Concerts Archive

In support of Help for Heroes.

28 March 2009 - Chester Cathedral

Our next Festival Concert of 28th March 2009 is in support of Help For Heroes

Website: http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk

121st Festival Concert with the Band of the Royal Air Force College at Chester Cathedral on Saturday 28th March 2009. Tickets now on sale from Chester Cathedral Box Office.

28 March 2009 - Chester Cathedral

The Choir celebrates 60 years of Festival Concerts with its 121st Festival on Saturday 28th March 2009 at Chester Cathedral with the Band of the Royal Air Force College. (The Band plays by permission of the Air Force Board of the Defence Council). Ticket Prices £15.00 reserved and £10.00 unreserved
Available from Chester Cathedral 01244 500959

Telephone: 01244 500959
Website: http://www.chestercathedral.com

Christmas Concert at Trinity Church, Ellesmere Port - Saturday 13th December 2008

13 December 2008 - Trinity Methodist Church, Ellesmere Port

In December the City of Chester Male Voice Choir have the following engagements:-
Friday 5th December - The Tree of Lights Service at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
Friday 12th December - Christmas Concert (with Chester Ladies Choir) at All Saints Church Hoole.
Saturday 13th December - Christmas Concert (with Chester Ladies) at Trinity Church, Ellesmere Port

Telephone: 01244 881352

Christmas Concert at All Saints Church, Hoole - Friday 12th December 2008

12 December 2008 - All Saints Church, Hoole

Telephone: 01244 881352

Tree of Lights Service at the Countess of Chester Hospital - Friday 5th December 2008.

5 December 2008 - The Countess of Chester Hospital

Telephone: For further details ring 01244 881352

Tarporley League of Friends at Eaton Hall Wednesday 22nd October 2008

22 October 2008 - Eaton Hall (by kind permission of His Grace the Duke of Westminster)

A conert for Tarporley League of Friends at Eaton Hall, Chester

Telephone: 01244 349931

St Bridget's Church, West Kirby, Friday 19th September 2008

19 September 2008 - St. Bridget's Church, West Kirby

Concert aq At. Bridget's Church, West Kirby, Friday 19th September 2008. For further details ring 01244 349931

Telephone: 01244 349931

St. David's Church, Eastham, Saturday 1st November 2008

1 November 2008 - St. David's Church, Eastham Wirral.

For further details telephone 01244 349931

Telephone: 01244 349931

Llay Organ Society July Concert. 23rd July 2008

23 July 2008 - Llay British Legion Club, Llay, Wrexham

The organist for the July Concert will be Ian House who is regarded as a rising star on the Electronic Organ and Keyboard circuit. Tickets will be £4 on the door or can be reserved by contacting the Chairman and Secretary (Ron Jones and Beryl Henning) of the Llay Organ Society on 01978 351475. Doors will open at 6.45pm for 7.20 when the choir will perforn their "pre-concert" spot. Our website address is www.llayorgansociety.co.uk

Telephone: 01978 351475
Website: http://www.llayorgansociety.co.uk

Hamilton Street Methodist Church - 21st June 2008

21 June 2008 - Hamilton Street Methodist Church, Hoole

An Evening with

The City of Chester
Male Voice Choir
&
Simon Bate

Saturday 21st June 2008
at Hamilton Street Church, Hoole, Chester

Hamilton Street Methodist Church is where the City of Chester Male Voice Choir hold their rehearsals, and it is fitting that they give an annual concert at this increasingly popular concert venue. Their concert this year took place on Saturday evening, 21st June, in which their conductor, Rodney T Jones, directed and introduced (in a splendidly entertaining way) a well varied programme, superbly accompanied by Helen Everett.

They performed four groups of pieces, one at the start and end of each half. “Battle Hymn of the Republic” opened the first group in a thrilling performance, with effective “drum beats” in the accompaniment as well as in the voices, followed by a contrasting quieter music in “Bring Him Home” from Les Misèrables, in which some intonation was slightly variable but did not detract from the overall moving atmosphere. Rodney Jones explained the “round” form of Mozart’s “Dona Nobis Pacem” in which the individual melodic lines came over with great clarity, while in Mansell Thomas’ arrangement of “Llanfair” the choir produced a gloriously sonorous sound in the fuller harmonies here.

