Bollington Festival Choir

Dr John Coope MBE (1928-2005) founded the Choir in 1964, conducted it with great distinction for 37 years, and remained a loyal singer and friend who gained great enjoyment from our concerts. Surely few amateur choral societies can have covered such a wide range of music as the Festival Choir -- large and small scale, accompanied and unaccompanied, mainstream repertoire and 'rarities'. John had a particular love of English music, and among the less familiar English works he conducted were Finzi's Intimations of Immortality, Holst's Hymn of Jesus, and Delius' Sea Drift. Visit Tim Boddington's Happy Valley Site for an appreciation of John's life and achievements. 

 

Bollington Festival Choir is a friendly choir which retains its village roots while welcoming singers from a wide area. Since Donald Judge became the conductor in 2001, major works performed include Handel Saul and Judas Maccabaeus; Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony; Honegger King David; Haydn Creation and Nelson Mass; Bach St John Passion and Magnificat in D; Mendelssohn Elijah; and the Requiems by Brahms, Faure, and Mozart. Less familiar works include Charpentier Messe de Minuit; Mass settings by Joseph Jongen and Antonio Caldara; Nielsen Springtime in Funen; Flanders and Horovitz Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo; and Andrew Carter Benedicite. The Choir is very pleased to have given performances of two fine pieces by Cecilia McDowall: Christus Natus Est and Ave Maris Stella.

 

The Choir has premiered several of Donald’s pieces, including The Nightingale (words Keats): Shipwreck (Emily Dickinson); The Donkey (G K Chesterton), and most recently, May Magnificat (words G M Hopkins) His arrangements of Death is a Shadow, a 16th century Italian song; and Edmund Pascha's Czech Christmas Mass performed with a plethora of early and folk instruments played by Tapestry of Music, delighted both singers and audiences.

 

The Choir has performed at every Bollington Festival. The past four have included Carl Orff Carmina Burana; Berlioz Grande Messe des Morts; Verdi Requiem; Gershwin Porgy and Bess and Jonathan Dove Tobias and the Angel.

 

Another tradition is the popular Messiah for All. Choir members and others pack the Arts Centre on the Tuesday following our Christmas Concert to perform Handel's evergreen masterpiece with 'home-grown' soloists and orchestra. All proceeds from this event are donated to local charities.

 

The Choir has an outstanding accompanist, Andrew Cummings. For at least one concert a year, we engage soloists from the Royal Northern College of Music and an accomplished orchestra. 

 

Music Theatre Home Page   Music Theatre Slide Shows

 

 

Ian Walker

Our concert on Sunday December 11th featured Handel’s stirring Oratorio, Judas Maccabaeus.

 

Our 2011 MESSIAH FOR ALL was possibly the best ever, raising over £800 for the North West Air Ambulance, boosted to over £1000 by the efforts of choir member and friends singing carols in local hostelries.

While in February over 40 singers had a most enjoyable day exploring Cherubini’s Requiem in C minor.

 

Download our 2011-12 SEASON’S BROCHURE

 

We rehearse on Tuesday evenings, 8-10 p.m. at Bollington Arts Centre

New members are always welcome, and there are no auditions! Please phone 0161 225 4680 or email

 

Our next concert on Sunday June 10th at St Oswald’s Church, features the music of Gilbert and Sullivan.

With soloist Fiona Hymns and narrator Frank Walker, you can enjoy many of their favourite solos, duets, ensembles and choruses. And if you come along to the rehearsal on April 17th, you still have time to sing in it!