Author Archives: vhk10

Belshazzar’s Feast with a pounding heart

Posted on December 22, 2016 by vhk10

On to Belshazzar (I would say ‘onwards and upwards’ but I don’t think there is any ‘upwards’, in any sense, after the Missa Solemnis). I have had terrible difficulties driving to rehearsals in Bristol this term, and tried to get … Continue reading →

Posted in broadcasts, singing in concerts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Missa Solemnis is singable

Posted on November 24, 2016 by vhk10

So the great day finally came round, and I got to sing the Missa Solemnis with Gloucester Choral Society and the Bristol Ensemble in Gloucester Cathedral. I wrote earlier of the particular difficulties of performing this piece. It wasn’t Beethoven’s … Continue reading →

Posted in singing in concerts | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bath Mozartfest 2016

Posted on November 22, 2016 by vhk10

There has been so much going on that this report is going to be rather brief. Between us we got to three concerts. My husband went to hear Winterreise in the Guildhall, performed by Roderick Williams and Roger Vignoles, which … Continue reading →

Posted in going to concerts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

an unsatisfactory seat at ENO

Posted on November 13, 2016 by vhk10

After watching from a distance some belated but spectacular fireworks originating (I was told) at Somerset House, I went to the new production of Lulu at English National Opera. I have already seen this production in the cinema. The distinguishing … Continue reading →

Posted in going to operas | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Two festivals merge

Posted on November 12, 2016 by vhk10

The Bath International Music Festival is to merge with the Bath Literature Festival into a single festival that will run for 10 days in May 2017 and 17 days in subsequent years, with a greater rôle for jazz. This can … Continue reading →

Posted in festivals | Tagged , | Leave a comment

when the conductor is ill

Posted on November 12, 2016 by vhk10

I went along to hear Priory Voices sing Evensong with music by Stanford and S S Wesley at Wells Cathedral. The founder and usual conductor is not able to conduct at the moment so members of the choir are (very … Continue reading →

Posted in going to services | Tagged , | 1 Comment

a free ticket to Cavalli

Posted on November 11, 2016 by vhk10

I won a pair of tickets to Cavalli’s La Calisto performed by English Touring Opera at Bath’s Theatre Royal, thanks to a competition in the Bath Chronicle. Cavalli has been chosen before by this company. La Calisto is his best-known … Continue reading →

Posted in opera | Leave a comment

30 years of the Bath Camerata

Posted on November 4, 2016 by vhk10

I dashed back from Gloucester on the train to get to the Bath Camerata’s 30th birthday concert in the Pump Room. Ten years ago the 20th birthday was celebrated at a Good Friday concert which I sang in. This time … Continue reading →

Posted in going to concerts | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Double Gloucester

Posted on October 31, 2016 by vhk10

Back in Gloucester again, this time for a weekend at the Cathedral with the Erleigh Cantors. As has happened here before, we had an out of the ordinary service to sing, in this case a farewell Eucharist in the nave … Continue reading →

Posted in singing at services | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My Museum of Bath Architecture début

Posted on October 25, 2016 by vhk10

The Museum of Bath Architecture (formerly the Building of Bath Museum) has occasional concert series. I remember hearing the Paragon Singers (appropriately enough) there some years ago. I was fortunate to be invited to sing with the 10-strong choir of … Continue reading →

Posted in singing in concerts | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Michael Tippett Centre début

Posted on October 19, 2016 by vhk10

I’ve only been to Bath Spa University’s Michael Tippett Centre a handful of times. Not long after I moved to Bath I had a disastrous audition there, and I seem to recall rehearsing the Millennium performance of Mahler 8 there … Continue reading →

Posted in singing at services | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

three degrees of choral separation

Posted on October 8, 2016 by vhk10

A couple of times recently I’ve found myself sharing a choral acquaintance with someone I know and been told ‘Small world!’. But should people be all that surprised? How many removes am I from most active (by which I mean … Continue reading →

Posted in choirs | Leave a comment