Archive Performances:

Saturday April 20th 2013, 7.30pm

           Hall One, The Sage Gateshead

         Verdi: Requiem
         200th anniversary of Guiseppe Verdi's birth (1813-1901)

           Newcastle Bach Choir
           Newcastle University Symphony Orchestra and Choir
           and soloists from the Samling Foundation
:
                  Meeta Raval (soprano), Madeleine Shaw (mezzo-soprano),
                  Luis Gomes (tenor), Michel de Souza (baritone)
           Eric Cross (conductor )

         Tickets:
         £24, £18, £14, £10, with £2 reduction for senior citizens,
                        halfprice for students, unwaged, and under 19s
            available from The Sage Gateshead ticket office on 0191 443 4661
            www.thesagegateshead.org/your-visit/ticket-office/


Saturday November 24th 2012, 7.30pm

            Kings Hall, Newcastle University

                    J S Bach: Cantata 36 - Schwingt freudig euch empor
                    J S Bach: Cantata 61 - Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
                    Vivaldi: Magnificat, RV610
                    Zelenka: Litaniae Lauretanae 'Consolatrix Afflictorum', ZWV151

           Newcastle Bach Choir, Newcastle Baroque, Julia Kogan (soprano), Beth Mackay (mezzo soprano),
           James Oxley (tenor), Andrew Ashwin (baritone)
           Conducted by Eric Cross

 

Saturday March 3rd 2012, 7.30 pm

The Sage Gateshead

J.S.Bach : St. John Passion (sung in German)

Thomas Walker - Evangelist
Marcus Farnsworth - Christus
Mhairi Lawson - Soprano
Robin Blaze - Alto
Peter Harvey - Baritone

Newcastle Baroque

Conducted by Eric Cross

This performance was dedicated to the memory of Maurice Bone, long-time member in our bass-line, Chairman 1987-1995, and Vice-President from 1995, who deeply loved his music, and passed away 2011.
 

Saturday November 26th, 2011, 7.30 pm

Kings Hall, Newcastle University

Benjamin Britten : St. Nicolas Cantata
                                 Cantata Misericordium
John Joubert:         South of the Line

With Bonnie Shaw - soprano
         Nathan Vale - tenor
         Christopher Foster - baritone

         David Murray and Eileen Bown - pianos

         Six Bridges String Orchestra

Conducted by Eric Cross

 

Sunday June 19th, 2011

Two short recitals at 2.30 pm and 3.45 pm

Belsay Hall, Belsay, Northumberland

Music for a Summer's Afternoon

Stanford: Three motets Op, 38
Justorum animae
Coelos ascendit hodie
Beati quorum via)
Elgar:   As torrents in summer
My love dwelt in a northern land
Bach:  Jesu, joy of man's desiring
Handel: Messiah (selected choruses)
Arr. Percy Lovell: Seven North-Country Songs
 

 

S unday May 8th, 2011, 7.30 pm

The Sage Gateshead

  Elgar : Dream of Gerontius

Kitty Whately - Mezzo soprano
Robert Murray - Tenor
Njabulo Madlala - Baritone

        Newcastle University Symphony Orchestra
        The Bach Choir and singers from Newcastle University

        Conducted by Eric Cross

 

Saturday November 27th, 2010, 7.30 pm

King's Hall, Newcastle University

 J.S.Bach: Christmas Oratorio

With Joanne Lunn - soprano
         James Laing - countertenor
         Joseph Cornwell - tenor
       Peter Harvey - bass

Newcastle Baroque

Conducted by Eric Cross

 

Sunday June 20th, 2010, 7.00 pm

Alnwick Garden

     A Midsummer Serenade

Holst:   Psalm 148 'Lord, who hast made us for thine own'

Bach:   Motet: Lobet den Herrn

Fauré:   Cantique de Jean Racine

Britten: Flower songs
 
Saint-Saens:     Calme des nuits
Les fleurs et les arbres
 
Handel: Selected choruses from Israel in Egypt

Bonnie Shaw - soprano

Emily Hoile - harp

Alison Sheil - keyboard

Conducted by Eric Cross

 

 

Sunday March 7th, 2010.

