Music in Portsmouth

07/12/2024

04/12/2024

MGC are soo excited to sing alongside the Royal Marines Association Concert Band at Portsmouth Guildhall on Sunday. Only 4 days left to get your tickets 🎄🎄🎶🎶
https://www.portsmouthguildhall.org.uk/whats-on/event/the-milton-glee-choir-the-christmas-concert/

04/12/2024

11 days until our carol concert, and we asked our members to tell us what they think makes our carol concert so special.

One wrote: 'What makes The Renaissance Choir’s carol concert so special, from my perspective as a singer, is the wonderful variety in the programme. We have those timeless favourites like Willcocks’ 'Away in a Manger' and Darke’s 'In the Bleak Midwinter' that everyone knows and loves, alongside stunning pieces like Guerrero’s 'Beata Dei Genetrix' and Skempton’s 'Adam lay y bounden' that might be new to many in the audience. Singing this music with such a talented group of singers is a real privilege, and performing in the beautiful setting of St James’ Church (at home in Emsworth) should make it even more special.'

To judge for yourself, please enjoy this playlist of the pieces selected by Peter for the long list for our programme - not all made the final cut, so maybe we'll perform them next year!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4vp5ZTUvD8kTcTMexLKW2i?si=L8J3mWXPQiWGhYdhIB_HeQ&pi=e-wz_Lml4rSNOg&pt=5b32a8ebcbe8002e75cbfd6b08fc3b05

Generic: https://songsha.re/open/94e2239e2a02490690b41de9683086c31730722347150008

Website: renaissancechoir.org.uk

Tickets: https://bit.ly/RenChoirTickets

03/12/2024

Final 2024 Chichester Chamber Concert

Don’t miss the enchanting collaboration of violinist Geneva Lewis and pianist Llŷr Williams at Chichester's Assembly Room on Dec. 5. Celebrated for her artistry, Geneva, a BBC New Generation Artist, joins renowned Welsh pianist Llŷr, fresh from acclaimed performances together.

The program features Mozart’s Violin Sonata in G, Schumann’s Papillons and Three Romances, Silvestrov’s minimalist Post Scriptum, and Franck’s Sonata in A major. Llŷr calls their partnership "one of the best chamber music experiences I've ever had."

Secure tickets via Chichester Festival Theatre for an unforgettable evening of musical brilliance. https://musicinportsmouth.co.uk/geneva-lewis-and-llyr-williams-combine-for-final-2024-chichester-chamber-concert/

03/12/2024

Thank you to everyone who attended our concert on Saturday evening. It was wonderful to see so many people keen to brave the cold and trust us to deliver a beautiful and varied concert. We've had some wonderful feedback and we hope you enjoyed it too!

Future dates....

Saturday 22nd March 2025 - St. Peter’s Church, Petersfield

Saturday 5th July 2025 - St. Mary’s Church, Buriton

03/12/2024

03/12/2024

Choral singing is an essential part of Christmas, so we are sharing our excitement as we prepare for our Celebrating Christmas concert with a 12-days-till-the-Christmas-concert countdown!

To kick us off we are looking at a traditional carol with text written by English poet Christina Rossetti in 1872. It has been set by more than one composer, but on the 14th we will be singing the Darke version.

Harold Darke’s setting of 'In the Bleak Midwinter' is one of the most beloved choral arrangements of this cherished Christmas carol. Composed in 1909, Darke offers a rich and ethereal contrast to Gustav Holst’s more familiar hymn-like setting. Darke’s interpretation features lush harmonies and expressive dynamic shifts, capturing the quiet, introspective tone of Christina Rossetti’s poem while adding an air of celestial wonder. It is often favored by choirs for its intricate yet hauntingly beautiful arrangement, which challenges singers to blend seamlessly in its flowing textures.

One standout feature of Darke’s setting is the opening of the fourth verse, performed unaccompanied by the trebles (or, in our case, the sopranos). After the flowing organ and beautiful crescendo of the tenor solo in the previous line, this moment of stillness lends an intimate, almost personal touch to the piece. The text —"What can I give Him? Poor as I am"—emphasises the carol's central theme of heartfelt simplicity and humility. Darke’s version became especially famous when it was voted the greatest Christmas carol in a 2008 poll of choral experts and choirmasters. Its enduring popularity speaks to its ability to evoke the magical yet solemn spirit of the season.

https://youtu.be/k3FwwnLvELw?si=l04qprpH3Mo-cURm

Come and hear our performance of this beautiful carol at 7:30pm on Saturday 14th December at St James Church, Emsworth!

