2nd March 2024, Snape Maltings Concert Hall

Suffolk Premiere of Begin. More details here.

4th February 2024, Ipswich School Chapel

Performance of A Gaelic Blessing at the Alumni Evensong.

21st January 2024, Selwyn College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Seeing the star.

7th January 2024, St Mary-le-Tower Church, Ipswich

Performance of Seeing the star.

3rd January 2024, BBC Radio 3 broadcast

An Epiphany Carol Service, which includes my carol: Seeing the Star, from the Chapel of Royal Holloway.

18th December 2023, Recordare video release

15th December 2023, Whitehall Choir, Carol Concert

Performance of O Magnum Mysterium in St Gabriel’s Church, Warwick Square, Pimlico.

28th November 2023, Christmas release

First recording of O little one sweet. Commissioned by Dean Close School.

27th November 2023, Hemiola, Royal Holloway

Performance of Seeing the star.

25th November 2023, Holy Trinity Church, Bradford on Avon

Performance of Seeing the star.

18th November 2023, Turramurra Uniting Church, Australia

Australian Premiere of Begin. More details here.

15th November 2023, Judge for the Ivors Classical Awards

More details can be found here.

22nd October 2023, St Paul’s Cathedral

Premiere of Ave Verum Corpus: my winning entry for the New Music for St Paul’s 2023 Composition Competition.

28th September 2023, St Paul’s Cathedral

Final of the New Music for St Paul’s Composition Competition. From 86 entries, my Ave Verum Corpus was the winning piece and will be sung by the Vicars Choral on 22nd October at the 1115 Eucharist.

24th June 2023, Halifax Minster

The world premiere of Begin, my largest choral work to date, performed by Halifax Choral Society under Philip Collin at 6.30pm.

28th May 2023, Peterhouse College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Maida Vale Service by Peterhouse Chapel Choir under Simon Jackson at 6pm.

26th May 2023, Album Release, Men and Angels: 21st Century Choral Works

I composed the following tracks:

Track 10: O sacrum convivium

Track 13: Thou wilt keep them in perfect peace

Track 14: O Lord, support us

Men and Angels: 21st Century Choral Works

16th May 2023, Robinson College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of O Lord, support us by Robinson College Chapel Choir under Will Sims at 6.30pm.

17th March 2023, University of Aberdeen

Workshopping Tune Me, O Lord for TTBB with Svanholm Singers.

8th January 2023, All Saints’ Putney

Performance of Seeing the star under Alex Turner.

22nd December 2022, St Cross Church, Winchester

Performances of Seeing the star and O Magnum Mysterium by SANSARA.

21st December 2022, Holy Trinity Sloane Square

Performance of O Magnum Mysterium by Sonoro.

18th December 2022, Birmingham Cathedral

Performance of Ave Maria under David Hardie.

9th December 2022, Kings Place

Performance of Seeing the star by The Choirs of Pembroke College, Cambridge under Anna Lapwood at 7.30pm.

29th September 2022, Seeing the star, single release

Single release of my carol Seeing the star, as a sneak peek ahead of the release of A Pembroke Christmas on October 14th.

29th July 2022, Boosey & Hawkes publish two of my choral works

O magnum mysterium and Seeing the star – click here for more details.

10th July 2022, All Saints’ Putney

Performance of God be in my Head under Alex Turner.

8th July 2022, Celestial Dawn release

Recording of Litany to the Holy Spirit under Anna Lapwood.

12th June 2022, Peterhouse College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Maida Vale Service by Peterhouse Chapel Choir under Simon Jackson at 6pm.

8th June 2022, Ely Cathedral

Performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir under Sarah MacDonald at 5.30pm.

9th May 2022, The Music & Meditation podcast

Commissioned by the BBC to write a song for their new Music & Meditation podcast. The BBC Singers (with piano, cello, soprano saxophone and crotales) were conducted by Graham Ross, and the guided meditation was led by Kathryn McCusker.

5th & 6th March 2022, Eton College Chapel

Performances of God be in my head by Eton College Chapel Choir under Tim Johnson.

2nd March 2022, Maida Vale Studios

I’m involved in a new project for the BBC Sounds working with the BBC Singers. A dream come true to be at Maida Vale Studios for the recording today.

16th & 19th January 2022, The Chapel of Royal Holloway, Surrey

Performances of my carol Seeing the star by the Choir of Royal Holloway at their Epiphany Carol Service and Midweek Concert under Rupert Gough at 6pm and 1.15pm respectively.

9th January 2022, Pembroke College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Seeing the star by The Choirs of Pembroke College, Cambridge under Anna Lapwood at 6pm.

2nd January 2022, All Saints’ Putney

Performance of Seeing the star under Alex Turner at 10.30am.

