LATEST NEWS
We were honoured & moved to sing at ….
Paul Spicer was requested by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to provide just 18 singers for this moving ceremony, 4 March, when Prince Harry dedicated ‘The Infinite Wave’ memorial in Cannon Hill Park to all those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks in Tunisia in 2015.
Prince Harry dedicating the memorial with the choir behind.
Paul says ' It was an honour and a privilege for members of the Birmingham Bach Choir to sing for the nationally significant event honouring the memory of the 31 people who died in the terrorist attacks in Sousse and Bardo . The choir had a hugely significant part to play in this very moving event which was attended by some 200 relatives of those who died. Singing for about half an hour before the ceremony, two pieces during the ceremony itself and then more as people dispersed there was a significant amount of music sung under challenging conditions not only weather-wise (wind and rain on Sunday at the rehearsal and freezing cold but sunny on the day) but also singing outdoors.’
Paul Spicer (back left) with the group of singers.
In all the ceremony was attended by approximately 300 invited people: The Duke of Sussex, families of the victims, Harriett Baldwin, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development, with responsibility for consular policy, various members of consular and FCO offices and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham with members of Birmingham City Council. The ceremony, led by BBC newsreader Ben Brown ( who reported from Sousse soon after the terrorist attacks in June 2015), included readings from families of the victims.
Paul’s choice included pieces by J S Bach, Brahms, Guest, Parry, Purcell, Rachmaninov & Schutz.
The two pieces sung during the ceremony were Elgar: ’They are at rest’ & Bruckner: ‘Locus Iste’.
The Right Hon Gisela Stuart said ” it was a deeply moving ceremony. The Choir sang with the utmost professionalism and its contribution added greatly to the mood of reflection and remembering, which I hope helped give people some solace.”
The ceremony was covered on BBC News please click for link.
Our Next Concert
Buy your tickets now!
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
Coming soon ……
STEAL AWAY - SPIRITUALS TO MELT THE HEART
Saturday 22 June 7.30 pm
Pershore Abbey, Pershore
Saturday 6 July 7.30 pm
CBSO Centre, Birmingham
CENTENARY CONCERT
Come and celebrate the music of Bach, Handel, and Haydn with us.
Orchestra : The Musical and Amicable Society
Soloists : Anita Watson, Samantha Price, Mark Wilde & Felix Kemp
Tickets on sale on this site from July 1.
Just announced: our next Come & Sing!
Saturday 1 Feb 2020
Music to be announced
Thank you to all who joined us to sing Elgar’s The Music Makers
Despite the fact many had never sung this work before we had a good turn out and made an excellent sound on 2nd Feb
"A couple of hundred singers coming together to sing Elgar’s wonderful The Music Makers on a two hour rehearsal was a great way
to get the Birmingham Bach Choir’s centenary season off to a flying start. This challenging work was eagerly devoured by everyone there
and, together with the choir’s own fabulous mezzo-soprano soloist Sarah Platt and wonderfully virtuosic and supportive pianist Martyn Rawles, the resulting performance was incredibly tight and had memorably beautiful sections. Altogether a triumph!” (Paul Spicer - Music Director).
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John Joubert March 1927 - January 2019
Last month the choir was 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
A small group of singers from the choir were very honoured to sing at his funeral, together with a small group from Ex-Cathedra,
at the beautiful church of St Nicolas in Kings Norton. Amongst the music we performed Joubert’s most beautiful
The Souls of the Righteous (which he composed for the funeral of his own brother) and Brahms Geistliches Lied
The connections between the choir and Joubert were many and close.
We send heartfelt condolences and warmest wishes to his widow, Mary, and to his daughter Anna and son Pierre.
We acknowledge with thanks the work of professional photographers Adrian Burrows, Frank Wood and Rob Gillespie, whose photographs appear on this website.
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