Author Archives: vhk10

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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‘some of the most demanding work in the repertoire for bassoon’

Posted on October 1, 2016 by vhk10

So says the Wikipedia article on Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. Bassoons? Does the writer of this realise what the chorus sopranos are asked to do?! This is a work where you can’t tell by looking at a vocal line whether it … Continue reading →

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Lilies for William

Posted on September 25, 2016 by vhk10

Members of the Cathedral Chamber Choir reassembled a week later at St. Gabriel’s Church, Pimlico to remember William Wingate. William was a very long-standing member of the choir, who occasionally conducted it and sadly died recently before his time. Although … Continue reading →

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An alternative to the food festival

Posted on September 23, 2016 by vhk10

I was glad to revisit Lichfield with the Cathedral Chamber Choir as my last choir trip there, with another choir, was not a happy one and I wanted some fresher memories of the place. The choir room has been moved … Continue reading →

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My Lord Mayor’s Chapel début

Posted on September 12, 2016 by vhk10

I joined the choir of St Mary’s Bathwick to sing at the Assumptiontide Festival of the C of E Catholic Societies in Bristol. Actually that is a bit inaccurate because so many of that choir were away that fewer than … Continue reading →

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introit vs anthem

Posted on September 9, 2016 by vhk10

I went along to hear a choir drawn from an RSCM course sing at Bath Abbey (they are resident at Kingswood School every year). Looked out for the distinctive cassocks of St. Ann’s Manchester (no one else wears that shade … Continue reading →

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Three Choirs: the summing up

Posted on August 28, 2016 by vhk10

So now looking back at the whole enterprise – was it worth while?  Definitely.  From what I’ve heard it sounded like I picked a particularly vintage year in which to be involved.   The BBC really missed something by not … Continue reading →

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3 Choirs (7): Mahler’s Eighth Symphony

Posted on August 26, 2016 by vhk10

Phew! Finally I get near the end of writing up my Three Choirs activities. After a rest day on the Thursday the final outing for the Chorus (and large numbers of others) was Mahler 8. In preparation, I tried not … Continue reading →

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