a community choir of all ages and experiences.
We have two aims – to enjoy a good sing together and to raise money for St Michael’s Hospice.
Our concerts are eclectic.
We love all music and try to include many different styles in each performance from popular classics to show tunes, pop songs and unusual items you may not have heard before.
The singing will be interspersed with instrumental items on the organ and piano, and we often make the audience do some work too. We want you to leave our concerts with a smile on your face!
Our Summer concerts will be on
11th June 7pm at
St Peter & St Paul’s Church, Parkstone Road Hastings.
And on the 25th June 7pm at
Bexhill United Reformed Church, Cantelupe Road Bexhill.
The entrance for both concerts is £5 each and there will be a retiring collection, all of which will go to support our local Hospice.
Come and join us for a marvellous musical journey from the Cornish coast to the Moon by way of King Arthur’s Court and Rydell High, featuring music by Mancini, Vaughan Williams, Beethoven and Billy Joel.
Monthly Archives: February 2016
THE PRINCE ALBERT STATUE – Hastings
Planning permission to erect the statue of Prince Albert on a new Portland stone plinth alongside the Town Hall is now in place. Funds for this community project are being raised by the Albert Statue Group.
To make a donation, or for information about the project, please e-mail:
An illustrated booklet, The Story of Albert and his Memorial, has been produced by Brian Lawes and Hastings Local History Group. This costs £3 and is available from BOOK-BUSTER, 39 Queen’s Road, Hastings (open 9am-6pm Mon to Sat; 10am-4pm Sun).
All proceeds from the sale of the booklet go towards the project.
ENO: The Magic Flute
London Coliseum, 5 February 2016
There are as many approaches to The Magic Flute as there are directors to stage them, but Simon McBurney’s has to be one of the most engaging of recent attempts. Visually exciting throughout, the videos and rapid lighting changes never inhibit the music. Added to this, the raised pit adds a cutting edge to the orchestral sound which is crisper than usual.
If some of the ideas wear less well as the evening draws on – the birds are fine the first time but after that lose their impact – the basic concept is sound and puts the complex narrative line to the fore.
The revival is also cast from strength. Allan Clayton may not look the dashing hero but he sings with easy lyricism and is a fine foil for Lucy Crowe’s radiant Pamina. James Creswell is a rock as Sarastro, not only in the gravitas of the voice but the authority he brings by his presence. Peter Coleman-Wright is a surprisingly elderly Papagano, though there is nothing in the text to preclude this, and his humour is more reserved than most other singers in this part. Ambur Braid certainly has the coloratura for the Queen of Night but sounded rather harsh edged on the first night. Hopefully it will settle as the run proceeds. Smaller parts are all well sung, particularly the three boys dressed – in this production – as old men.
The staging includes a large number of extras, some of whom are justified, some simply get in the way. The same is true of the use of the orchestra pit as an entrance – there are times when it works well and others when it distracts from the action. A little gentle rethinking here could smooth the transitions.
Mark Wigglesworth drives the score with enthusiasm and his chorus respond succinctly.
There are twelve more performances until 19 March 2016.
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra appoints Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla as its Music Director
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is delighted to announce that Lithuanian conductor Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla has been appointed as its 12th Music Director, with effect from September 2016 for an initial three-year period.
Gražinyte-Tyla made her debut with the CBSO in July 2015 and impressed the Orchestra so much that she returned last month to conduct a specially arranged concert featuring works by Debussy, Schumann and Sibelius. Following an extensive search process led by a committee made up of CBSO musicians, board members and management, and with strong support from Orchestra and audience alike, a unanimous decision was made by the board of trustees to invite Gražinyte-Tyla to be the CBSO’s next Music Director. She succeeds Andris Nelsons, who held the position from 2008-2015.
The CBSO is known for performing the widest range of orchestral and choral music, and Gražinyte-Tyla will continue this tradition in her role as Music Director. Her artistic plans with the CBSO will range widely from Mozart and Haydn to 20thcentury classics and works by living composers. Coming from the strong choral traditions of the Baltic states (her father is a choir conductor in Lithuania), and following her role in Salzburg, she will also lead opera projects in Birmingham and will work closely with Simon Halsey CBE, CBSO Chorus Director, on projects with the CBSO’s internationally renowned choruses. Full details of the CBSO’s 2016-17 concert season in Symphony Hall, Birmingham will be announced in April 2016.
Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla said:
‘Every single musician of the CBSO is an artist with great individuality and sense of responsibility. They are driven to be one of the world’s leading orchestras and their shared spirit for team work helps them to achieve this. I felt so at ease working with the Orchestra at the CBSO Centre and at Symphony Hall and I can’t wait to get started and to call these my homes too. I am also very excited about working with the CBSO family including its brilliant choirs led by Simon Halsey, and getting involved with its extensive learning and participation programme both locally and further afield. I believe we will be a great team and really look forward to making music together.’
