We’re very sorry to announce that our ‘Petite Messe Solennelle’ concert has been cancelled, due to the current coronavirus situation.
Our singers have loved learning Rossini’s beautiful work, and we hope to reschedule the concert at a later date.
We look forward to future music making.
Our Messiah concert on 16th November was a wonderful occasion for both performers and audience. So many people came to hear the concert that the conductor and performers had to be turned back five times, as people were still arriving and more chairs had to be found! Eventually we were all settled and that wonderful music began…
Handel certainly knew how to write music that is a pleasure to sing! We received many compliments from members of the audience on our diction, phrasing, dynamics and energy. One ordained listener said that the concert was an inspiring spiritual experience for him.
Please click the arrows to see photos from all sections of the choir.
The Musical and Amicable Society were a perfect balance to the choir. They played beautifully and effortlessly.
” The trumpet shall sound”
What did our concert have in common with the royal wedding of Harry and Meghan? David Blackadder, the trumpeter! At the royal wedding he played Handel’s beautiful ‘Eternal Source of Light Divine, with the soprano Elin Manahan Thomas.
He is on the right of this photo, with Matthew Frost.
Our wonderful soloists: James Williams, baritone, Phillipa Thomas, Mezzo, Penelope Appleyard, soprano and Xavier Hetherington, tenor.
The man who brought it all together: our talented Music Director David Wynne. His wardrobe of shoes is a constant source of fascination!
We were delighted with the standing ovation and long applause at the end of the concert . A memorable concert from start to finish!
Many thanks to Alfred White for this wonderful gallery of photographs. Thank you also to Mary Keating for the picture of ‘the shoes’ and one other from her seat in the audience.
UPDATE: They did it! The sponsored walk to raise money in memory of Alan Clawley took place on Saturday 5th October. £2022 was raised. Scroll down to read all about it!
Barry, one of our tenors, is doing a sponsored walk on Saturday 5th October in memory of our friend and fellow tenor Alan Clawley, who died in April 2018. The money raised will be split 50/50 between the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue CIO, a charity supported by Alan, his widow Hazel and family, and Birmingham Festival Choral Society, of which both Hazel and Alan have been longstanding members. Click here if you would like to donate.
Alan was an architect who was a passionate champion of Birmingham’s post-war architecture. As a Green Party activist he wanted to see buildings reused in a sustainable way rather than cast aside. He was very active in the community, and was described as ‘a “quiet colossus”; a thoroughly dependable man, the sort of person who just took care of the things that others wouldn’t volunteer for’.
Read the full Birmingham Live tribute to Alan here.
Barry’s Walk will take place on Saturday 5 October and is about 15 miles. He will be joined by a number of fellow singers. They plan to walk to venues in Birmingham where our choir has performed. They’ll start at Grand Central Station, then to Carrs Lane Church, St Martin’s in the Bull Ring, St Alban’s Highgate, Trefoil House, St George’s Edgbaston, Edgbaston High School, King Edward’s School, Bramall Music Building at Birmingham University, Lordswood Girls School Harborne, St Augustine’s Edgbaston, The Oratory, Ladywood ARC, St Paul’s in the Jewellery Quarter, St Philip’s Cathedral and back to Grand Central. Please support Barry and his friends and know that your donation will be split equally between two worthwhile, but very different charities
If you would prefer to give in cash, rather than donating online, please speak to a choir member, or E mail fundraising@bfcs.org.