Hall One, The Sage Gateshead, 7.30pm

Programme:

J. S Bach         Unser Mund sei voll Lachens , BWV110

Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen , BWV51 

Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV1048

Magnificat in D major, BWV243

Joanne Lunn - soprano
Bonnie Shaw - soprano
Patrick van Goethem - countertenor
Charles Daniels - tenor
Michael Davis - baritone
Crispian Steele-Perkins - trumpet

Newcastle Baroque

Conducted by Eric Cross

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three of Bach’s finest vocal works show the range of his music for the Lutheran church.   The Magnificat is one of his most popular choral works, with its dramatic choruses and colourful orchestration.   The impressive opening chorus of Cantata 110 is better known in its original instrumental version in the Third Orchestral Suite, while Cantata 51 provides a virtuoso showpiece for soprano Joanne Lunn accompanied by one of the world’s leading baroque trumpeters, Crispian Steele-Perkins.   Bach’s instrumental music is represented by the splendid Third Brandenburg Concerto.   Several of Europe’s leading early music soloists, including tenor Charles Daniels and the North-East debut of Belgian alto Patrick van Goethem, are joined by Newcastle Baroque on period instruments.   To help celebrate The Sage Gateshead’s fifth birthday, the Bach Choir are offering seats at great value 2005 prices!

[Note: Unfortunately, Bonnie Shaw  was unavailable for this performance, and the second soprano parts were sung by Lucy Mair.]

Press preview

Press review

 

Saturday November 28th, 2009, 7.30 pm

King's Hall, Newcastle University

Handel: Israel in Egypt

Bonnie Shaw - soprano


Janette Brass - soprano


David Allsopp   - alto


James Geer - tenor


Martin Wheeler - baritone


Sam Morrison - bass


Conducted by Eric Cross

 

Saturday June 20th, 2009, 7.30 pm

 

Hexham Abbey

Durufle: Requiem
Benjamin Britten: Festival Te Deum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James MacMillan: Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis


            

Julia Regan - soprano

Martin Wheeler - baritone

Deborah Thorne - cello

Michael Haynes - organ

Conducted by Eric Cross

Press review

 

2009: Sunday March 15th 7.00 pm

Hall One, The Sage Gateshead

Bach: St Matthew Passion
Charles Daniels - Evangelist
Stephen Varcoe - Christus
Mhairi Lawson - soprano
Clare Wilkinson - alto
Daniel Auchincloss - tenor
Jonathan Gunthorpe - bass

Newcastle Baroque

Conducted by Eric Cross

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since its first performance in Leipzig on Good Friday 1727, Bach’s St Matthew Passion has become one of the pinnacles of the choral repertoire, largely a result of its successful revival by Mendelssohn in Berlin in 1829.   The work’s intricate design, mixing the Passion story narrated by the tenor Evangelist with dramatic choral crowd scenes, individual responses in the solo arias, and communal reflections in the chorales, creates a moving meditation on the events leading up to Christ’s death.

Several of the country’s leading early music singers, along with a double orchestra of period instruments, join the Newcastle Bach Choir and local youth choir, the Pongos, for a memorable reflection on the Easter story.

[Note: In the event, Clare Wilkinson was unable to take part in this performance, so the alto solos were sung, at short notice, by Catherine King .]

 

2008: Saturday November 22nd 7.30 pm

King's Hall, Newcastle University

Hummel: Mass in E fat major, Op 80
Haydn: Mass in B flat major, 'Harmoniemesse'
Olivia Robinson - soprano
Beth Mackay - mezzo-soprano
Andrew Mackenzie-Wicks - tenor
Christopher Foster - bass

Newcastle Classical Players

Conducted by Eric Cross

Press review

 

2008: Saturday June 14th 7.30 pm

King's Hall, Newcastle University

BACH - Cantatas 78, 97, 135
             Concerto for violin and oboe, BWV 1060

Anthony Robson - baroque oboe
Simon Jones - baroque violin

Katharine Fuge - soprano
James Laing - countertenor
James Gilchrist - tenor
Adrian Powter - baritone
Newcastle Baroque

Conducted by Eric Cross


One of the world's leading baroque oboists, Anthony Robson returns to his native North East to play Bach's intricate obbligato parts in two Bach Cantatas and as a concerto soloist with Newcastle Baroque.

