Why not join the Festival Chorus by completing the application form below
The Festival Concert in 2011 will be on Saturday 26th March, when David Lawrence will conduct: Paul SpicerEaster Oratorio
This will be a really good event and a major musical milestone. David Lawrence, who conducted us last time in Israel in Egypt, is making a welcome return. He established a really good rapport with us in 2009 and it will be a wonderful experience for us to sing this new work under his guidance. David is currently based in Birmingham where he leads the City of Birmingham Young Voices and is Assistant Conductor of the Birmingham Symphony Chorus. He has long experience of working with Simon Halsey and Sir Simon Rattle and is a highly experienced choral director.
Easter Oratorio was first performed in 2000 at the Lichfield Festival. It follows the pattern of the Bach Passions with recitatives, arias, choruses, chorales and congregational hymns. The musical style is highly accessible and reflects some of Paul’s major influences, including Finzi, Howells, Britten and Walton, but is also distinctive. Review comments after the premiere included: ‘a most moving experience’, ‘beautiful words and music’, ‘rich in colour’, ‘will cheer any large choral society with a fondness for traditional repertoire’. In reviewing the CD John Steane of The Gramophone Magazine wrote: ‘The Easter Oratorio is a major work and the best of its kind to have appeared, certainly since the death of Howells, probably since Howells’ Hymnus Paradisi’. The Festival Chorus and the Northern Chamber Orchestra will be joined by a youth choir and by soloists Rachel Little, Nicholas Hurndall Smith and John Lofthouse. Preparing and performing this work under the inspirational and enthusiastic guidance of Chorus Master Ian Jones and Conductor David Lawrence will be exciting, enjoyable and rewarding.
Please note that all applicants must be active members of a choir or choral society within the Festival area (i.e. the former County of Westmorland or within 25 miles of Kendal) and that we ask you to attend as many rehearsals as possible, aiming for a minimum of 10 sessions.Please note that Saturdays count as 2 sessions and have been deliberately included for the benefit of those of you, for instance members of CCI’s New Millennium Choir, who may travel some distance to rehearsals. Please regard the final 2 rehearsals, on 24th and 26th March, as essential.Any singer who is really keen to sing but has problems with rehearsal attendance (such as work commitments) should talk to the Chorus Master, Ian Jones (01539 720168).
2010:
Saturday 27th November, 10.30 am – 12.30 pm, 1.30 – 3.30 pmCasterton School (CS)