CBSO Chief Executive Stephen Maddock commented:
‘We are absolutely delighted to be appointing Mirga as the CBSO’s next Music Director. There was an instant chemistry between Mirga and our musicians, and the excitement in Symphony Hall at her concerts both on stage and in the audience was palpable. The CBSO is world-famous for its track record in finding brilliant young conducting talent: Sir Simon Rattle, appointed at just 25 years old, held the post for 18 years before moving to the Berlin Philharmonic. He passed the baton to the superbly talented Sakari Oramo (appointed at 30), who is now with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Andris Nelsons (appointed at 28) had seven wonderful years here and has gone on to lead the Boston Symphony and Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestras. Mirga is 29 and is thrilling audiences wherever she goes: we can’t wait to start making music with her.’
Gražinyte-Tyla has been Music Director of the Salzburg Landestheater since 2015. She is currently the Assistant Conductor at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, where she was a Dudamel Fellow in 2012-13, and she takes up a new post of Associate Conductor from July 2016. She won the prestigious Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award in 2012.
EMINENT BRITISH STARS COME TO GARSINGTON OPERA
Garsington Opera’s 2016 season, from 3 June to 17 July, will present Tchaikovsky’s powerful Eugene Onegin, Mozart’s great opera seria Idomeneo, Rossini’s sparkling L’italiana in Algeri, and an innovative collaboration with Rambert, one of Britain’s leading dance companies, with a unique realisation of Haydn’s The Creation combining music and dance.
Garsington Opera welcomes celebrated British artists of international distinction. Toby Spence (tenor) and Roderick Williams (baritone) make both title role and festival debuts, the former in Idomeneo and the latterEugene Onegin. Michael Boyd (director), former Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company andTom Piper (designer), praised for his commemorative poppy installation, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Redat the Tower of London, produce Eugene Onegin, conducted by Douglas Boyd (Garsington Opera’s Artistic Director). Tim Albery (director) and Hannah Clark (designer), whose recent designs for Queen Anne at the RSC were critically acclaimed, produce Idomeneo with leading Swedish conductor Tobias Ringborg. Will Tuckett (director), director of The Royal Ballet’s acclaimed production of Elizabeth, and George Souglides(designer) combine with distinguished Rossini expert David Parry (conductor) for a new production of L’italiana in Algeri.
Garsington Opera continues its policy of seeking out the very best singers from around the world and showcasing rising stars from Britain. The distinguished Garsington Opera Orchestra, many of whom have been with the company for over 20 years, will be joined by the Garsington Opera Chorus, comprising emerging talent from the UK and beyond.
EUGENE ONEGIN
Based on Russian poet and author Alexander Pushkin’s novella, Tchaikovsky’s powerful and moving opera about youth and first love features British baritone Roderick Williams making his debut in the title role and Welsh soprano Natalya Romaniw making her role debut as the young heroine Tatyana. Lithuanian mezzo-soprano Jurgita Adamonyt? sings Olga and Cardiff Singer of the World 2015 finalist Ukrainian tenor Oleksiy Palchykov sings Lensky. The role of Prince Gremin is sung by international bass Brindley Sherratt. They are joined by Louise Winter (Larina), Kathleen Wilkinson(Filippyevna) and Mark Wilde (Triquet). Douglas Boyd conducts with Michael Boyd, a fluent Russian speaker, directing and Tom Piper designing.
IDOMENEO
War hero Idomeneo, to be sung by international opera star Toby Spence making his debut in the title role, promises the gods he will sacrifice the first person he sees in return for a safe passage. That person is his son Idamante, to be sung by Australian mezzo-soprano Caitlin Hulcup. Added to the anguished love triangle between his son, the Trojan princess Ilia, performed by rising star Louise Alder, and Greek princess Elettra sung by Rebecca von Lipinski, a terrible struggle ensues between fatherly devotion, staying true to a promise and young love. Timothy Robinson (Arbace), Robert Murray(High Priest) and Nicholas Masters (Neptune) complete the cast. Swedish Tobias Ringborg conducts with distinguished international opera director Tim Albery directing with designs by Hannah Clark.
L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI
Written at the height of Rossini’s inventive powers, madness, hilarity and a sense of the surreal permeate the opera with the courageous heroine Isabella at the centre of a maelstrom of confusion, suffused throughout with humour and tenderness.Ezgi Kutlu sings the young Isabella searching for her beloved Lindoro sung by the Brazilian tenor Luciano Botelho. The blustering Mustafà is performed by Quirijn de Lang and his long-suffering wife Elvira by rising star Mary Bevan. They are joined by Geoffrey Dolton (Taddeo), Katie Bray (Zulma) and Božidar Smiljani? (Haly). Conductor David Parry returns to conduct his thirteenth Rossini opera for Garsington with Olivier award-winner Will Tuckett directing and George Souglides designing.
THE CREATION
Conductor Douglas Boyd, Garsington Opera’s Artistic Director, collaborates with Mark Baldwin, Choreographer and Artistic Director of Rambert, to bring an inspiring realisation of The Creation through music and dance. 40 dancers from Rambert and the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance will be joined on stage by Garsington Opera’s orchestra and chorus with soloists Sarah Tynan (soprano), James Gilchrist (tenor) and Neal Davies (bass). Designs by renowned visual artist Pablo Bronstein, whose site specific work for the Duveen Galleries at Tate Britain opens in April, will add a spectacular visual dimension to Haydn’s music.