LATEST NEWS
John Joubert March 1927 - January 2019
The choir is deeply saddened to hear of the death of its long time Patron, friend and supporter, John Joubert whose wife Mary sang with the choir for many years
John Joubert (at Choir party 2012)
The Birmingham Bach Choir commissioned Joubert’s Rochester Triptych and Blest Glorious Man.
We performed many of his choral works over the years including Torches, There is no Rose, A Hymn to God the Father, O Lorde, the maker of all thing, The Souls of the Righteous, Five Songs of incarnation and I sing of a maiden.
Additionally, Paul Spicer recorded a disc of Joubert’s choral works with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir for the composer’s 90th birthday last year.
The connections have been many, close and long and add to the real sense of sadness in John’s passing.
We send heartfelt condolences and warmest wishes to his widow, Mary, and to his daughter Anna and son Pierre.
Special Concerts & Events to celebrate our 1919-2019 centenary
Our centenary year Come & Sing!
Saturday 2nd February 2019
Selly Oak Methodist Church
Our Come & Sing is always a great day of singing, socialising and of course enjoying the wonderful home-made cakes.
Elgar’s The Music Makers is a departure for us from better known choral pieces but something we believe many of you would love the chance to sing.
MUSIC FOR PASSIONTIDE
A beautiful concert of Herbert Howells Requiem, plus music by JS Bach, Bruckner,
Lassus, Leighton, Lotti & Tallis
Tickets & more info available here
Special Recital
As part of our centenary year 2019 we announce the renowned baritone Roderick Williams will be giving a recital:
Thursday 9 May 2019, Routh Hall, Bromsgrove School.
Roderick will be singing Beethoven and Schubert song cycles.
Tickets on sale now - click here
HEAR THE CHOIR conducted by Paul Spicer
singing Duncan Fielden’s new carol: There is no rose
Baritone section in St Albans, Dec 2018
(16 Dec 2018 at The Service of Nine Lessons & Carols, St Albans, Highgate, Birmingham.)
Thanks to Daryl Barber for the recording from the congregation
NEWS …….
Runner up in the BBC Radio3 Breakfast Carol Competition 2018 !
David Hughes, a singer in our baritone section, runner up Breakfast - Radio 3 Carol Competition 2018 - BBC Radio 3
David Hughes, runner up of BBC Radio 3 Breakfast Carol Competition 2018
David’s arrangement The Bee Carol, is based on a poem by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy.
The judges including Master of The Queen’s Music, and former CBSO resident composer, Judith Weir, plus esteemed choral composer and conductor Bob Chilcott chose just six finalists from among over 400 entries.
These six finalists were announced on the Radio3 Breakfast Show on Wednesday 12 December when each could be heard
performed in full by The BBC Singers
Following a public vote David Hughes was announced runner up 21 December.
His carol can be heard now:
Breakfast - Radio 3 Carol Competition 2018 - BBC Radio 3
CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVID
Darrel Chan: a name to watch….
Darrel was our student conductor 2017-18 season.
Darrel's choral conducting career is taking off. He will graduate January 2019 in the Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Choral Conducting at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Over the summer he was conducting mentor at Paul Spicer’s English Choral Experience week-long workshop in Hereford (choral conducting course) and has been spending his Saturdays at The Guildhall in London as the newly appointed Choral Conductor for the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama’s Chamber Choir. He also says he has “just finished a recording of Nicola Porpora’s Dixit Dominus in G, potentially the first recording ever (as I can’t find any on Spotify + YouTube)” with the RBC Chamber Choir.
A name to watch….We wish him every success.
Darrel Chan
Darrel is a frequent visitor at our Wednesday rehearsals, stepping in to accompany or conduct when needed but mostly singing in the alto section.
We acknowledge with thanks the work of professional photographers Adrian Burrows, Frank Wood and Rob Gillespie, whose photographs appear on this website.
