recruiting NOW Step forward if you have: experience of singing in a choir the ability to read music or a good ear to learn quickly the ability to hold a line in multi-part music a love of singing and socialising and happy to be auditioned. A short and informal process! What can you expect as a member of NCS? Expert Musical Direction Access to Vocal Training Professional approach, but also Sociable Be part of a Great Musical Tradition Sing with Professional Soloists and Orchestras in Prestigious Venues Look what’s coming up: ‘Summer Thyme’ Sat June 30th Trinity Church Gosforth And the BIG one! NCS as Guest Choir alongside Northern Spirit Singers Britten’s War Requiem at Sage One Gateshead on Sat Nov 10th 2018 at 7.30pm Cleveland Philharmonic Choir Conducted by John Forsyth MBE JOIN NOW to be able to take part!! View pdf here Easter Recruitment Contact: Tel: 0191 286 6338 or 01207 560555 email: enquiries@newcastlechoralsociety.org.uk Start ? Monday 16th April 2018 19.30 -21.30 Where? Church of St John the Evangelist Kingston Park Avenue Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 NB Sat 21st April at Church of St John the Evangelist – a multimedia War Requiem presentation 10 -1pm by John...
Newcastle Choral Society Musical Director Mark Anyan Elgar ‘Dream of Gerontius’ Saturday 24 March 2018, 7.30pm Banqueting Suite Newcastle Civic Centre Stephanie Lewis Mezzo Soprano Adam Tunnicliffe Tenor Philip Shakesby Bass Orchestra North East Elgar considered The Dream of Gerontius to be his finest work. Indeed it might be regarded as the greatest piece of music ever written by a British composer. Based on a poem by Cardinal John Henry Newman, the piece relates the journey of a man’s soul from his death bed, where he is attended by friends and a priest who pray for him in his last moments of life. After death a Guardian Angel conducts his soul past demons and angels to the presence of God for judgement, and thence to the tranquillity of Purgatory to await a glorious re-awakening. The concert was well received by an appreciative audience. The work called for three soloists who represented respectively Gerontius, Priest and Angel. Adam Tunnicliffe was deemed to be ‘sensational’ as Gerontius and the rich voice of Stephanie Lewis gave depth and emotion to the role of the Angel. Philip Shakesby’s resonant bass voice gave power to the role of the Priest. There was a double chorus which incorporated a semi-chorus, portraying friends, demons and angels at various stages of the drama. Orchestra North East were superb and provided a wonderfully varied palette of sounds throughout the work, enhancing each phase of the journey.View pdf...
OPEN REHEARSAL AWAITS YOU Elgar: Dream of Gerontius MONDAY 15TH JANUARY 2018 DREAM OF SINGING with a large mixed choir, professional soloists and one of the finest orchestras in the North East? Make your dreams come true! ALL WELCOME ELGAR’S ‘DREAM OF GERONTIUS’ Open Rehearsal with Newcastle Choral Society and Musical Director Mark Anyan. Leading to a performance in the Banqueting Suite, Newcastle Civic Centre on March 24th 2018. Considered to be one of the greatest pieces of music ever written by a British composer. The considerable numbers involved in this dramatic masterpiece make performances something of a rarity. Make sure you do not miss this opportunity to be a part of it! Join us for the Free open rehearsal and if you would like to take part in the concert then sign up for the Spring term for £50. To be a full member you would need to sign up for a short audition to remain with us. When? Monday 15th January 2018 from 7.30pm – 9.30pm Where? St John’s Church, Kingston Park Centre, Kingston Park Ave, NE3 2HB Cost? FREE with coffee and cake Contact? 07707 621312 / 07980 484598 / enquiries@newcastlechoralsociety.org.uk Read the full flier...
Newcastle Choral Society Musical Director Mark Anyan HALLELUJAH it’s Christmas! Saturday 9 December 2017, 7.30pm Trinity Church Gosforth Handel – Messiah Part 1 Bob Chilcott – The Twelve Days of Christmas Kris Thomsett organ and special guests Quintessential Voices Our Christmas programme was very well received by a near capacity audience! It began with music from Part I of Handel’s ever-popular Messiah. This section of the oratorio dealt with the prophecy of Christ’s coming, the circumstances of His birth, and rejoiced over the significance of the event, all as described in various books of the Bible. We sneakily added the famous Hallelujah! Chorus from Part 2, always a popular chorus. After this impressive introduction to the festive season we lightened the mood with an imaginative version of The Twelve Days of Christmas by the prolific choral composer Bob Chilcott. Not to be missed, it incorporated some witty references to other well-known pieces of music and got the whole choir uplifted. Our friends, a cappella group Quintessential Voices, added to the programme with their fine ensemble singing with a very catchy encore. The smiling audience joined us in some favourite carols. Kris Thomsett on the organ and piano was something else! Flying fingers and extremely competent. If you want to stockpile our very eyecatching fliers , download HALLELUJAH it’s Christmas! ...
