March 2011

Here are details of our next appearance in Robin Stevens' 'Spring Classics for Senegal'.

February 2011

Terry Jones (below with Denise at the Pearl Dinner) completed a 6 year term of office as The Chorale’s Chairman in January 2010. Those who have gone before will be aware of the time, commitment & sheer nervous energy that the post demands. Terry’s chairmanship saw the change in Musical Director from Laura Jellicoe to Jill Henderson Wild, the embedding of The Chorale’s strong relationship with Raymond Gubbay’s organisation & The Bridgewater Hall, and the continuing development of the rich variety of music and venues that The Chorale has long sought to embody. Six years might have broken any less a person, but Terry is not for breaking, and seemingly finished as strongly as he started. Long may he still find the breath to contribute to the bass line!

Alan Hazell takes over the reins.

January 2011

The concert scheduled for March 19th in Royton has been cancelled.

A new concert has been arranged for May 21st at St Bernard's Church, Burnage

December 2010

The concert scheduled for December 5th at New Bridge School has been cancelled.

October 2010

The new season is well underway with a BBC daily Service and a full concert already under our belts.

September 2009

Season kicks off with the annual Chorale Barbecue

A dull day but great food, masterfully cooked and wonderful hospitality from Heather

Chairman Barbeercuing

June 2009

The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT)

The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) is the national charity conserving England’s most beautiful and historic churches that are no longer needed for regular worship. It promotes public enjoyment of these churches, and encourages their use as an educational and community resource. It currently cares for some 340 churches, from virtually untouched medieval churches in idyllic rural settings to ornate Victorian landmarks.  As part of its birthday celebrations CCT is inviting Making Music’s vocal groups to take over one of its churches and hold a public event, such as a concert, workshop or scratch-choir day.

You can find out more about the 340 buildings owned by the Trust at www.visitchurches.org.uk.

Aldeburgh visit a success!

A substantial audience in the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul, Aldeburgh showed there appreciation of some fine choral and solo singing on a pleasant May evening by the sea. This was followed by a Sunday morning service in the same church. We sang well, we ate well and had a wonderful time in this delightful place. A return visit is a distinct possibility.

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Hawkshead 2010 date fixed

Our concert in Hawkshead will take place on Saturday 10th July

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Bolton Abbey Priory 2010

The Chorale has been invited on a return visit  (we were there last in July 2007)
Date: Sat 29th May 2010; Time: 19:30
Location: Bolton Abbey Priory Church  in the village of Bolton Abbey in North Yorkshire Ticket price : Yet to be announced - Enquire at Bolton Priory (www.boltonpriory.org.uk )

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Cameo Aid Concert

We will be presenting a concert in support of Cameo-Aid (www.cameo-aid.org) at St Bernadette's Church, Whitefield on Saturday 27th June 2009.

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BBC Morning Services

Since October 2007 we have sung in several Monday morning Daily Services for the BBC, which are broadcast live from Emmanuel Church, Didsbury. The next one is on the 29th June 2009 and we hope to continue to take part in this service about once every three months

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January 2009

Carmina Burana

Plans are afoot for a performance of Carmina Burana with Stockport Grammar School on 4th.April, 2009.

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St George's Day Gala

Sunday 26th April, 2009 at the Bridgewater Hall (a Raymond Gubbay concert).

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Tour to Aldeburgh

The Chorale will be putting on a concert at the church of St Peter and St Paul, Aldeburgh on 2nd May 2009, followed by a church service the following morning.

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30th Anniversary

Since the Chorale was founded in 1979 we have yet another (not really needed) excuse for a celebration! Watch this space, (especially Former Members) for developments

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Hawkshead 2010

Our next opportunity to continue our long-standing arrangement of singing in Hawkshead, in the Lake District, will take place in July 2010. A wonderful venue and a great opportunity to avoid fell-walking.

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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.

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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.

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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 held a day’s Choral(e!) Workshop led by Bob Chilcott.

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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.

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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.

Performances to be broadcast:

Sunday 15th Feb - My Favourite Hymns - 11 am ITV1

Sunday 7th March - My Favourite Hymns - 11 am ITV1

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Mozart's Coronation Mass in Faro, Portugal 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

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Christmas through the Windows of the World Peter Gibson OBE - a world-acknowledged authority on painted glass, came to Tatton Park where he gave a specially devised talk, in honour of the church St Mary Rostherne, which is itself almost 1000 years old. Members of the Manchester Chorale sang appropriate Christmas music, as Peter in Words and Music, gave this unique illustrated presentation, spanning more than 1000 years from the Age of the Venerable Bede in the 7th century, to the present day.