| Come & Sing Choral Workshop conducted by Martin Neary October 2009 |
Martin Neary is an organist and conductor of renown, having been Organist and Master of the Choristers at both Winchester Cathedral and Westminster Abbey .
This day was a combination of both observing Martin Neary work with a choir and singing under his direction.
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| Choir of the Year |
As you may have seen from BBC Four, Grosvenor Chorale made it to the final of the BBC Choir of the Year in 2008. The National Selection Stage took place on 18 June 2008. All of the choirs who got through each Area Selection Stage were judged against one another for a place at the Category Finals. The Category Finals were held at at the Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 8 and 9 November 2008 as part of Liverpool European Capital of Culture '08 celebrations. Grosvenor Chorale secured a place in the Grand Final as a wildcard entry.
The Grand Final took place at the newly refurbished Royal Festival Hall, on London's South Bank, on 7 December 2008 and was broadcast on BBC Four and Radio 3.
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| Early
2007 |
Over the
past year, the choir has participated in many concerts and
experimented with a variety of styles. We began the year
with a "Choral Reflections" concert in the Burnavon
Arts and Cultural Centre in Cookstown.
In April
we were pleased to be able to put on a concert in St John's
Church on Castlereagh Road (where we rehearse), entitled
"O be Joyful!", which was part of their fiftieth
annisversary celebrations.
In May, our
season ended with a concert given in Ballyearl Theatre at
the invitation of Newtownabbey Music Club. |
| Late
2006 |
The choir
took part in the BBC Songs of Praise programme, which was
recorded at St Comgall's Church, Bangor in the Autumn of
2006 and broadcast early in the New Year.
At Christmas,
we sang to a 600+ audience at St. Brigid's Church on the
Malone Road in a moving Celtic Christmas themed concert
which was enhanced by traditional playing on Irish harps,
uillean pipes and Irish flute as well as beautiful solos
by the young soprano, Amy Harper.
We continued
the Christmas theme by singing carols in Central Station
to passing commuters, where we helped to raise money for
Heart Research UK. We then sang to the Mother's Union of
St John's Church at their Christmas Supper.
The Annual
Service of Nine Lessons with Carols in Down Cathedral was
once again a highlight of the Christmas season and ended
2006 on a "high note". |
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On Saturday,
25th March, the choir held a Come and Sing Day in Carrickfergus
Grammar School.
Click
here to see photos of the day. |
It
was with nervous anticipation and a slight fear of the unknown
that the choir made its way to Carrickfergus Grammar School
on the afternoon of Saturday 25th March 2006.
Jubilate
or the "Come and Sing Day" as it became affectionately
known, had been many months in the making and was the culmination
of Edward's desire to bring together the Carrickfergus Grammar
School Choir, Grosvenor Chorale and members of the public
in an event which was designed to create interest within
the local community and further afield.
Enthusiasm
for the event was high, with both the school website and
our own website receiving many "hits" in the run
up to the day. Approximately 50 members of the public joined
with the school choir and Grosvenor Chorale, making a total
of around 130 singers! The sheer size of the choir alone
would pose a challenge.
We were very
encouraged to have a healthy turn out of men, with about
15 members of the public coming along on the day to join
the tenor and bass sections. Ages ranged from 13 to those
in receipt of the odd free bus pass!
After an
afternoon session spent learning the music, we looked forward
to the public concert which would take place that evening.
Partsongs, Bob Chilcott's cantata Jubilate, a medley
of songs from On Eagle's Wing and You Raise me
Up were among the pieces performed.
Everyone
involved in the day agreed that it had been a great experience
and one which was a real challenge, but great fun!
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The choir
have once again been awarded first prize in the Annual RTE
Lyric FM Choirs for Christmas competition. This competition
is open to all choirs - school, college, amateur and semi-professional,
choral societies and chamber choirs.
Well done
to Grosvenor Chorale! |
