MEMENTO MORI

On the eve of All Saints’ Day, VOX Cape Town invites you to a deeply atmospheric musical meditation on mortality, loss, remembrance and reverence.

Drawing inspiration from the centuries-old idea of memento mori, the programme brings together music spanning centuries, styles and soundworlds. Works by Henry Purcell, Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Camille Saint-Saëns, Alfred Schnittke, John Tavener and Hans Zimmer sit alongside music by acclaimed South African composers Hendrik Hofmeyr and Franco Prinsloo, amongst others.

Join us for a contemplative musical journey that reflects on the fleeting nature of life while reminding us of beauty, connection and the things that endure. And, falling as it does on Halloween, the evening holds a few additional pleasures for those inclined to linger in the shadows…

Saturday 31 October 2026
St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, De Waterkant
Bookings via Quicket (R320; R240 for seniors/students)
Featuring Mikyle Adams (organ)
Original artwork created especially for this concert by Casey Driver (@caseydriver.art)

Before the first note…

Go a little deeper into the music with our Listening Notes at 19:15. Artistic Director John Woodland offers a glimpse behind the ideas and intentions that have shaped the evening’s musical journey, together with a few thoughts to carry with you into the performance which begins promptly at 20:13.

And when the concert is over…

Linger with us over a glass of wine, meet the singers and fellow listeners, and share your impressions while the music is still fresh in mind.

And for those not quite ready to return to the ordinary world, an Organ Nocturne awaits at 22:30. Your ticket includes admission to this 30-minute late-night recital. Find a pew, lie back and let the sound of the organ fill the darkened church as the night deepens. Before the witching hour strikes, we’ll send you back out into the Cape Town night…