 

2008: Saturday April 26th, 2008, 7.30 pm

Hall One, The Sage Gateshead

MAHLER - Symphony No. 8

Wth Newcastle University Choir and Symphony Orchestra (augmented)
in association with the Centre for Excellence in Teaching & Learning in Music and Inclusivity.
Soloists from the Royal Northern College of Music & the Royal College of Music

    Philip Sheffield
    Jimmy Holliday
    Michael Davis
    Janet Fischer
    Cressida Van Gordon
    Olivia Biddle
    Carolina Krogius
    Rebecca Chellapah

Eric Cross (conductor)

Mahler’s massive Eighth Symphony is one of the iconic works of the symphonic and choral repertoires.  Written almost exactly 100 years ago (it was completed in 1907), it was dubbed the ‘Symphony of a Thousand’ by the promoter at its premiere in 1910, where the composer conducted a choir of 850 and an orchestra of 171. Although this performance will have more modest forces to allow for some audience in the hall, the massive orchestra, which includes harps, piano, harmonium, celesta and mandolin, is joined by several choirs, including a children’s choir, a separate brass band, and eight soloists.  The first movement sets the Latin hymn ‘Veni, creator spiritus’, while the atmospheric second movement, based on the closing text from Goethe’s Faust, ends with the vision of the Eternal Feminine.  The effect was summed up by Mahler as: ‘Try to imagine the whole universe beginning to ring and resound.’

This performance will be given by the Newcastle Bach Choir and Newcastle University’s Choir and Orchestra, augmented by students from other regional universities through the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, while the soloists include several of the leading young singers at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal College of Music.  As far as we know this will be the symphony’s first ever performance in NewcastleGateshead.

Press review

2007: Sunday December 9th 7.30 pm

Hall One, The Sage Gateshead

HANDEL - The Messiah

Emma Kirkby
Catherine King
Charles Daniels
Peter Harvey.
Newcastle Baroque

Handel took just over three weeks to compose the most performed and best loved work in the choral repertoire.  He produced 36 performances of Messiah and, following its premiere in Dublin in 1742, made alterations for virtually every revival.  This performance will be based on a version for London in 1743, containing some less familiar music such as the original dance-like setting of ‘Rejoice greatly’.  Four of the world’s finest early music singers, headed by Dame Emma Kirkby, and the period instruments of Newcastle Baroque (including trumpeter Crispian Steele-Perkins) join the Newcastle Bach Choir for this memorable celebration of Christmas. 

2007: Saturday September 22nd 8.00pm

Fountains Abbey

FOUNTAINS BY FLOODLIGHT

    HANDEL: excerpts from Messiah

    JANACEK: The Lord's Prayer

    BRITTEN: Jubilate Deo

    FAURÉ: Cantique de Jean Racine

    & music by Bach, Mozart, Vaughan Williams & Whittaker

2007: Saturday June 16th 7.30 pm

King’s Hall, Newcastle University
WILL TODD - Let us be True

2007: Saturday February 22nd 7.30 pm

St. George's Church, Jesmond
BACH - Mass in B minor
Gillian Keith, Catherine King, Charles Daniels, Peter Harvey
Newcastle Baroque

2006: Saturday June 17th 7.30 pm

King’s Hall, Newcastle University
In memoriam Percy Lovell
English Music for voices & strings by
Britten, Elgar, Holst, Peter Maxwell Davies, Byrd & Purcell
Percy Lovell who conducted the Bach Choir for many years died in 2004. To celebrate his life of music-making and his long and affectionate relationship with the choir, we are repeating some works from the last concert he conducted with us in 1984. The programme reflects his love of English music from the 17th to the 20th century.There is also a new commission in his memory - 'Let us be true' by Will Todd; a setting of words from Matthew Arnold's 'Dover Beach'.

2006: Sunday March 12th 7.30 pm

King’s Hall, Newcastle University
BACH
Cantatas 66 & 134
Mass in G minor
ROBIN BLAZE
CHARLES DANIELS
ANDREW ASHWIN
Our annual Bach concert features two Easter-tide cantatas and one of the Lutheran Masses. We are delighted to welcome back the three soloists who have all sung with us in recent seasons to great acclaim. Don’t miss the chance to hear this wonderfully joyful music. With Newcastle Baroque, the North East's own period instrument ensemble.