Our Away Day and Let’s SING! 23rd September 2017 was great fun! We had a goodly number of guest singers joining us at Newcastle Falcons Platinum Suite Kingston Park where we learnt such a lot about Vocal Technique from the brilliant Miranda Wright – Masterclass leader and singing teacher Samling Academy; Head of Classical Singing Newcastle University; Durham Cathedral Choristers; National Youth Choirs of Great Britain We enjoyed singing the MESSIAH CHORUSES and learning fun African songs with Mark Anyan Director of Newcastle Choral Society; General Manager of National Youth Choir of Great Britain If you are interested in joining the choir that ‘pushes the songboat out’ a little further than most choirs, register for an audition by contacting enquiries@newcastlechoralsociety.org.uk ...
recruiting NOW
Step forward if you have:
What can you expect as a member of NCS?
Look what’s coming up:
‘Summer Thyme’ Sat June 30th Trinity Church Gosforth
And the BIG one! NCS as Guest Choir alongside Northern Spirit Singers
Britten’s War Requiem at Sage One Gateshead on Sat Nov 10th 2018 at 7.30pm
Conducted by John Forsyth MBE
JOIN NOW to be able to take part!! View pdf here Easter Recruitment
Contact: Tel: 0191 286 6338 or 01207 560555 email: enquiries@newcastlechoralsociety.org.uk
Start ? Monday 16th April 2018 19.30 -21.30
Where? Church of St John the Evangelist
Kingston Park Avenue
Newcastle upon Tyne NE3
NB Sat 21st April at Church of St John the Evangelist – a multimedia War Requiem presentation 10 -1pm by John Forsyth
Learn More
Newcastle Choral Society
Musical Director Mark Anyan
Elgar ‘Dream of Gerontius’
Saturday 24 March 2018, 7.30pm
Banqueting Suite Newcastle Civic Centre
Stephanie Lewis Mezzo Soprano
Adam Tunnicliffe Tenor
Philip Shakesby Bass
Elgar considered The Dream of Gerontius to be his finest work. Indeed it might be regarded as the greatest piece of music ever written by a British composer. Based on a poem by Cardinal John Henry Newman, the piece relates the journey of a man’s soul from his death bed, where he is attended by friends and a priest who pray for him in his last moments of life.
After death a Guardian Angel conducts his soul past demons and angels to the presence of God for judgement, and thence to the tranquillity of Purgatory to await a glorious re-awakening. The concert was well received by an appreciative audience. The work called for three soloists who represented respectively Gerontius, Priest and Angel. Adam Tunnicliffe was deemed to be ‘sensational’ as Gerontius and the rich voice of Stephanie Lewis gave depth and emotion to the role of the Angel. Philip Shakesby’s resonant bass voice gave power to the role of the Priest. There was a double chorus which incorporated a semi-chorus, portraying friends, demons and angels at various stages of the drama. Orchestra North East were superb and provided a wonderfully varied palette of sounds throughout the work, enhancing each phase of the journey.View pdf here
Learn More
OPEN REHEARSAL AWAITS YOU
Elgar: Dream of Gerontius
MONDAY 15TH JANUARY 2018
DREAM OF SINGING with a large mixed choir, professional soloists and one of the finest orchestras in the North East? Make your dreams come true! ALL WELCOME
ELGAR’S ‘DREAM OF GERONTIUS’
Open Rehearsal with Newcastle Choral Society and Musical Director Mark Anyan. Leading to a performance in the Banqueting Suite, Newcastle Civic Centre on March 24th 2018.
Considered to be one of the greatest pieces of music ever written by a British composer. The considerable numbers involved in this dramatic masterpiece make performances something of a rarity. Make sure you do not miss this opportunity to be a part of it!
Join us for the Free open rehearsal and if you would like to take part in the concert then sign up for the Spring term for £50.
To be a full member you would need to sign up for a short audition to remain with us.
When? Monday 15th January 2018 from 7.30pm – 9.30pm
Where? St John’s Church, Kingston Park Centre, Kingston Park Ave, NE3 2HB
Cost? FREE with coffee and cake
Contact? 07707 621312 / 07980 484598 / enquiries@newcastlechoralsociety.org.uk
Read the full flier here
Learn More
Newcastle Choral Society
Musical Director Mark Anyan
HALLELUJAH it’s Christmas!
Saturday 9 December 2017, 7.30pm
Trinity Church Gosforth
Handel – Messiah Part 1
Bob Chilcott – The Twelve Days of Christmas
Kris Thomsett organ
and special guests Quintessential Voices
Our Christmas programme was very well received by a near capacity audience! It began with music from Part I of Handel’s ever-popular Messiah. This section of the oratorio dealt with the prophecy of Christ’s coming, the circumstances of His birth, and rejoiced over the significance of the event, all as described in various books of the Bible. We sneakily added the famous Hallelujah! Chorus from Part 2, always a popular chorus.
