Monday 14th November 2022
As our Musical Director, Lee Dunleavy, wrote in the programme note: “Have you ever wondered what goes through the mind of a conductor when selecting music for a choir to perform? … more and more the question which comes to the top of my thinking is – what are we wanting to say to the world in which we live? Are we telling a story which has something to say to
He went on to explain: “Over the course of our 2022/3 season we explore and reflect on the familiar words of the Mass across time and circumstance… but in tonight’s programme they form the sculptural armature around which concerns of our time are built.” The opening work, the
No wonder members of our audience found the concert ‘compelling’ and ‘thought-provoking’. But it was also an utterly joyous celebration of the power of music to uplift the soul, and the choir gave of their very best, with commitment and enthusiasm, despite having had only eight weeks of rehearsals in which to learn some really very tricky music. We had two wonderful soloists, Lynda Nwabudike (soprano) and Jack Dolan (tenor), and were ably supported by an excellent group of instrumentalists - strings, woodwind, electric guitars, keyboard/piano and an absolute army of percussion. Audience members commented on ‘the fabulous sound produced by all the performers’.
It is beyond doubt that Saturday’s concert succeeded brilliantly in communicating an important message to our audience, as well as providing them with a great evening’s entertainment. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Lee Dunleavy for his vision in proposing such a programme, and for the huge amount of work he put in at rehearsals and during the run-up to the concert, as well as his energy and enthusiasm on the night.
DOWNLOAD Related Document (2.66Mb)Wednesday 21st December 2022
For the second year running, the choir performed a selection of carols composed or arranged by the choir’s musical directors. These included two by our founder, Dr Stanley Vann, and the first performance of a brand new piece by our current MD, Lee Dunleavy. This was a setting of the poem
Our audience were also generous in their singing, joining in the congregational carols with great enthusiasm - no doubt partly in an attempt to keep themselves warm! The church resounded to the sound of the organ, played by Colin Druce, and also of the ARC Brass Ensemble, a group of young musicians recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music. This talented septet delighted us with a number of inventive arrangements, including music from Tchaikovsky’s
As always, the Christmas concert was hugely satisfying for our members as well as our audience. If you’d like to find out what it’s like to be part of this enthusiastic choir, why not come to one of our open rehearsals in January, as we start to prepare for our performance of Bach’s great
The Christmas concert earned another very complimentary review in the local press, which can be viewed via the link below.
DOWNLOAD Related Document (1.33Mb)© 2020 - 2023 Royal leamington Spa Bach Choir
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