2005: Saturday November 12th 7.30 pm

The Sage Gateshead
BRITTEN
War Requiem
LYNDA RUSSELL
TOBY SPENCE
MARK STONE
Britten's masterpiece combines Wilfred Owen's war poetry and the traditional Latin Mass, creating a biting commentary on the futility of war fitting for this Remembrance weekend. Lynda Russell is a former Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship winner; Toby Spence's recent Britten recordings have been acclaimed as "simply spectacular performances", while The Times described Mark Stone at this year's Proms as "sounding for all the world like a young Thomas Allen". This performance is the culmination of a project led by Newcastle University's International Centre for Music Studies and Newcastle Bach Choir in collaboration with Universities for the North East as part of the Sound05 Festival

2005: Saturday June 11th 7:30 PM    

Hexham Abbey
HAYDN - Nelson Mass MAXWELL DAVIES - The Kestrel Road
Haydn’s masterpiece is our contribution to the national Trafalgar celebrations – the battle’s 200th anniversary. Max’s new work is a co-commission from 47 Making Music societies to mark his 70th birthday. For chorus and piano, setting words from George Mackay Brown, the music suggests Orkney’s land and seascapes, and is heavily influenced by local folk music.

2005: Sunday  March 13th 7:30 PM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University
HANDEL - Belshazzar
Emma Kirkby, doyenne of Baroque sopranos stars in Handel’s compelling oratorio of self-destruction and tyranny. Persians, Babylonians and Jews wrestle with emotionally complex relationships and models of kingship are contrasted as Cyrus and Belshazzar play out the drama. This concert is part of the Newcastle Early Music Festival.
Guest performers: Eric Cross Newcastle Baroque Emma Kirkby Andrew Ashwin Robert Murray

2005: Saturday February 5th 9:30 AM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University
Choral Workshop for Young Singers
Do you sing in the school choir? Or a youth choir, or folk ensemble? Would you like the chance to experience singing with a big choir?
We in Newcastle Bach Choir are keen to give you that chance, and let you discover for yourself how rewarding it can be.

Contact June Davison on 0191-285-3183, or june@proon.fsnet.co.uk for more details.
Suitable for Year 8 upwards.

2004: Monday December 20th 7:30 PM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University
A Celebration of Christmas
music, readings and carols for choir and audience with the Northumbrian Youth Chamber Choir.

proceeds to charities including WaterAid

2004: Saturday November 27th 7:30 PM    

St George's Church, Jesmond
BACH - Christmas Oratorio
Six of Bach’s cantatas rolled into one splendid celebration of the season. It’s all there – angels, shepherds, wise men, mangers, trumpets… The line-up of soloists is second to none – all internationally acclaimed artists in the Baroque field. Distinguished instrumentalists include Rodolfo Richter as leader, Tony Robson on oboe, David Blackadder on trumpet and Andrew Clark on horn.
Guest performers: James Gilchrist Peter Harvey Gillian Keith Newcastle Baroque Robin Blaze

2004: Saturday June 19th 7:30 PM    

Hexham Abbey
STRAVINSKY - Symphony of Psalms; BERNSTEIN - Chichester Psalms
Two twentieth century settings of ancient psalm texts, one in Latin by a Russian, and one in Hebrew by an American. In mood they couldn’t be more different, the Symphony being the supreme musical reflection of Stravinsky’s Orthodox faith. The Chichester Psalms, named after the cathedral which commissioned them, display an open-hearted spirituality, with sweeping melodies and challenging rhythms.

2004: Saturday  March 6th 7:30 PM    

St George's Church, Jesmond
MOZART - Mass in C minor; MICHAEL HAYDN - Missa Trinitatis
Superstar Lynne Dawson returns to the North East to sing in Mozart’s sublime but unfinished masterpiece. She is partnered by Elizabeth Roberts and Christopher Foster (partners in real life!), and Robert Murray, all graduates of Newcastle University who are developing successful careers.
Michael Haydn’s exuberant italianate Missa trinitatis was written when he was only 17. 250 years after its first performance, this is an English premiere! The edition was prepared by Dr Alison Shiel who sings soprano with the choir.
Guest performers: Lynne Dawson Newcastle Baroque Christopher Foster Elizabeth Roberts Robert Murray

2004: Saturday February 7th 10:00 AM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University
choral workshop for young singers
Do you sing in the school choir? Or a youth choir, or folk ensemble? Would you like the chance to experience singing with a big choir?
We in Newcastle Bach Choir are keen to give you that chance, and let you discover for yourself how rewarding it can be.

