Up 'N' Coming Events

Haydn’s ‘St.Nicholas Mass’ & ‘Theresienmesse’

A Saturday evening concert in Sunderland Minster.

Dvorak’s ‘Stabat Mater’ & Brahms’ ‘Nanie’

A Saturday evening concert in Sunderland Minster.

Rutter’s ‘Gloria’ & Bruckner’s ‘Motets’

A Saturday evening concert in Sunderland Minster.

Conducted by David Murray.

In addition to the choral works, there will be several brass and percussion pieces :-

Fanfare from the Ballet Le Peri for brass quintet by Paul Dukas, Die Bankelsangerlieder for brass quintet, an extract from Prince of Denmark’s March by Jeremiah Clarke, six dances from The Danserye by Tylman, Marche de Timbales by André and Jacques Philidor and Little Polly’s Polka by Keith Bartlett.

Tickets £12.00 and £10.00 (Concessions) in the Nave and £6.00 in the Gallery, with limited views. Seats are un-numbered and doors open at 6.45 p.m.

Tickets can now be booked on-line, at a small extra cost, from WeGotTickets at http://www.wegottickets.com/f/1709

Bishopwearmouth Young Singers Summer Concert

A Friday Evening concert in Ewesley Road Methodist Church.

The Young Singers, supported by the Chamber Choir of Bishopwearmouth Choral Society, will host their own annual summer concert. Tickets will be available at the door.

A concert in memory of Doug Hughill

A Saturday evening concert in Whitburn Parish Church, Whitburn, Sunderland.

This concert is being held in memory of Doug Hughill, former Head of Music at Monkwearmouth School and well known local musician, and include many of his own compositions and arrangements. All monies raised will be contributed to St.Clare’s Hospice in Jarrow.

Doug was born in Sunderland, attending Bede School. After studying in Whinchester, he returned to Sunderland to become a teacher at Barnes School, followed by Head of Music at Castle View School before being appointed to Monkwearmouth. Music was a passion to Doug and he excelled at composition and arranging. At the schools where he worked he formed orchestras, brass bands and choirs and soon became renowned for his contribution to the development of music in schools. After his retirement Doug accompanied, arranged and composed for the St.Andrew’s Singers.

This concert will feature songs by the Bishopwearmouth Young Singers and the Bishopwearmouth Choral Society Chamber Choir, including Doug’s arrangements of Hoagy Carmichael songs and some French folk songs. Other musical items will be provided by Eileen Bown and David Murray – piano, Rachael Fuller – Flautist, and by Doug Hughill’s grand-daughter – piano.

Tickets are £10.00 including refreshments (no concessions) with children under 16 admitted free (although a donation would be welcomed) available from the church, through Bishopwearmouth Young Singers or at the door.

‘ A Christmas Carol with a difference’

A Wednesday evening concert at Ewesley Road Methodist Church, Chester Road, Sunderland.

Bishopwearmouth Young Singers, supported by some members of the Choral Society, present a Christmas Carol with quite a difference.

Tickets £5.00 (concessions £3.00)

Anniversary Dinner

A special Anniversary Dinner will take place at the Quayside Exchange, High Street East, Sunderland on Friday 15th May 2009 at 7.00 for 8.00 p.m. with Alan Spedding as the special guest speaker. It is hoped that this will be an opportunity for the Society, Patrons, past members and all their friends to celebrate the history of the Society.

The cost of the dinner, inclusive of a pre-dinner drink, will be £24.00 per head. A booking form, complete with the choice of menu, is available from the Society. As the relevant information concerning the dinner must be passed to The Quayside Exchange by the 5th of May, all bookings for the dinner must have been received by the Society by the 27th April 2009 at the latest.

We look forward to seeing you at this Dinner, which we stress is open to all of our and your friends and trust that our sixtieth anniversary dinner will be a memorable evening with a chance to meet old friends and perhaps to make some new ones.

Autumn Fair

Join us at Ewesley Road Methodist Church, Chester Road, Sunderland to meet old friends and take refreshments while perusing the many stalls which will be available – cakes, crafts, tombola, and white elephants amongst others. Admission is £1.00 which includes coffee.

‘Last Night of the Proms’

Once again, Bishopwearmouth Choral Society is taking part in this Saturday evening concert at the City Hall Newcastle.

Organised by North East Promenaders against Cancer (NEPAC), this now annual charity concert is in its 19th year and will feature singers including Janice Cairns, Suzanne Manuell, Blake Fischer and Bradley Creswick (Violin), backed by a strong choir.

Tickets are £13 to £27, obtainable from the City Hall Box Office (Tel: 2612606) or from www.ticketmaster.co.uk

An Evening with Gershwin and friends

A concert at Sunderland Minster, featuring a more contemporary programme, in association with the Bishopwearmouth Young Singers and the Virtuoso Jazz Trio.

The programme for this concert will include arrangements of Gershwin songs, a Jerome Kern medley and a sequence of Carpenter numbers. A special feature of the programme will be the contribution provided by the Virtuoso Jazz Trio – which will all make for a very memorable evening.

The Virtuoso Jazz Trio, comprised of George MacDonald – Clarinet, James Birkett – Guitar, and  Peter Stuart – Double Bass, was formed in 1994 when George MacDonald invited James Birkett to come around and ‘play some tunes’. Realising that they were on the same wavelength they then asked Peter Stuart to join them. Their first engagement was at the Northern Sinfonia centre in Newcastle, where they played to a packed house. An enthusiastic audience spread the word and a variety of concert and festival engagements have followed with requests for music from Bach to ‘Bird’ (alias Charlie Parker).

George MacDonald spent his youth playing saxophone and clarinet in clubs with dance bands in his native Nova Scotia. At the age of 18 he became interested in classical music and went on to study at the Royal College of Music. He joined the Northern Sinfonia as principal clarinet a few years later, relinquishing that post in 1992.

James Birkett in one of this country’s most acclaimed guitarists. He is director of jazz studies a Newcastle College, has a Doctorate in music and has had two books on jazz guitar published. James plays with a variety of jazz ensembles, regularly undertaking concert, festival and broadcast work.

Peter Stuart, being the North’s leading jazz bass player, is always in demand when a rhythm section is needed to back the best American musicians. He has lived and worked in South Africa, Switzerland and Holland and is on the staff at Newcastle College.

We look forward to seeing you there.