24th December 2021, Birmingham Cathedral

Performance of Ave Maria under David Hardie.

19th December 2021, All Saints’ Putney

Performance of Seeing the star under Alex Turner at 6pm.

14th December 2021, Tewkesbury Abbey

Première performance of O little one sweet by the choristers and lay clerks of Tewkesbury Abbey Schola Cantorum under Simon Bell at 6.30pm. Commissioned by Dean Close School.

4th, 9th & 10th December 2021, The Chapel of Royal Holloway, Surrey

Performances of my carol Seeing the star by the Choir of Royal Holloway at their Carol Services and Concert under Rupert Gough at 6.15pm and 7.30pm respectively.

20th October 2021, Pembroke College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by the Pembroke College Girls’ Choir under Anna Lapwood at 6.15pm.

19th September 2021, Hampstead Parish Church

Première performance of the Hampstead Mass under Geoffrey Webber. Commissioned by Hampstead Parish Church with funds provided by the Hampstead Church Music Trust.

5th September 2021, All Saints’ Putney

Performance of God be in my Head under Alex Turner.

15th July 2021, St Matthew’s Church, Northampton

Première performance of Benedictus (a choral setting of Bach’s Air, BWV 1068) by four students from Malcolm Arnold Academy.

1st July 2021, Afternoon Concert, BBC Radio 3

Performance of O sacrum convivium by the BBC Singers under Nicholas Chalmers at 2pm.

27th June 2021, St Mary-le-Tower, Ipswich

Première performance of Seeing the star by the Girls & ATB of St Mary-le-Tower at 5.30pm. This was written especially for Christopher Borrett and the Choir of St Mary-le-Tower Church, Ipswich. I was a chorister at St Mary-le-Tower throughout the 1990s, and a little beyond.

13th June 2021, Peterhouse College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of O Lord, support us by Peterhouse Chapel Choir under Simon Jackson at 6pm.

27th May 2021, Pembroke College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by the Pembroke College Girls’ Choir under Anna Lapwood.

24th May 2021, Pembroke College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Maida Vale Service by The Chapel Choir of Pembroke College under Anna Lapwood.

29th April 2021 and 19th May 2021, Charterhouse

Choral Evensong and Concert performances of Litany to the Holy Spirit.

28th April 2021, Choral Evensong, BBC Radio 3

Première performance of Maida Vale Service by the BBC Singers and Rachel Mahon (organ) under Joseph McHardy at 3.30pm. This new and accessible setting of the evening canticles was written especially for the BBC Singers earlier this month.

30th March 2021, Afternoon Concert, BBC Radio 3

Première performance of Father, forgive them by the BBC Singers under Gabriella Teychenné at 2pm.

21st March 2021, Bach’s 336th birthday!

Benedictus: a choral setting of Bach’s Air, BWV 1068. I dedicated this choral arrangement to Bach on his 336th birthday. There has been a great deal of interest in this arrangement. Feel free to get in touch if you would like to see a perusal score.

7th October 2020, Pembroke College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by Pembroke College Girls’ Choir under Anna Lapwood at 6.15pm.

4th October 2020, Pembroke College Chapel, Cambridge

Official première performance of Thou Wilt Keep Them in Perfect Peace by The Chapel Choir of Pembroke College under Anna Lapwood at 6pm.

26th August 2020, St Mary’s Priory, Abergavenny

Virtual performance of Thou Wilt Keep Them in Perfect Peace at Choral Evensong. This piece was written for Anna Lapwood and The Chapel Choir of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Scores were provided for free during the early stages (March 2020) of the COVID-19 global pandemic, in an attempt to spread peace and goodwill during a particularly dark time.

23rd August 2020, Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury

Virtual performance of God be in my Head at Eucharist.

4th February 2020, Robinson College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of O Lord, support us by Robinson College Chapel Choir under Simon Brown at 6.30pm.

29th January 2020, Pembroke College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by the newly-formed Pembroke College Girls’ Choir under Anna Lapwood at 6.15pm.

26th November 2019, Robinson College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of O Lord, support us by Robinson College Chapel Choir under Simon Brown at 6pm.

17th November 2019, Trinity Uniting Church, Perth, Western Australia

Australian première performance of Requiem in Blue by Lux et Veritas conducted by Jangoo Chapkhana at 12.00 noon. If you want to hear it again on the same day, then come to St Cuthbert’s Church, Darlington at 3pm.

15th October 2019, St Catharine’s College Chapel, Cambridge

Performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by St Catharine’s College Girls’ Choir under Dr Edward Wickham at 6.30pm.

September 2019

I am extremely excited about starting a distance learning PhD in Composition at the University of Aberdeen, with Dr Phillip Cooke as my supervisor.