We will be working on music by Bach, Mozart, choruses from Mendelssohn's Elijah, and pieces by Vaughan Williams and Aaron Copland.

Contact June Davison on 0191-285-3183, or june@proon.fsnet.co.uk for more details.
Suitable for Year 8 upwards.

2003: Saturday November 15th 7:30 PM    

St George's Church, Jesmond
BACH - Magnificat; Cantatas 19 & 50; Brandenburg concerto No.3
Some of Bach’s most uplifting music, both for audience and performers. This version of his Magnificat includes the Christmas ‘interpolations’ – rather early, in the season, but let’s not be too purist… Cantata 19, Es erhub sich eit Streit, tells of St Michael confronting Satan, while Cantata 50, Nun ist das Heil, is a hymn of praise for double choir – an exhilarating contrapuntal ride which lasts less that 5 minutes, and leaves the singers breathless – well almost!
We welcome back all the soloists – Catherine Bott last sang Vivaldi with us, and both the James’s are regular cantatists. Andrew Ashwin made his debut with us last season in Britten and Fauré and we all look forward to hearing his Bach.
Guest performers: James Gilchrist James Bowman Catherine Bott Newcastle Baroque Andrew Ashwin

Press review

 

2003: Saturday June 14th 7:30 PM    

Holy Trinity Church Jesmond
FAURÉ - Requiem; BRITTEN - Rejoice in the Lamb; TAVENER - Song for Athene; music by MENDELSSOHN & PÄRT
Everyone’s favourite requiem, in the version with organ accompaniment, contrasts with Britten’s virtuoso Festival Cantata in which all nature worships the Creator. John Tavener's moving Song for Athene caught the popular imagination when it was sung at Diana Princess of Wales' funeral. Four sacred partsongs by Mendelssohn, and organ music by cult Estonian composer Arvo Pärt complete our summer concert.

2003: Saturday March 22nd 7:30 PM    

St George's Church, Jesmond
BACH - St John Passion
Bach never wrote an opera, but in his interpretation of St John’s Gospel there is dramatic power and immediacy of emotion in the exchanges of the characters, and in the involvement of the choir which is by turn a mob baying for blood and a congregation seeking redemption.
Our Evangelist is Rogers Covey-Crump whose performance in the role has been described in Early Music Today as 'plangent as a bow drawn softly over a viol string' - 'sweet high notes supported to vanishing point'......
Our Christus, Christopher Foster makes a welcome return to Newcastle. Since his studies here, he has sung Bach under the direction of Baroque experts Mark Minkowski, Phillippe Herreweghe, and Joshua Rifkin.
Gillian Keith who sang so stunningly in our recent performance of Solomon takes the soprano arias, and Robin Blaze is entrusted with the emotional heart of the work – Es ist vollbracht’……. Richard Wistreich as bass, completes the line-up – we welcome him twice – as distinguished soloist, and as a new member of the teaching staff of the University.
We hope that the dramatic intensity of this towering masterpiece will move the audience as much as it does the performers. Don’t miss the chance to hear one of the pinnacles of European choral music!
Guest performers: Rogers Covey-Crump Gillian Keith Richard Wistreich Christopher Foster Robin Blaze

2003: Saturday  February 8th 10:00 AM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University

CHORAL WORKSHOP for YOUNG SINGERS

Do you sing in the school choir? Or a youth choir, or folk ensemble?
Would you like the chance to experience singing with a big choir?
We in Newcastle Bach Choir are keen to give you that chance, and let you discover for yourself how rewarding it can be.
Join us on February 8th, from 10am to 1 pm, to sing a variety of great music covering four centuries.
 
We’ll include sections of:- a mass by Palestrina, Handel’s Messiah, and Fauré’s Requiem.
 
 
We’ll also sing:-

Tavener’s The Lamb,
and parts of Captain Noah and His Floating Zoo
by Joseph Horovitz.

Choral director for the day is Eric Cross, the choir's conductor. Accompanist is June Reed.

