I've been rather preoccupied by work over the last six weeks or so, running the singers agency I manage, Concert Directory International. I took it over in 2009 and it has been supplying vocal soloists mainly for choral societies all around the UK for well over 30 years now.
I try to go to as many concerts as I can - and because of the way rehearsals are organised, many choirs have a concert in mid-November followed by a Christmas event in December. There's always a huge amount of enthusiasm and excitement and a real sense of occasion at these events and I always find much to enjoy. Since mid-October I have heard:
- Grimsby Philharmonic Choir singing Mozart's C minor Mass (with Birmingham-based soprano Katie Trethewey stepping in at short notice)
- Malvern Festival Chorus singing CPE Bach's Magnificat and Zelenka's Missa Paschalis (that was new to me)
- Bedford Choral Society singing Mendelssohn's Lobgesang and "Die Erste Walpurgisnacht" (also new to me, and great fun)
- Oxford Harmonic Choir singing Beethoven 9 and Bruckner's Te Deum
If I added up the number of singers involved in all these concerts it would be well over 500 - and one of the singers on my list, Alex Ashworth is soloist in no less than 4 performances of "Messiah" just this week! A love of singing indeed.
I try to go to as many concerts as I can - and because of the way rehearsals are organised, many choirs have a concert in mid-November followed by a Christmas event in December. There's always a huge amount of enthusiasm and excitement and a real sense of occasion at these events and I always find much to enjoy. Since mid-October I have heard:
- Grimsby Philharmonic Choir singing Mozart's C minor Mass (with Birmingham-based soprano Katie Trethewey stepping in at short notice)
- Malvern Festival Chorus singing CPE Bach's Magnificat and Zelenka's Missa Paschalis (that was new to me)
- Bedford Choral Society singing Mendelssohn's Lobgesang and "Die Erste Walpurgisnacht" (also new to me, and great fun)
- Oxford Harmonic Choir singing Beethoven 9 and Bruckner's Te Deum
If I added up the number of singers involved in all these concerts it would be well over 500 - and one of the singers on my list, Alex Ashworth is soloist in no less than 4 performances of "Messiah" just this week! A love of singing indeed.
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