Website: renaissancechoir.org.uk
Tickets: https://bit.ly/RenChoirTickets

03/12/2024

News from the Portsmouth Baroque Choir

Our Autumn concert at St George’s, Whyke, celebrated Stanford’s centenary with heartfelt performances, including soprano highlights in The Blue Bird and Puccini’s poignant Requiem. Looking ahead, join us on Saturday, December 7, at Havant URC for Music for Advent and Christmas, featuring carols by Ian Schofield, including a revised There is no rose.

Save the date for festive cheer at Port Solent on December 18, and mark your calendar for our 2025 season opener on March 22: an all-Baroque programme in Fareham.

Merry Christmas from all of us at PBC! https://musicinportsmouth.co.uk/news-from-the-portsmouth-baroque-choir/

01/12/2024

What's on in the first half of Deceember 2024 - https://mailchi.mp/34387d51b46f/mip-2024-december-1st-half

29/11/2024

This Christmas, immerse yourself in the magic of BBC Music Magazine’s special edition CD featuring Portsmouth Cathedral Choir and the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood, recorded with Signum Records. Produced by George Richford, who also contributed fanfares and sang, the project showcases a rich mix of Advent and Christmas music. With a reach of 75,000 readers, the recording celebrates local talent, including compositions like Let Us Light a Candle by June Clarke. Don’t miss this festive masterpiece—a reflection of Portsmouth's vibrant musical heritage! 🎵✨ https://musicinportsmouth.co.uk/george-richford-and-the-launch-of-the-portsmouth-cathedral-christmas-cd/

25/11/2024

On Sunday 1 December at 3pm the Portsmouth Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a special concert at the Church of the Resurrection, Drayton, to support Read Easy UK. Music Director Ka Wai Cheng highlights the rare performance of Goldmark's Rustic Wedding Symphony, a challenging but rewarding piece for the orchestra. This inspiring program also features Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, and Anderson's festive A Christmas Festival. https://musicinportsmouth.co.uk/preview-portsmouth-philharmonics-charity-concert-for-read-easy-uk-an-interview-with-its-music-director-ka-wai-cheng

24/11/2024

Also at https://musicinportsmouth.co.uk/chantry-quire-embarks-on-its-25th-anniversary-season via

These are exciting times for the Chantry Quire as they embark on their 25th anniversary season, 2024-25.

23/11/2024

🎶 Thank You! 🎶

A heartfelt thank you to all of our incredible audience members who joined us for our performance of 'Elijah' last Saturday evening. Your presence made this event truly special, and we couldn’t be more grateful for your support.

As our maestro Jonathan Willcocks beautifully put it:
“The choir’s sense of drama was brilliant, with some amazingly incisive loud blasts and really beautiful soft singing too.” His words truly reflect the energy and passion The Chichester Singers wanted to bring to the performance.

Jonathan also shared how much joy we all felt:
“It was apparent throughout our rehearsals that you were enjoying the choral feast that Mendelssohn provides, and it really came across so vividly in our performance.” This sense of shared enjoyment made the concert an unforgettable experience, and we are so thankful to have had such a wonderful audience to share it with.

We’re already back to rehearsing for our next performance of Handel’s 'Messiah' on 18 January, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for another evening of beautiful music.

Thank you again for joining our journey – see you soon!

Music in Portsmouth Southern Pro Musica

23/11/2024

🎶 Gabrieli Roar: A Grand Georgian Christmas is coming on Wednesday, 27 November at 7:00pm!

Join 4,000 students and expert musicians for an unforgettable musical journey across regional UK cathedrals.

More info at https://portcath.link/gabrieliroar24?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=Portsmouth%20Cathedral&utm_content=Christmas%20Campaign%20%2724

23/11/2024

Join the Portsmouth Chamber Music Series on Monday 2 December at the Guildhall for a captivating evening with Ensemble 360. The programme features a rarely performed work by George Onslow, Mozart’s exquisite Piano and Wind Quintet, and Broken Consort by Huw Watkins. This modern masterpiece, inspired by Renaissance ensembles, showcases innovative combinations of strings, wind, brass, and keyboard. Its four movements, interwoven with striking fanfare interludes, culminate in a powerful finale. Stick around for a post-concert Q&A with Colin Jagger. https://musicinportsmouth.co.uk/preview-ensemble-360-come-to-portsmouth