 

2002: Monday December 16th 7:00 PM    

St John Vianney's Church, Chapel House
A Celebration of Christmas
Music, readings and carols for choir and audience, with the children of Chapel House Middle School. The concert is in support of WaterAid and The Children's Foundation.

2002: Saturday November 16th 7:30 PM    

St George's Church, Jesmond
ELGAR - The Music Makers, Sea Pictures; WALTON - Crown Imperial, Coronation Te Deum
As the Queen’s Jubilee year draws to a close, we continue our celebration with William Walton’s Te Deum, written for the coronation in 1953. This will be complemented by his triumphal march Crown Imperial, for George VI’s coronation in 1937. A dual anniversary as 2002 is Walton’s centenary.
Elgarians will enjoy ‘spotting the tune’ in the other half of the programme, as the composer quotes from several of his own works in The Music Makers. For this elegaic setting of Arthur O’Shaughnessy’s Ode, and for Sea Pictures, a reflective song cycle remarkable for its subtle orchestration as well as its taxing vocal lines, we are delighted to welcome the mezzo Louise Mott, direct from Opera North.
Guest performers: Louise Mott

2002: Saturday June 15th 7:30 PM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University
HANDEL - Let God Arise, Zadok the Priest; BOYCE - Solomon
The anthem Let God Arise was written for the private chapel of the Duke of Chandos, while Zadok was composed for the coronation of George II. Boyce’s serenata is wholly secular in nature, although derived from the ‘Song of Solomon’ and is a dialogue on young love throughout the seasons, set in an idealised English countryside.
Guest performers: Gillian Keith Andrew King

2002: Saturday  March 2nd 7:30 PM    

Hexham Abbey
Poulenc - Gloria; Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem
‘I had in mind….angels sticking out their tongues; and also some solemn-looking Benedictine monks that I saw playing football…..’ said Poulenc, which explains his unique combination of exuberance and spiritual sincerity. Brahms’ setting of Biblical texts, sometimes dark and restrained, at others joyous and dramatic, reflects his Lutheran faith and rather than interceding for the dead, offers consolation to the living.
Guest performers: Graeme Danby Rebecca Nash

2001: Monday December 17th 7:00 PM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University
A Celebration of Christmas
music, readings & carols for choir and audience with the children of Chapel House Middle School in support of WaterAid, and the Yellow Brick Road.

2001: Saturday November 17th 7:30 PM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University
Cantatas 30,170,187; Mass in A major
A short Lutheran mass and three cantatas, including one for solo alto, to be performed by James Bowman, a regular star of our baroque concerts. He will be joined by Hedvig Eriksson, well-known to Newcastle Early Music Festival audiences, and Stephen Varcoe who sang brilliantly in our 1999 cantata concert.
Guest performers: Hedvig Eriksson James Bowman Stephen Varcoe

2001: Saturday September 29th 8:00 PM    

Fountains Abbey
FOUNTAINS BY FLOODLIGHT
music with wind and brass by Stravinsky and Bruckner.

2001: Saturday June 9th 7:30 PM

King's Hall, Newcastle University
STRAVINSKY - Mass; BRUCKNER - Mass in E minor
Two contrasting settings of the Mass; that by Stravinsky, written in 1948, creates an austere mood with the influence of chant recalling his Orthodox background. Bruckner’s work, although romantic in harmony, looks back to the renaissance composers in its use of counterpoint. Both works are supported by wind instruments, and in their rejection of virtuoso solo lines, emphasise a contemplative liturgical spirit.

2001: Saturday  March 3rd 7:30 PM    

St George's Church, Jesmond
HAYDN - The Creation
Haydn heard several of Handel’s oratorios on his first visit to London and was inspired to write this choral masterpiece. From the extraordinary ‘representation of chaos’ to the final ‘alleluia’ this work is as fresh today as it was 200 years ago. We are particularly delighted to welcome Lynne Dawson, whose distinguished career was enhanced by her singing of Verdi at the funeral of the Princess of Wales.
Guest performers: Peter Harvey Lynne Dawson Joseph Cornwell

2000: Saturday November 18th 7:30 PM    

St George's Church, Jesmond
BACH - Mass in B minor
It is sometimes forgotten that the B minor mass, apart from being a towering vocal masterpiece is also full of virtuoso music for the obbligato instruments. We welcome back Adrian Chandler, violin, and Tony Robson, baroque oboe, who were such a resounding success in our Bach concerts in recent seasons, and greet Andrew Clarke, natural horn, and Crispian Steele-Perkins, pre-eminent on natural trumpet.
Guest performers: James Bowman Natalie Clifton-Griffith Charles Daniels Glenville Hargreaves

2000: Saturday October 14th 7:30 PM    

St Paul's RC Church, Alnwick
Voices for Hospices
music by Eberlin, M. Haydn, Holst, Finzi, and Elgar.
Concert included the Hallelujah Chorus.

