Tag Archives: Chamber Choir

Chamber Choir students work with British composer

November 29, 2017 Daniel Harding Leave a comment

Students in the University Chamber Choir had the opportunity to work with one of Britain’s leading composers in rehearsal yesterday, in preparation for singing in the University Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral next month.

The choir was privileged to welcome Russell Hepplewhite to its usual evening rehearsal, to work on Russell’s Star of the East. It can be a daunting prospect, performing a composer’s work in their presence, but the Choir rose to the occasion magnificently.

Hailed by the Evening Standard as ‘one of the brightest young talents to have emerged in recent years,’ Russell’s award-winning work has been commissioned to critical acclaim by English Touring Opera, and his choral works are part of the recent Genesis Choral Library series launched by Banks Music Publications. His next work, Moonfleet, is set to open at the Salisbury Playhouse in April.

It was a terrific opportunity for the students to get to grips with contemporary music with the composer offering them insights into the creation of the work and its realisation; huge thanks to Russell for coming down from London especially last night; we’re looking forward to unfurling the piece in the majestic Nave of Canterbury Cathedral on 11 December.

Notes on Music

#EarBox series brings Chamber Choir to Studio 3 Gallery Fri 24 Feb

February 13, 2017 Daniel Harding Leave a comment

The #EarBox concert series bringing music and visual art together continues with a visit to Studio 3 Gallery from the University Chamber Choir on Friday 24 February at 1.10pm.

Set against the backdrop of Soft Formalities, the gallery’s new exhibition, the Chamber Choir will unveil a choral programme in the venue’s sonorous acoustic, ranging from Purcell to Alec Roth, taking in madrigals by Hassler and Lassus, and works by Tavener, Peter Warlock and Alexander Campkin.

The new exhibition explores layered complexity in a series of paintings, drawings, sculptures and ceramics, and the music provides a similar, sonic exploration in line and colour, from the drama of Purcell to the ravishing hues of Alexander Campkin, including the dramatic simplicity of Tavener’s The Lamb and a veritable textural tour de force for double choir in Lithuanian. There is also a rare opportunity to hear a piece by the Canadian female composer, Jean Coulthard.

The Chamber Choir at Canterbury Cathedral in December 2016

The event is free, and starts at 1.10pm; come and experience the gallery’s latest display with an astonishing aural landscape from the Baroque to the contemporary. Find out more about the event here, and read more about Soft Formalities at the gallery here.

Scholars Spotlight

Scholars’ Spotlight: Fleur Sumption

February 13, 2017 Daniel Harding Leave a comment

Continuing the series profiling Music Scholarship students at the University of Kent. This week, first year Art History student, Fleur Sumption.

Ever since I can remember, it seems that constantly being surrounded by music of some kind has had a massive impact on my life. Whether it was my Grandad taking me to various symphonies or being sat as a baby on the lap of the drummer in my Mum’s Jazz Band that she ran. Initially, I was encouraged to learn the piano, and for a child who could rarely sit still, when I got to about 8 years old it was decided that I’d rather take up the alto sax and have singing lessons instead.

fleur-s-new My introduction to the world of the Theatre started at age 10, when I was picked for the children’s choir in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End. Having been “bitten by the performing bug”, this marked the start of many musical possibilities. I then went on to participate in Bill Kenwright’s touring production of Joseph in the following year, and appeared on Children in Need as part of the Joseph Cast. In 2012, my passion for singing increased when I was in the English National Opera cast of Carmen at the London Coliseum and was swiftly followed by recording Andrew Lloyd Webber’s children’s recording of Cats with The Really Useful Company.

Closer to home, I frequently participated in Music Festivals in Essex, winning classes across the seven years when I competed. In 2015 this lead me to be named Havering Young Musician of the Year, through the annual competition ran by the Rotary. I have also previously been awarded the Jacamar Shield for outstanding performance, having reached the Regional Finals of the Rotary competition. At home, I am a member of Firebirds, a local theatre group, being Cast as Martha in our production of the Secret Garden in 2014, and the Baker’s Wife in our 2016 production of Into the Woods– the latter of the two won many local awards, including “Best Performance by a person aged 18 and under” for my portrayal of the Baker’s Wife.

At my Secondary School and Sixth Form, The Coopers’ Company and Coborn School, I was able to complete my ABRSM Grade 8 for Singing, and also my Music Theatre Diploma. Throughout my years there, I have been fully involved in the music scene, being able to perform with the Symphonic Wind Band at the Mansion House for the new Lord Mayor each year, having travelled to Birmingham for the Music for Youth Finals, and played and sang around Italy in our bi-annual music trip. In my last year at Sixth Form, I was invited to perform at prestigious company events and gigs, including a wedding at the top of the Gherkin in London!

