British Choirs on the Net

News and Performance Opportunities

Resonance Vocal Ensemble are and auditioned choir in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. They are planning a tour to London in October of 2011 and are seeking venues for possible performance opportunities. If you can help please contact Gregor McHardy, President, Resonance Vocal Ensemble. email president@ResonanceVE.com or visit http://www.ResonanceVE.com 

 

CHOIR STAGING for Sale.  WEALD Choir of Crawley has portable, sturdy, 4 tiered ‘Maltbury’ staging for sale, ten years old, holds 60 choristers. In good condition, may be viewed at Horley.  £1900.

Telephone 01293 784845

A performance of Havergal Brian’s vast Gothic symphony is being organised in Australia.  This will be the fifth performance of the work (written 1919-27), and its premiere outside the UK. The Gothic is scored for a huge orchestra (around 180 musicians) and what is modestly called a 'double chorus' (and four soloists, a children's chorus and four off stage brass and timpani bands).  In practice, the writing demands four adult symphony choruses

The Gothic is in two parts:  the first of which is for orchestra alone, the second is a setting of the Te Deum and runs an hour or so.  More details:  www.havergalbrian.org/sym1.htm. The performance is being mounted in Brisbane, Queensland, on 22 December 2010, John Curro conducting an orchestra of his alumni (www.qyo.org.au/conductors.htm).  The organisers would very much welcome the presence of one or more British choirs in the performance.  Depending on size, they would contribute to one or more of the four choruses. They have authorised me, as a committee member of the Havergal Brian Society, to conduct initial discussions with UK choirs who are interested in participating.

I appreciate the notice is relatively short but, if a British choir is able and willing to join the performance, I can assure them that it will be the choral concert of a lifetime! In the first instance, please contact Jeremy Marchant on 01 453 764 615 or mobile 07 970 269 170.  Or email jeremy@marchant.com.
Tim Knight, conductor, composer and 'Choir Doctor' has produced a revised and updated version of his highly successful 'The Survival of Your Choir'. This no-nonsense book offers practical advice on sustaining and revitalising your choir - and if you don't think you need it, you may already be in trouble. A new addition in this version is a section entitled 'Appointing a new conductor'.  Copies of this book are available from Tim Knight by email tim.knight@supanet.com

Going Places of Pleasantville, a specialist choir tour company based in NY,  is planning to bring a American Chorus over to the UK in July 2011 and is looking for hosts, venues and possible sponsors for a tour of Devon & Cornwall. If you can help or would like more information please email philliptolley@colcanto.co.uk
Miscellaneous items
Compton Organ Specialists build pipeless Real Time portable organs suitable for choral accompaniment
If your choir is planning a piece that uses a harmonium, you might like to know about Pam & Phillip Fluke's Harmonium Services in Saltaire, near Shipley, Yorkshire. They hire out a Mustel instrument that's top of the range. It's been hired out to BBC radio & TV, to many choirs, and to events such as the Edinburgh Festival and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. So if you're doing Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, Fauré's Requiem or Cantique de Jean Racine, Stravinsky's Les Noces or various things by Debussy, Berg, Puccini, Gavin Bryars .... e-mail Phillip or phone 01274-585601, mobile 07976-535980.