Birmingham Bach Choir celebrate Christmas with two traditional festive concerts.
The atmospheric Carols By Candlelight (Saturday 13 December 2014, St. Francis’, Bournville, Birmingham) sees them joined by St Francis’ Children’s Choir to perform a range of much loved carols in aid of charity.
Beginning with a candlelit procession through the Bournville church, expect to hear such favourites as Once In Royal David’s City and O Come All Ye Faithful, plus themed readings from Pauline Round and Michael Lloyd.
Carols By Candlelight tickets are £12 (concessions £10), family tickets (2x adults and up to 3 children) £25, with all proceeds go to St Mary’s Hospice Fund.
This is followed by Nine Lessons And Carols (Sunday 21 December 2014, 4pm), a free/ donations performance at St. Paul’s Church in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter which finds the choir performing a range of material as part of a traditional church service.
Enduring and familiar songs Silent Night and Hark The Herald Angels Sing, mix with perhaps lesser known, yet still enchanting, material such as Balulalow, John Rutter’s Dormi Jesu, Morten Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium and Herbert Howells’ Sing Lullaby.
Consecrated in 1779, the Grade I listed ‘Jeweller’s Church’ is famed for its painted window, depicting the conversion of St Paul, and for its association with famed industrialists Matthew Boulton and James Watt.
Sarah Platt, Birmingham Bach Choir’s Chair, said: “Our traditional Christmas concerts at St. Francis’ and St. Paul’s churches are always firm favourites with audiences. We’ve performed at both venues many times, and they’re always magical occasions.
“There’ll be plenty of opportunities for the audience to exercise their own vocal prowess too, if they wish to join in.”
For more information on these and future Birmingham Bach Choir performances, see: www.birmingham.bachchoir.com
LISTINGS
Saturday 13 December 2014
Birmingham Bach Choir: Carols By Candlelight
Atmospheric festive mix of readings and carols from Birmingham Bach Choir, conducted by Paul Spicer and joined by organist Paul Carr, readers Pauline Round and Mike Lloyd, and St Francis’ Church Children’s Choir. In support of St Mary’s Hospice, Selly Oak.
St Francis of Assisi, Linden Road, Bournville, Birmingham B30 2AA
Time: 6.30pm
Tickets: £12 (£10 conc), Family ticket £25 (2x adults and up to 3 children) from St Mary’s Hospice. Tel: 0121 472 1191.
Details: www.birmingham.bachchoir.com
Sunday 21 December 2014
Birmingham Bach Choir: Nine Lessons and Carols
The choir’s traditional free Christmas performance, with a selection of carols including Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and Once in Royal David’s City. Conducted by Paul Spicer. Organist Paul Carr.
St Paul’s Church, St Paul’s Square, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham B3 1QZ
Time: 4pm
Admission: Free (collection)
Details: www.birmingham.bachchoir.com
ABOUT BIRMINGHAM BACH CHOIR
As one of the UK’s leading large chamber choirs Birmingham Bach Choir has been contributing to the musical life of the West Midlands since 1919, making it one of the oldest musical groups in the area. Although they perform music spanning over 300 years, their main focus is the Baroque period (especially JS Bach), plus 20th and 21st century works.
2013/ 2014 marked Birmingham Bach Choirs’ 95th season and included the World Premiere of a brand new choral symphony by Paul Spicer and Euan Tait to mark the outbreak of The Great War entitled Unfinished Remembering – a key event in the UK-wide First World War Centenary programme which debuted at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, to great acclaim in September 2014.
For more information, including details of forthcoming concerts, see: www.birmingham.bachchoir.com
For more information on the choir, interviews and review ticket requests, contact us:
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