster Service by Roderick Williams premieres at Westminster Abbey

Commissioned by the Dean and Chapter of Westminster through the generosity of Pamela Carrington, The Westminster Service by Roderick Williams will be premiered by the Choir of Westminster Abbey with Matthew Jorysz (organ), conducted by Andrew Nethsingha on Saturday July 5 2025 during Evensong.

Williams describes his setting of the Magnificat: "I was struck by the sense of joy, the sheer thrill of Mary realising she had a new a wonderful purpose and that joy is made even more ecstatic by her youth and her humble origins. My desire was to write music in a jazz style that might be suitable for everyday use, to bring the sense of joy and excitement into Anglican worship that Duke Ellington’s concerts suggested to me."

Service details