On September 11, 10 years to the day since that horrifying attack on the World Trade Centre, Richard Blackford’s Not In Our Time will be unveiled at Cheltenham Town Hall.

This will be a special event presented by HSBC Cheltenham Music Festival. With 260 performers — including an adult choir, a children’s choir, a full orchestra and two soloists — this promises to be a powerful and stirring occasion.

Conductor and composer Richard Blackford — a former festival chairman — was commissioned to write a new work by the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus to mark their centenary, and used the 9/11 attack as his inspiration.

He wrote the work at his magnificent Blewbury home, which was deisgned and built to his own specification, and includes a purpose-built studio. It was here I met him to chat about a piece he clearly feels is of great significance.

“I found the events of post-9/11 fascinating when George Bush called for a crusade against the war on terror, and then how shocked the Arab world was when he used that word crusade,” he explained.

“I started to think about our perception of the Crusades of 1,000 years ago, and the Arab perception of the Crusades. So I thought it would be interesting to construct a piece about the 21st century, and contrast material from our time with that of 1,000 years ago.”

Speeches by George Bush and Barack Obama are set alongside 11th-century texts from the First Crusade to show how religion is so often the root cause of conflict. “I’m not attacking Islam or Christianity,” Richard said. “The piece is a plea for us to understand the Arab point of view, and it’s a plea for Muslims to understand that people in the West are not interested in crusading any more.

“The piece finishes with Obama’s speech to Cairo University in 2009 addressing an audience of Muslim boys and girls, and he’s saying you have the power to change our world for the better. It’s a wonderfully inspiring speech. So although my piece deals with material that’s tough and quite bleak, it ends very much on a powerful message of hope.”

The piece is being performed alongside Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man and A Lincoln Portrait, and Barber‘s Adagio. Simon Callow provides narration for A Lincoln Portrait, as well as some readings, and the evening is conducted by Gavin Carr. But the main event, undoubtedly, is Not in Our Time.

“I believe the piece does send a message for today,” Richard said. “This perceived conflict between Islam and Christianity is one of the biggest anxieties we leave for future generations.

“The piece is incredibly dramatic — huge crusader hymns, with trumpets and percussion, and grand musical statements.

“Then there are poignant moments as well. It gives wonderful scope for music and I hope audiences will be moved.”

  • Not in Our Time is at Cheltenham Town Hall on Sunday. Book online at www.cheltenhamfestivals.com