New Musical Director
Laura Jellicoe has departed for pastures new after four successful years with The Chorale. There were several highlights, but for many of us, the peak was the first performance of “Simple Pictures of Tomorrow”, which was commissioned by The Chorale from Bob Chilcott to celebrate our 25th. Anniversary. In addition, Concerts with the Emmanuel Ensemble and Emmanuel Brass, (Fauré’s Requiem, Rutter’s Gloria, etc), were also particularly memorable. Our thanks go to Laura for all her efforts and we wish her good fortune in her future endeavours.

We would therefore like to welcome our new musical director Jill Henderson-Wild, Jill's biographical notes can found by clicking on the “People” button, on the left.

25th Anniversary Concert
At the Manchester Chorale's Silver Jubilee Concert, the audience were treated to a programme of music including past and favourite works from the Chorale's varied repertoire, as well as the first public performance of the specially commissioned piece by Bob Chilcott. Simple Pictures of Tomorrow is a setting of a poem by Paul Eluard (1895 - 1952) translated by Gilbert Bowen. Bob Chilcott comments, "When asked to write this piece for the Manchester Chorale... I scored it for double choir to create a rich texture, designed to make the choir sing out with one voice." Conducted on this occasion by Bob Chilcott, it certainly moved the audience.

Performing as well were Rudimental Brass, the Emmanuel Brass Ensemble, Steven Mann (organ), and Chetham's School of Music Big Band, with a grand finale involving all musical groups and the Chorale performing various numbers, finishing with The Best of Times.

The Manchester Chorale was founded and funded by the BBC in 1979 with Jeffrey Wynn Davies as Musical Director under its original name of the Greater Manchester Radio Chorale. The links were re- established at this concert as not only was Jeff a special guest in the audience, but Heather Stott, presenter from Greater Manchester Radio was there to present the concert with her own suitably amusing anecdotes. The concert was recorded and broadcast for BBC GMR to give others the opportunity to hear the superb musical perfomance enjoyed that afternoon.

Silver Jubilee Season 2004/2005
September 2004 sees the start of The Chorale’s Silver Jubilee season. A number of events are to be held in celebration.

An original “a capella”
To mark the Silver Jubilee, the Chorale has commissioned an original “a capella” piece from Bob Chilcott, a former King's singer. This piece will be introduced at a Chorale Workshop on 18 September as one of the items for the day. The first public performance of that work will be at the Chorale’s Silver Jubilee concert, to be held at the Royal Northern College of Music on Sunday 5 December 2004 at 3pm. A host of friends and special guests will be there, and we hope you too will be in the audience on that occasion.

There will be other events, including a very special one at the end of January 2005, plus a number of concerts, culminating with a concert in Hawkshead in July 2005 so keep checking this web site for updates.

Chorale Workshop - Saturday 18 September
The Chorale is to host a day’s Choral(e!) Workshop led by Bob Chilcott.

The Manchester Chorale Easter Concert The Palm Sunday concert was very well received by a sell-out audience. The programme included Fauré's Requiem (with Emmanuel Ensemble) and Rutter's Gloria (with RNCM Brass Ensemble), plus Orchestral and Solo pieces. Our thanks go to the Reverend David Hughes, Bryan Fox, Ken Griffin, Pauline Jellicoe and the Emmanuel Ensemble for the huge contributions they made to the evening’s success.

Granada TV - My Favourite Hymns
The Manchester Chorale is appearing in My Favourite Hymns, recorded and produced by Granada Television.

Our first recording was made on 24 Nov 2003 in Manchester Cathedral. They liked us so much they have asked us to make a second recording on 5th March 2004 at St. Walburghs Church, Preston.

The Manchester Chorale were delighted to have been invited to sing Mozart's Coronation Mass in Faro, Portugal on 22nd June 2003. A new professional orchestra, the Orquestra do Algarve, celebrated its first anniversary with a performance of this joyous work. The orchestra is recording 4 CDs a year for Naxos, conducted by Alvaro Cassuto. He approached the Chorale following a recommendation from a colleague in Manchester. Members of Manchester Chorale were looked after extremely well during their stay in Portugal. As well as singing Mozart's Coronation Mass, members were introduced to local life in Faro by their generous hosts.

Rehearsal Time in Faro

Peter Gibson OBE - a world-acknowledged authority on painted glass, came to Tatton Park on December 15th 2003. At Tatton, he gave a specially devised talk, in honour of the church St Mary Rostherne, which is itself almost 1000 years old. Some of the slides he showed had never been seen before. He also included examples from windows in Daresbury & Gawsworth churches as well as St Ann’s Manchester, St Mary’s Chapel High Legh and others in Cheshire, Lancashire and far beyond.

This unique illustrated appreciation, in Words & Music, spanning more than 1000 years from the Age of the Venerable Bede in the 7th century, to the present day, was accompanied by members of the Manchester Chorale who sang appropriate Christmas music.