24th August 2019, Exeter Cathedral

Performance of O sacrum convivium by The Ramsey Singers at a Sung Eucharist service at 5.30pm

14th July 2019, Truro Cathedral

Performance of Ave Maria by St David’s Singers at Sunday Evensong

12th June 2019, Selwyn College Chapel, Cambridge

Première performance of O Lord, support us by the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College. The year 2019 has been a very challenging year for me. I wrote this piece to help me, and hopefully others, find peace. It is dedicated to my unfailingly supportive sister, Anushka.

1st June 2019, Storrs Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, Storrs, Connecticut USA

Performance of God be in my Head at the wedding of the Revd Matthew Emery (United Church) and the Revd Adam Yates (Episcopal)

16th March 2019, Elgar Concert Hall, University of Birmingham

Performance of Sanctus from Requiem in Blue by University Camerata under Philip Townley

3rd March 2019, Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace

Performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by the choirboys in Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace under Carl Jackson

1st December 2018

Marvellous Light album review from the American Choral Directors Association, including the following quote: O magnum mysterium, written in 2013, contains pitches found in Alexander Scriabin’s ‘Mystic Chord.’ This unusual set of pitches is arranged to reflect the mystery sounding the miraculous birth of Christ. The writing always contains a forward motion that is not hurried or rushed and allows each chord the space needed to blossom. The clarity of diction and impeccable tuning from the choir make this piece a must for repeated hearings and also a grand find for Christmas programming. It is appropriate for an advanced cathedral/church choir. O magnum mysterium is a wonderful addition to the choral literature for Christmas. If this is a new composition to you, you owe it to yourself and your choirs to research this fine piece — your singers will thank you.” More of the review can be found here.

6th November 2018, Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, New York City

Official premiere performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by the choristers at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue under Daniel Hyde

14th October 2018, St Mary’s Priory Church, Abergavenny

Performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by St Mary’s Priory Church Choir

7th October 2018, Saint John’s Church, Washington, D.C.

Performance of God be in my head by St John’s Choir, Washington, D.C.

1st October 2018, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

Performance of Litany to the Holy Spirit by Frideswide Voices

3rd September 2018

From Choir & Organ September/October 2018:

“Commissioned to compose a choral piece for the young choristers at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue, Ponniah chose to set the first three verses of Herrick’s His Litany to the Holy Spirit…’I had sung Peter Hurford’s setting as a boy, and listening to a recording of the piece stirred old and pleasant memories…I want the piece to achieve a feeling of peace, warmth and comfort, as life has the potential to be otherwise.'”

The premiere of Litany to the Holy Spirit will take place during 5.30pm Choral Evensong on Tuesday 6 November, in Saint Thomas, Fifth Avenue, New York City under Daniel Hyde.

14th July 2018, Neuss Cathedral, Germany

Performance of O sacrum convivium by Capella Quirina Neuss

13th May 2018, BBC Radio 3

Broadcast of In paradisum

18th November 2017, St Helen’s Church, Abingdon

“From Shadow, Light”, is an upcoming choral concert by Vox Coelestis exploring mental illness and the effect on composers and writers who suffered from such issues. The programme includes music by Bruckner, Rachmaninov, Gesualdo, Lassus, Holst and Tchaikovsky and will also feature two pieces by one of Abingdon’s local composers, Ben Ponniah.

17th November 2017

UK release of my new CD, Marvellous Light, Choral works of Ben Ponniah

16th June 2017, St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden

Première performance of Sing unto the Lord from Isaiah 42:10, commissioned and performed by The Joyful Company of Singers. All welcome and I hope to see you there!

20th January 2017, BBC Radio 3

Broadcast of O sacrum convivium

18th October 2016, Selwyn College Chapel, Cambridge:

Performance of O sacrum convivium by the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College

24th September 2016, Selwyn College Chapel, Cambridge:

Performance of God be in my head by the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College

7th-8th July 2016: Selwyn College Chapel, Cambridge:

Regent Records and the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College will be recording a single-composer disc of my unaccompanied choral music to be released in September 2017!

12th March 2016, Abingdon School, Abingdon:

Première performance of Requiem in Blue with a retiring collection in aid of Blue Skye Thinking

9th June 2015, Selwyn College Chapel, Cambridge:

Première performance of When David heard by the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College

12th April 2015, Chester Cathedral:

Performance of O sacrum convivium by the Wheatsheaf Consort

28th November 2014:

Performance of O magnum mysterium by FourFour Vocal Consort

26th October 2014, Selwyn College Chapel, Cambridge:

Performance of God be in my head and O Lorde, the maker of al thinge by the Chapel Choir of Selwyn College