After this impressive introduction to the festive season we lightened the mood with an imaginative version of The Twelve Days of Christmas by the prolific choral composer Bob Chilcott. Not to be missed, it incorporated some witty references to other well-known pieces of music and got the whole choir uplifted.
Our friends, a cappella group Quintessential Voices, added to the programme with their fine ensemble singing with a very catchy encore. The smiling audience joined us in some favourite carols. Kris Thomsett on the organ and piano was something else! Flying fingers and extremely competent.
If you want to stockpile our very eyecatching fliers , download HALLELUJAH it’s Christmas! here.
Our Away Day and Let’s SING!
23rd September 2017 was great fun!
We had a goodly number of guest singers joining us at Newcastle Falcons Platinum Suite Kingston Park where we learnt such a lot about Vocal Technique from the brilliant Miranda Wright – Masterclass leader and singing teacher Samling Academy; Head of Classical Singing Newcastle University; Durham Cathedral Choristers; National Youth Choirs of Great Britain
We enjoyed singing the MESSIAH CHORUSES and learning fun African songs with Mark Anyan
Director of Newcastle Choral Society; General Manager of National Youth Choir of Great Britain
If you are interested in joining the choir that ‘pushes the songboat out’ a little further than most choirs, register for an audition by contacting enquiries@newcastlechoralsociety.org.uk
Learn More
We had a special Summertime Treat on Saturday July 1st! Newcastle Choral Society led by Mark Anyan, joined forces with 60 children from 3 primary schools and the ‘Call Me Al’ quintet led by composer Alexander L’Estrange, to perform his joyous cantata ‘Ahoy’ Sing for the Mary Rose
This was a unique opportunity for the children from Seaton Sluice First School Whitley Bay, Eastlea Primary School Cramlington in south east Northumberland and from St Godrics RC Primary School in Durham to work with professional artists and the choir in the iconic Turbine Hall in The Castlegate, Melbourne Street Newcastle upon Tyne.
Specially designed banners hung from the 5m high steel columns in the Turbine Hall. Each school was given a signed banner to display in their school halls.
A quote from one of the Head teachers ‘It was a wonderful opportunity and I am sure that it is one that the children will remember forever. Thank you too for the banner which we will proudly hang in out school hall!‘
Funding was received from Hadrian Trust and the Roland Cookson Community Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
Support was also acknowledged from The Castlegate and Emma Bunting Creative Designer
Learn More
Bach ‘B Minor Mass’
Bach’s Mass in B minor stands as one of the finest works in all music.
Completed in the final years of his life it can be regarded as the crowning glory
in the career of one whom many regard as the greatest-ever composer
Saturday 25 March 2017 7.30
Banqueting Suite
Newcastle Civic Centre
Ruth Jenkins-Róbertsson soprano
Beth Mackay alto
Peter Davoren tenor
Andri Björn Róbertsson bass
Orchestra North East
Newcastle Choral Society
(Musical Director Mark Anyan)
£15 (£8 for those in full time education or
registered unemployed,
free to under 18s with a paying adult)
email: enquiries@newcastlechoralsociety.org.uk
Phone: 0191 2854868 or 0191 2866338
online www.wegottickets.com
That was a really interesting study morning with John Forsyth, in which we learned lots about the background and musical structure of #WarRequiem by #Britten. All in preparation for 10th November, when we will perform this with Cleveland Philharmonic Choir and others, under the guidance of John, at the Sage Gateshead. So make a note in your diary for this special occasion.
Then we had a wonderful singing afternoon with the inspirational David Temple through 'the Codebreaker' by McCarthy. A wonderful piece that will certainly appear on our programme soon.
We couldn't have done it with the great guest singers from Cleveland Philharmonic Choir and Hertfordshire Chorus, and of course our accompanist Jim Morgan, ever patient and smiling. What a great cooperation by all!
Looking forward to tomorrow's study day and workshop. Such a treat. First we will find out about Britten's War Requiem, presented by John Forsyth. In the afternoon, we will be introduced to McCarthy's 'Codebreaker' by David Temple. This will be wonderful: a treat from Newcastle Choral to its members. We are pleased we are joined by singers from Cleveland Philharmonic Choir and Hertfordshire Choir. See you all tomorrow!
Ready for the new term? Yes, we are looking forward to the varied programme we are starting: a 'light' summer programme with various shorter pieces and then of course Britten's War Requiem with @Clevelandphilharmonicchoir in November Sage Gateshead. Tonight, 7.30pm St John's, Kingston Park, #Newcastle. Not too late to join our friendly and welcoming choir for this adventure!