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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 " ___________________________________________________________________ SUNDAY, 14th DECEMBER Christmas concert, with carols and St Paul's Church, 3.00 pm Ave Rex Mathias A Merry Little Christmas Goff Richards ___________________________________________________________________ 2009 SATURDAY, 28th MARCH Mass in Blue Will Todd Chichester Cathedral, 7.30 pm __________________________________________________________________ SATURDAY, 4th JULY Elijah Mendelssohn (Chichester Festivities) __________________________________________________________________ SATURDAY, 14th NOVEMBER Insanae et Vanae Curae Haydn
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 ________________________________________________________________________________ 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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