2000: Saturday June 17th 7:30 PM    

Hexham Abbey
HAYDN - EBERLIN - HOLST - FINZI
Two rarities from the ‘classical’ period, Michael Haydn's 8-part motet Ave Regina Caelorum, and J.E. Eberlin's Requiem, partnered with two gems from the British twentieth-century repertoire - Finzi's Magnificat, and Holst's settings of Psalms 86 & 148 - which aren’t heard often enough. To complete the programme, Elgar at his most summery, with his delightful serenade.

2000: Sunday  March 19th 7:30 PM    

Newcastle City Hall
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS - Five Mystical Songs, Dona Nobis Pacem, Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis
Although the choir’s President, Sir Thomas, has recorded the Five Mystical Songs, he has never performed them live in his professional career! A chance not to be missed….Add to that the enormously popular Tallis fantasia, and a passionate indictment of the horrors of war in ‘Dona nobis pacem’, and you have a sampler of all that’s best in the work of that great British composer, Vaughan Williams.
Guest performers: Sarah Fox Thomas Allen

2000: Sunday January 30th 7:30 PM    

Newcastle City Hall
VERDI - Requiem
Claire Rutter and Ian Storey, both from the North East, return to their roots from international careers. Catherine Wyn-Rogers was a splendid ‘angel’ in our last ‘Gerontius’, and we look forward to hearing Matthew Best for the first time, in this block-busting weekend for the new Millennium.

[ARCHIVE NOTE - Jean Rigby replaced Catherine Wyn-Rogers in the performance]

with Durham Choral Society
Guest performers: Ian Storey Matthew Best Jean Rigby Claire Rutter

2000: Saturday  January 29th 7:30 PM    

Durham Cathedral
VERDI - Requiem
Claire Rutter and Ian Storey, both from the North East, return to their roots from international careers. Catherine Wyn-Rogers was a splendid ‘angel’ in our last ‘Gerontius’, and we look forward to hearing Matthew Best for the first time, in this block-busting weekend for the new Millennium.

[ARCHIVE NOTE - Jean Rigby replaced Catherine Wyn-Rogers in the performance]

with Durham Choral Society
Guest performers: Ian Storey Matthew Best Jean Rigby Claire Rutter

1999: Sunday November 7th 7:30 PM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University
BACH - Cantatas 8, 78, & 80
Three cantatas in contrasting moods, with three new soloists for us, and the welcome return of baritone Stephen Varcoe. There’s also a showcase for baroque oboe virtuoso Tony Robson who was such a resounding success in our Bach concert last season.
Guest performers: James Gilchrist Stephen Varcoe Natalie Clifton-Griffith

1999: Saturday September 25th 8:00 PM    

Fountains Abbey
FOUNTAINS BY FLOODLIGHT
Music by:  Britten, Janacek, Kodaly and Vaughan Williams

1999: Saturday June 19th 7:30 PM    

King's Hall, Newcastle University
KODALY - Missa Brevis; BRITTEN - Te Deum; JANACEK - Lord's Prayer
concert also included a setting of the 'Gratias' by Agustin Fernandez, and 'Lord thou has been our refuge' by Vaughan Williams.

1999: Saturday March 13th 7:30 PM    

St George's Church, Jesmond
MENDELSSOHN - Elijah
Guest performers: Sarah Fox

1998: Friday  December 18th 7:30 PM

King's Hall, Newcastle University
A Celebration of Christmas
Music, readings, and carols for choir and audience, conducted by Magnus Williamson.

 In support of WaterAid
 


1998: Saturday  November 14th 7:30 PM

King's Hall, Newcastle University
BACH - Cantatas 1, 40, & 147
Guest performers: Mhairi Lawson Jane Darby Rogers Covey-Crump Michael Pearce Newcastle Baroque