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For tickets for any of our concerts, to book the Wedding Choir, or to book the choir
for your event, contact our concert secretary, Ros Meehan, on 07862 736766
Saturday 30th March at 7.30pm at Bolton Parish Church – “Bach and Beyond!”
The first half of this concert consisted of pieces in German, with links
to Bach. These included a
simpler setting of the Magnificat, by Heinrich Schütz (1582-1672), and a setting
of an Irish folk tale “Die Traurige Krönung” – the Mournful Coronation – by
Hugo Distler (1908-1942). Taking advantage
of having an orchestra, we also performed Handel’s “Zadok the Priest”, accompanied
by the Parish church organ, which shook the rafters, and Haydn’s “Insanae
et Vanae Curae”,. A first half of well known, and some not so well known, pieces.
The second half of the concert was Bach's "The
Magnificat". Most people will know Bach's Magnificat, his setting of the Song of Mary, her response
when the angel visits her to tell her she is going to be the mother of Jesus Christ. "My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour". It is one of Bach’s most performed works, and
we were lucky to be able to perform it in the wonderful setting of Bolton Parish church, accompanied by
a baroque orchestra, including trumpets and timpani. We had a really good audience, who appeared
to really enjoy the concert, and we had some wonderful feedback. The Parish Church put on refreshments in the interval,
so everyone could mingle, and chat about the concert. It was a lovely evening!
Saturday 1st December at 7.30pm at St Paul's
church, Astley Bridge. The main part of the concert was "The Manchester Carols", but also included
some old favourites, and some traditional carols in which the audience joined with gusto! The Manchester Carols is a cycle of poems by Carol Ann Duffy set to music by Sasha Johnson Manning.
Premiered in 2007 at the Royal Northern College of Music, the aim of the writers was to make the carol contemporary again
and to reawaken us to its potential power in the 21st century. In this they have succeeded remarkably well, producing
thought-provoking poetry which engages with the modern world and music which is instantly appealing and eminently singable.
The piece was a challenge for us, but was so well received on the night, that we enjoyed ourselves enormously.
And the Church members must have enjoyed it, as they have already booked us for December 2020!!
Autumn 2018 - Tour of Majorca
Saturday
27th October, 20:00h
in the Church of St Jaume, Palma, Majorca. the priest said Mass first,
and then at about 8.30pm, we sang a full concert. Richard Lea accompanied us on the church organ, and Eunice
Coates turned the pages for him, and pulled out stops as requested. So of course, we sang Handel's "Zadok
the Priest", and Colin Mawby's "Ave Verum Corpus". Other items included Rory Johnston's
"O Sacrum Convivium", Eric Whitacre's "This Marriage", and Caccini's "Ave Maria",
arranged for the Brixi Singers by Dr A H Claire. It was a wonderful church in which to sing, and we all enjoyed
ourselves, choir and congregation!
 Sunday 28th October 12:00h,
we sang Mass in the Palma La Seu Cathedral,
followed by a short concert of 3-4 appropriate pieces. During the Mass, accompanied by Richard Lea at the organ, we
sang, amongst others, Thomas Weelkes' "Hosanna to the Son of David", the Sanctus by Thomas Tallis,
and Viadana's "Exsultate Justi". During Communion, we sang Rory Johnston's "O
Sacrum Convivium", and Cacchini's "Ave Maria", arranged for the Brixi Singers by Dr A H Claire.
The three pieces after the Mass included Handel's "Zadok the Priest", and Henry Purcell's
"Hear my prayer". The short concert finished with Colin Mawby's "Ave Verum Corpus". Most
of the large congregation stayed after the Mass to hear these extra pieces, and the whole thing was very well received.
It was wonderful to sing so near the Catalan Modernist work of Gaudi, which included an enormous crown-of-throns illuminated
canopy that hangs over the altar. And we were so close to his redecoration of the chancel, using natural flower
and leaf motifs, that we could have touched it. Not many tourists get that close!
 In the evening of Sunday 28th October,
we travelled by coach to Campos, for a joint concert with the Coral Sant Julia. the picture shows the Coral,
with posters advertising our concert, waiting for us. When we arrived, they were all waiting outside the
church, and sang us a welcome. Nary a dry eye in the Brixi! The concert itself was amazing, and the
Coral were very complimentary about our accents in the 2 joint pieces - (one of which was in English, so that was a
bit of a cheat, "What the Lord has done in me"). The second piece was called "Te Quiero",
which apparently means "I love you" - "como la tierra al sol" - like the earth loves the sun.
 Campos Town Council had sponsored the concert, and at the
end of the concert, one of the town officials presented each choir with a large dish decorated with a scene
of Campos. You will be pleased to know that we got our large dish home in one piece, and it resides splendidly on Rory's
sideboard! The evening finished with a buffet of Mallorcan dishes, lots of wine, and so much singing,
it was almost another concert! The most marvellous aspect was that only 2 of the Coral spoke English, and very
few of us spoke more Spanish or Catalan than was needed to ask for a beer. But it didn't matter. as the saying
goes "where words fail, music speaks"!
Monday 29th October – we finished off with a short concert in the Dragon caves – Richard
Lea conducting us in the darkness! A magical experience, though, to
sing in a huge underground cavern, half the audience wondering where this music was coming from!
We were then taken in a boat across the underground lake, so of course, we sang again!
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