A special addition to our free live music in the afternoon recitals – this is on FRIDAY 4th July, to mark the end of Kenneth’s extraordinary pilgrimage with his cello on his bike.

While entry to our concerts is complimentary, we encourage contributions during the collection at the end of each performance to support both the talented artists and the Cathedral. Your generosity will help us continue to bring such events to the community. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you would like to chat with Kenneth about his pilgrimage, he will be available in the Undercroft after the Concert.

Pilgrim Cello 2025 is a 2,000 mile pilgrimage around the 42 English cathedrals, by bicycle, performing a Meditation on the Seven Last Words of Jesus. The Meditation consists of reflective poems interleaved with movements from the Bach Suites for Solo Cello. The pilgrimage will begin in Newcastle on 19 May 2025, and conclude in Carlisle seven weeks later.

The Meditation consists of JS Bach’s beautiful solo cello music, interspersed with poems of reflection on Jesus’s last words from the cross. Kenneth will be performing it in Carlisle Cathedral on Fri 4 July at 2pm.

The performance lasts about 50 minutes. Entry is free, with a retiring collection.

Please come and listen to the performance of the Meditation on the Seven Last Words, and hear about Kenneth’s extraordinary pilgrimage, with his cello on his bike.

Further details about the performance, and about Kenneth and his pilgrimage, can be found on his website www.kennethwilsoncello.com.

There will be a daily pilgrimage blog on the website www.kennethwilsoncello.com, which audiences will be invited to sign up to, and which will include links to cathedrals, etc. It is hoped this will stimulate interest not just in the pilgrimage itself, but also in the cathedrals, and the spiritual life.