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FUTURE
CONCERTS
Jonathan's preview
of concerts for 2008-09 is printed below
2008
SATURDAY, 15th NOVEMBER
Cockaigne Overture
Elgar
Chichester Cathedral, 7.30
pm Gloria Poulenc
Fantasia on Greensleeves
Vaughan Williams
Dona Nobis Pacem
"
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SUNDAY,
14th DECEMBER
Christmas concert, with carols and
St Paul's Church, 3.00 pm
Ave Rex
Mathias
A Merry Little Christmas
Goff Richards
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2009
SATURDAY, 28th MARCH
Mass in Blue
Will Todd
Chichester Cathedral, 7.30
pm
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SATURDAY, 4th JULY
Elijah
Mendelssohn
(Chichester Festivities)
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SATURDAY, 14th NOVEMBER
Insanae et
Vanae Curae
Haydn
Exultate
Mozart
Solemn Vespers
Mozart
Paukenmesse
Haydn
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Current
Ticket Prices
March and November concerts in the Cathedral:
£17, £14, £19, £7 (Students £4)
June and December
concerts in the Cathedral: £22, £18, £12, £7 (Students £4)
December concert in St
Paul's Church : £7 (adults), £3 (children under 14), or
Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children : £15)
July concert in the
Cathedral: Tickets available from Chichester Festivities
Available from:
Cathedral Cloisters Shop: 01243 813599 (credit cards accepted), Bastow's
Classics: 01243 533264, Mrs Wendy Whittle, 01243 572195
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LOTS TO SAVOUR
!
Jonathan Willcocks
The
coming year reveals another very exciting and varied series of concerts
and repertoire for you all – and I would be surprised if there is a
single person in the choir who has sung everything in the coming season
before.
2008 marks the 50th anniversary of the
death of one of our greatest composers, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and our
first concert in November features one of his finest choral works
Dona Nobis Pacem. Many of you will have sung VW’s
Sea Symphony, and in Dona Nobis Pacem you will find the
same mix of glorious ecstatic choral writing and deeply felt sympathy
for humanity – all the more poignant when you consider that the work was
first heard in the late 1930s as Europe once again headed towards
conflict. As a contrast we will sing Poulenc’s delightfully tuneful and
quirky Gloria and, to strengthen further the English emphasis of
the programme, wrap this around with Elgar’s Cockaigne Overture
and Vaughan Williams' hugely popular Fantasia on Greensleeves.
In December we will celebrate the approach of
Christmas with our St. Paul’s Sunday afternoon concert, combining carols
and Christmas music for all the audience to join in with two excellent
more substantial pieces – Mathias – Ave Rex and a very
light-hearted A merry little Christmas from Goff Richards.
Our good baritone friend Giles White will also be with us to sing some
seasonal favourites.
I’m really excited about our March 2009 concert,
where the major offering will be a brilliant new work - Will Todd –
Mass in Blue. This is scored for jazz trio (and Will Todd
himself will be playing piano in this), soprano soloist (Will’s wife
Bethany) and chorus (you !). The style, as you might
imagine, is highly rhythmic and full of energy and life, and – once you
have loosened up your inhibitions a bit – I know that you will love the
piece. I have arranged for Will Todd to come and work with
us on a Wednesday evening a few weeks before our performance, so you
will have the chance to learn at first hand more about the work, its
style and origins. In the same concert, we will also do some
other contemporary unaccompanied music.
And then to July 2009 – back in the Festivities –
with one of the great war-horses of the choral repertoire, Mendelssohn
– Elijah. Although very familiar to many, it is a work that never
fails to stir and enthuse singers and audiences alike, and we are
negotiating to bring someone very special to Chichester to sing the role
of Elijah – more soon on this we hope. The July concert date
will allow us to divert our attention for about a month in May to
explore other music and perhaps take an opportunity (as we have in the
past) to sing informally in some nice building with a favourable
acoustic in the area.
Lots to savour!
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