2024 Big Sing in Gloucester Cathedral
Vaughan Williams: Five Variants on Dives and Lazarus - Vaughan Williams (orchestral)
Holst: Hymn of Jesus - (on the 150th anniversary of his birth)
INTERVAL
Messiaen: O sacrum convivium
Poulenc: Gloria
Part of the Cheltenham Music Festival
2024 Workshop: Holst - Hymn of Jesus, Poulenc - Gloria, Messiaen - O sacrum convivium
2023 Workshop: Berlioz - Te Deum
2022 Big Sing: Mahler - Symphony no 8
This was postponed from 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
This performance took place on 16 July 2022 in Gloucester Cathedral and was conducted by Adrian Partington as part of the Cheltenham Music Festival. Olivia Ray replaced Clare Barnett-Jones (mezzo-soprano) and Eleanor Pennell-Briggs replaced Gweneth Ann Rand (soprano).
There was an orchestra of 99, 8 soloists, four children's choirs as well as our singers and this was a rare opportunity for non-audition choir members to take part in this major work.
The Symphony is written for double chorus throughout. Choral singers are divided into normal S1/S2, A1/A2, T1/T2 and B1/B2 groupings.
Rehearsals took place in Alveston, Stonehouse and Gloucester.
2022 Workshop: Mahler - Symphony no 8
2018 Big Sing: Berlioz - Requiem
This was the penultimate event of the Cheltenham Festival.
2017 Workshop: Berlioz - Requiem
178 singers took part and the end of Workshop performance was really encouraging.
2016 Big Sing: Elgar - Dream of Gerontius
The concert performance took place in Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 11th June 2016. What a wonderful occasion this was. Everyone agreed that Brian Kay was a superb conductor. His Burford Singers were excellent as the semi-chorus and all the soloists were brilliant. They were: Diana Moore (mezzo-soprano), Philip Lloyd Holtam (tenor) and Quentin Hayes (baritone). The orchestra was the Regency Sinfonia who were also excellent. It was a privilege to be part of it.
2015 Workshop: Elgar - Dream of Gerontius
This was a great day of singing! We were joined by many SCCG members and members both of the 3 Choirs Festival Chorus and also of Brian Kay’s Burford Singers. In all 17 choirs were represented from near and far with 139 singers in total. Many thanks to all who helped.
This bodes very well for the 2016 Big Sing in Gloucester Cathedral (same work, same conductor!).
2014 Workshop: Bach - St John Passion
On June 14th 2014 the South Cotswold Choral Group held their second workshop, following on from their very successful 2012 J.S.Bach B minor Mass workshop. As was the case last time the funds raised from the workshop go towards funding the work of the organisation and also towards a Big Sing in 2016 involving many of the choirs in the group.
The work selected for 2014 was J.S.Bach’s St John Passion and once again we were delighted that inspirational choral director and ex-Kings Singer Nigel Perrin was on hand to put us through our paces in this wonderful work.
We used the New Novello score and the Workshop was held at The Castle School, Park Road, Thornbury, S.Glos BS35 1HT.
This workshop allowed us to meet old friends and make new ones across our societies, and to have fun in our music-making. We sang most of the choruses from Bach’s St John Passion (as time allowed).
Nigel Perrin worked us hard, stretched and challenged us, and sent us home tired and happy – and musically wiser. Andrew King (Evangelist) and David Robson (Jesus) were our brilliant soloists and David Bednall accompanied us very ably.
2013 Big Sing: Vaughan Williams - A Sea Symphony
The 2013 Big Sing was on 29 June 2013 in Tewkesbury Abbey and included the following:
- Elgar’s arrangement of the National Anthem
- Parry - “I was glad”
- Vaughan Williams - “The Lark Ascending” for violin & orchestra
The violin solo was played by Julia Hwang.
- Vaughan Williams - “A Sea Symphony”
The soloists for this piece were Mary Plazas (soprano) and Leigh Melrose (baritone).
The orchestra was Bristol Concert Orchestra and it was conducted by Nigel Perrin (and Stefan Hofkes for The Lark Ascending).
The partner societies for this event were:
The South Cotswold Choral Group is delighted that Smith & Williamson once again supported our concert.
2013 Big Sing: Mahler - Symphony no 8
The South Cotswold Choral Group comprises some 650 singers in 7 separate choirs. As a result of having access to such a large body of singers the SCCG were invited a few months ago to be part of a performance of Mahler’s massive 8th Symphony, the “Symphony of a Thousand”, in the Colston Hall, Bristol on March 24th with Brunel Sinfonia.
The SCCG Choirs formed part of Choir I and local rehearsals were taken by Steven Kings. For Bristol rehearsals we were joined by Nailsea Choral Society.
2012 Workshop: Bach - Mass in B minor
The South Cotswold Choral Group held a workshop on Bach's B minor Mass on 26 May 2013 led by conductor Nigel Perrin accompanied by Steven Kings in The Castle School Thornbury.
150 singers were led through all the choruses from the Mass and at the end of the day sang a selection of choruses for the local community free of charge.
A great time was had by all and many singers requested details of future SCCG events.
A collection raised £320 for CLIC-Sargent and the South Cotswold Choral Group.
2011 Big Sing: Verdi - Requiem
The partner societies for this event were Thornbury Choral Society, Tyndale Choral Society, Wycliffe Choral Society, Yate Choral Society and they were joined by members of Alveston Singers, Cirencester Choral Society, Stroud Choral Society, Fairford and District Choral Society, Bristol Choral Society, Tewkesbury Choral Society, Frampton Cotterell Male Voice Choir and Monmouth Choral Society for this performance.
This was a great success as a musical event and in terms of promoting the social side of singing.
