In fine voice: Chamber Choir welcomes Advent

With their ears still resonating from their ‘Music for Advent’ concert at Blean Church last Friday, news arrives that the Chamber Choir’s first concert this year raised £570.

You can read the review on the choral blog, ‘Cantus Firmus.’ The Choir are now getting into shape to participate in the University Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral on the 12 December, always a highlight of their performing calendar.

The University Chamber Choir 2011-12

Well done to all the Choir!

Winter warmer: lunchtime concert next Monday

Next Monday, the University Camerata and Cecilian Choir join forces to perform Vivaldi and Purcell in the last of this term’s Lunchtime Concerts.

François Morellon la Cave: portrait of Vivaldi

The Red Priest’s enduringly-popular Winter, a vivid depiction of the season in its brittle textures, moves in its three movements from shivering amidst winter’s harsh wind to the warmth of sitting by the fire, whilst the last movement portrays racing across the ice before it cracks, seeking refuge behind a bolted door whilst winter’s chill fingers reach through the cracks. The violin soloist will be Jeremy Ovenden, leader of the Symphony Orchestra.

The Cecilian Choir will then join the Camerata for the ‘Frost Scene’ from Purcell’s King Arthur, in which Cupid (sung by second-year Music Scholar and soprano, Paris Noble) battles the Cold Genius (baritone and alumnus, Piran Legg) and his wintry revellers to bring warmth and dance to the frozen scene.

The concert begins on Monday 5 December in the Gulbenkian Theatre  at 1.10pm; admission is free, with a suggested donation of £3.

Here’s a little taster of the Vivaldi, featuring a live performance by the Trondheim Soloists…

Furley Page logo
Sponsors of the Lunchtime Concert series

Around the blogs this week

Over on ‘Cantus Firmus,’ the Chamber Choir are in full spate in the run-up to their Advent concert this evening, with Charles Green musing from the bass section about the impact of singing in mixed-voice formation and the use of his eyebrows …

Writing
Mightier than the sword...

On The Beat‘ announces this year’s singer with the University Big Band after a round of auditions: click here to find out who will be gracing the stage with the Big Band this year…

Hark the glad sound: Chamber Choir Advent concert this Friday

On this day, St Cecilia’s Day, we celebrate the patron saint of music, and this Friday the Chamber Choir will celebrate the start of the Advent season with a concert in Blean Church, Canterbury.

Advent concertThe Choir presents its annual ‘Music for Advent’ concert, with a candlelit sequence of music and readings to launch the beginning of the period of Advent. Combining traditional and modern carols, prose, poetry and the magnificent Advent antiphons, the programme is a meditation on the meaning of Advent and the message of the coming of the Christ-child.

You can follow the Choir’s rehearsals on its blog, ‘Cantus Firmus,’ which has charted our progress towards Friday’s performance.

The concert starts at 7.30pm; proceeds from the event towards the Church Restoration Fund and Blean School Playground Improvements. Ticket-sales and details on our concert diary online here.

 

Bear-faced cheek: singing for Children in Need

Many thanks to everyone who came along to the Gulbenkian Theatre at lunchtime, and joined in to sing Handel and raise money for this year’s Children in Need appeal.

The Yellow Bear turned up and conducted the massed ranks of visitors and musicians in a rousing rendition of the ‘Hallelujah Chorus,’ whilst members of the Music Society charged around with buckets and balloons to take the collection.

After some lively warm-ups and a run-through of key moments in the piece, the performance was delivered with gusto and vibrant enthusiasm.

Pudsey with violinist Jo Pearsall

Afterwards, Pudsey was almost swamped by a crowd of eager…err… grown-ups all clamouring for a picture with the Great Bear: and not a child in sight!

Our thanks to Pudsey for coming along, to the Gulbenkian for throwing its theatre doors open to the massed and eager rabble, to the ever-enthusiastic Music Committee for being on hand to help (and rattle collection-buckets), and to everyone who turned up, made a donation, and took part. We raised £270 for a very worthy cause.

Keep an eye out on local BBC at 6.30pm and possibly 8.30pm tomorrow night: that’s all I’m saying…

Massive (picture) Attack: new hoardings

Since Friday, the hoarding around the construction site of the new Colyer-Fergusson music building has taken on a different aspect – it now features several giant photographs taken by the illustrious photographic arm of the Music Department, Mick Norman.

Walking from the visitors’ car park to the Gulbenkian, visitors will be greeted with images of music in action – the images feature some of the Music Scholars performing – as well as information about music at the University.

Exciting times…