At University, I have been lucky enough to gain a place in the University Chamber Choir (pictured above) which is a huge privilege when you see the other musical talent in the University. Also taking part in Chorus and the Cecilian Choir, my musical diary is always bursting with events and rehearsals. I really love that there are so many wonderful musical opportunities here, and I am extremely excited to see how my musical journey will progress at the University of Kent.

Notes on Music

New What’s On season now launched

January 13, 2017 Daniel Harding Leave a comment

With an heraldic fanfare, we’re delighted to say that our new What’s On season is now available to view online, with a mouth-watering programme of events to see you through to July.

As usual, we’ve performances in the majestic surroundings of Canterbury Cathedral with the Chorus and Symphony Orchestra in Tchaikovsky and Puccini for the annual Colyer-Fergusson concert, and the Chamber Choir and Ensemble will fill the Crypt with Fauré’s evocative Requiem in a new chamber edition. The Concert and Big Bands return in March with a dazzling evening of concert band classics and big band swing, and the Musical Theatre Society is back in action too. CantiaQuorum brings its usual eclectic and innovative approach to programming with a new series of concerts, and our popular Lunchtime Concert series ranges from the shores of Scotland to the heady sensuality of Argentinian tango.

A new collaboration with the School of Biosciences forms the backdrop to a concert bringing together live music with beautiful images from its cutting-edge research, which will also be exhibiting in the Colyer-Fergusson gallery throughout the spring term; and there’s a look ahead to warmer weather and seaside pleasures with events to come during our annual Summer Music Week festival in June.

Take a look at all these events and more on our online page here, and download the new season brochure here. We look forward to welcoming you through the doors of Colyer-Fergusson and to our performances elsewhere over the coming months!

Keeping It Real: reviews., Notes on Music

Final week of seasonal music-making

December 15, 2016 Daniel Harding Leave a comment

It’s been a busy week here in the Music department, with the final musical events bringing the term to a rousing seasonal finale.

On Tuesday, the Chamber Choir, conducted by Your Loyal Correspondent, performed as part of the University Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral – always a magical occasion, which starts with the entire Cathedral being plunged into darkness, and the notes of the choir’s first carol rising to the dark recesses of vaulted roof above a sea of candles. Second-year Doug Haycock made his conducting debut with Tavener’s The Lamb, opening the service in evocative fashion.

Wednesday afternoon saw General Harding’s Tomfoolery, the vintage dance-band, taking to the foyer-stage in a spirited selection of swing classics, for which they were joined by The Minervettes; trombonist and singer, post-grad Rob Cliff was a smooth host, and both band and singers were in fine form in pieces including American Patrol, Puttin’ On The Ritz and Sleigh Ride.

The final event in this term’s musical calendar was yesterday evening’s ebullient Christmas Swingalong with the Big Band, directed by Ian Swatman, which saw first-years Dottie Grenville and Alicia O’Malley making their singing debut with the band. Feisty incarnations of familiar pieces including A Chilli Pepper Christmas, audience carols with the brass ensemble and the traditional, inimitable rendition of Santa, Baby by our very own Sophie Meikle culminated in a sing-along I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day, before audience and performers alike spilled out into the foyer for mulled wine and mince pies.

It’s been a terrific term, full of music-making; thanks to both everyone who has performed throughout the term, as well as to those who have been amongst the audiences. We’ll be back in the New Year with full details of our spring / summer season; from all the Music team here, we wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas!

Notes on Music

Celebrating the life of David Humphreys

January 8, 2016 Daniel Harding Leave a comment

It was with sadness we heard the news over Christmas that David Humphreys had passed away at the age of ninety-three, and yesterday we attended David’s memorial service in Barham, a chance to reflect on a remarkable life and career lived to the full.

David was a terrific supporter of music at the University of Kent, having come to the University to read History after retiring from a career as a lawyer; choral singing was very much a part of David’s life, and he sang with the University Chorus as well as other choirs around Kent and in London. As a benefactor, his generous support gave countless students in the Chamber Choir the opportunity to perform in the historic and sonorous surroudings of Canterbury Cathedral Crypt each year, in a memorial concert for David’s wife, Julia. Always a vibrant presence, he would regularly find himself enthusiaistically drawn in to the group photographs taken at the end of each concert, which gave him the opportunity to meet the choir, to talk with them, something that David, always a ‘people-person,’ did with clear relish and much enjoyment. In 2012, the Crypt concert was a special celebration of David’s ninetieth birthday.