Mozart was again represented in the first item of the choir’s closing group of Part One: “O Isis and Osiris” from The Magic Flute, which was given a moving performance, with good control of dynamics and a sonorous tone. Randall Thompson’s “The Pasture” was one of the most memorable items in the concert, including some lovely unaccompanied phrases before the gentle accompaniment re-entered near the end, and then we heard a great contrast in “Rhythm of Life” (from Sweet Charity), to end Part One, full of vigour, jollity, excellent diction at fast speeds, with all the contrapuntal lines clear and the modulation well brought off – splendid!

Gounod’s “Soldiers’ Chorus” from Faust made a superbly vigorous start to Part Two, including some effective, quieter phrases and an outstanding contribution from Helen Everett’s playing, which was also much in evidence in two pieces from “A Sprig of Thyme”, arranged by John Rutter – (a) “Down by the Salley Gardens”, and (b) “The Miller of Dee”, this being given a rousing performance! Rodney Jones commented that the Dee referred to in that song is the river which flows through Chester! – and that this was the first time they had sung the next item, “Portrait of my Love”, which came over as if they had given many performances!, in a lovely reading, with effective harmonies, especially in a modulation near the end. They closed this opening group of Part Two with an uplifting, sonorous performance of “Some Enchanted Evening” from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, with much attention to detail especially in the dynamics.

To conclude the concert, the choir sang three more items, starting with a fine, stirring performance of John Tudor Davies’ “Gwahoddiad”, followed by a wonderfully moving, uplifting reading of “I Believe”, with especially effective dynamics and sonorous sound. Then the Church’s organist and concert organiser, John Evans, gave a vote of thanks before the choir gave us a splendid ending to their concert in “You’ll Never Walk Alone”.

In the middle of each half, we were treated to some amazing, absolutely outstanding performances by Simon Bate, a final year pupil from Chester’s King’s School, who plans to read music at university. His first item in Part Two was a piano solo – “Nocturne in B flat minor” by Chopin, in which he displayed a fine, accurate piano technique as well as a superb poetic feeling and control of the overall structure; really memorable! His other five contributions were on trumpet and his choice of pieces displayed a very wide range of styles, which gave him opportunity to let us hear his outstanding versatility, admirably accompanied at the piano by John Higgins, who is clearly a very fine musician, the combination of the two of them making for truly memorable music making! Simon opened his group of three trumpet pieces in Part One with a sprightly reading of Boyce’s “Trumpet Voluntary”, notable for excellent control of dynamics. Then came a moving performance of “Ave Maria” (Bach/Gounod) where Simon had fine breath control through the long, sustained notes and a good variety of tone colour, with John providing a particularly sensitive piano accompaniment. This group ended with a truly brilliant display of virtuosity from both players in the variations of Bellstedt’s “Napoli”, including some amazing agility! After the Chopin piano solo already mentioned, Simon went back to the trumpet for his remaining two pieces in the middle of Part Two – another change of style to ragtime in Alan Morrison’s “Buster Strikes Back”, again excellently characterised, followed by Jules Levy’s “Grand Russian Fantasia”, which was outstanding in every way, by both players - as well as much very sensitive playing, there was a considerable display of virtuosity, including Simon’s brilliant triple tonguing and clear high notes. He gave excellent introductions to all the pieces he played. From his performances in this concert, he has a fine musical future!

The whole concert was thoroughly enjoyed by an enthusiastic audience of about 80. On Saturday 12th July, the Church will be holding an evening of “Cabaret and Cuisine” – a 5-course meal together with cabaret-style entertainment by Church members and friends. The evening will be held in the church hall and lounge, and further details of this and other concerts at the Church can be obtained from John Evans (01244 674878).

Ian Milnes

Telephone: 01244 349931

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