ROB_4889a — David with the Chamber Choir in 2012 on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday

This year’s Crypt concert falls on the occasion of what would have been David’s ninety-fourth birthday, and this year’s choir, Minerva Voices, will, fittingly, be giving a performance of Vivaldi’s joyous and celebratory Gloria, in a concert which will be dedicated to both David and to Julia. A tremendous character, an enthusiastic supporter of the musical life of the University, and a great friend; he will be much missed.

Keeping It Real: reviews., Notes on Music

Learning Together: third-year Joe Prescott reflects on this year’s ABCD convention

September 8, 2015 Daniel Harding Leave a comment

Each year, we send the student Assistant Conductor of the University Chamber Choir off into the thronging embrace of the annual Association of British Choral Directors convention; this year, trumpeter, conductor, this year’s Music Society President, third-year Music Scholar Joe Prescott, headed off to Manchester; here, he reflects on time well spent…

Time flies when you are a student, particularly a student with an active Music Department, such as the one at the University of Kent. As I sat on the train heading north for ABCD Choral Directors’ Convention, it only seemed like yesterday that I was making the same journey west to Cardiff last year. Stepping out on to the platform at Manchester Piccadilly, I strode off in search of the venue this year, the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music.

Meeting old friends from all over the country was a great start to the evening, swapping musical notes and anecdotes! However, there was to be no slacking as following a brief introduction and the statutory issuing of badges , we were straight down to business.

The first sessions were warm ups, ice breakers and a bit of revision for those new to the convention. Name games, basic conducting techniques, reminders about posture and hand shaping all helped us to relax and focus, ready for sterner tests ahead in the second session.

Here we took the song, The Long Day Closes – a four part song with words by Chorley, set in four parts by Sir Arthur Sullivan – and looked at the techniques required when conducting this piece. It is a piece that we have performed in Chamber Choir so I felt confident in volunteering to conduct. It was great to have the expert tuition and the support of the others attending to bring out the soft, gentle, flowing nature of the piece. However, I could have done with longer as I had a image in my mind of how I wanted the piece to sound!

Scholars_Prescott After dinner we discussed the how to develop a repertoire to suit a community and the choral highlights that you might include.

A hearty and delicious breakfast set us up well for the second day which began with some Jazz ‘warm ups’ from Will Todd. This developed amazingly into some exploration of the Dorian mode and pentatonic scale. Always being on the lookout for good warm ups, there was one percussion- based one that I am looking forward to trying out on the Chamber Choir! Creating ‘Vocal Baths was interesting as we held on 1st,3rd,5th, 7th and 10th notes in scales – another one to try out back in Kent.

Moving to more conducting, Campion’s Never weather-beaten sail was sight-conducting for many and the Elgar, As torrents in summer, proved tricky with its unusual entries.

After lunch we moved on to looking at more unusual time signatures, which will prove very useful in the coming year. Another warm up here based on nursery rhymes proved to be excellent practice for changes in tempo, speed and style. The great thing about this course is that you are learning together, there is constant discussion about conducting styles and techniques and we are always offering advice and support to each other. As last year I expect this will carry on throughout the year through social media.

The final part of Saturday was a Gala Concert given by a young all-boy’s choir (Cambiata North West) and a group from York University, The 24. Both groups performed to a very high standard but given the nature of the weekend it was very difficult to take your eyes off the conductor and to think how you might have interpreted these pieces! Finally The Academic Student Choir of the Ural Federal University (Russia) took to the stage. A choir that had incredible power but still had great prowess and technique.

Another highlight of the convention is always the chance to look at the latest choral publications and compositions. Many of these are free or sold at a much-reduced rate and I bought a number back for use this year at Kent with Sue and Dan. [Editor’s note: hurrah!]

I was very grateful to have been given the opportunity to attend the convention once again and felt honoured to represent the University in Manchester with some of the most important choral heads in the UK; can’t wait to embark on another great year of music-making at Kent.

Notes on Music

Image Gallery: Summer Music Week 2015

June 16, 2015 Daniel Harding Leave a comment

Images from some of the various events that took place from Sunday 7 to Saturday 13 June, as the Music department bid farewell to another year at the University of Kent. Photos from the Scholars’ Lunchtime Recital on Day Two; jazz on the foyer-stage on Day Three; the String Sinfonia on Day Four; the Chamber and Cecilian Choirs in rehearsal on Day 6; and the marquee reception on the final day.