Latest News
Our Pathways to Paradise concert
For the first time we performed a major piece a capella. Just us, no orchestra, no piano, no accompaniment! Imogen Holst's Mass in A minor was a truly enjoyable challenge, and by the time we arrived at concert day, we had it nailed. We also sang the wonderful (and demanding) Hymn of Jesus, by Imogen's father Gustav, and some wonderful short gems by Gabriel Fauré, finishing with (you guessed it) In Paradisum from his Requiem.
Our Glorious Puccini concert
Oh my goodness, this concert was truly amazing. Some of the audience said it was "stunning, the best ever by the Bury Bach Choir". Benedict's leadership inspired the choir to new heights, and huge congratulations are due to him and to our three incredible soloists. The cathedral was packed and the applause at the end was extraordinary.
The Genius of Bruckner concert
We're in the final stages of preparing our Bruckner concert. This music is not what you "expect"! If you like the sound of blazing brass (trombones, trumpets, horns), if you like the sound of gorgeous woodwind played by a sensational all-female ensemble, if you like big-scale choral singing, you should come to this concert. It’s got it all. And lots of variety. The music we’ve chosen to perform for you is selected from Bruckner’s huge repertoire, and if you don’t know his music (and even if you do!) we guarantee you’ll be amazed and delighted – and very well entertained. There’s never a dull moment, with everything from quiet melodious beauty to huge music that’ll lift you off your seat. And all in the comfort of The Apex, where every seat is a good-un. It’ll be a great concert. Please book now and enjoy with us a wonderful (and rousing) evening.
Bach Magnificat concert
We had a wonderful audience of over 400 people for our Bach Magnificat concert in The Apex concert hall on 2 December 2023. As well as the magnificent Magnificat, the concert included the first known performance in recent times of Laudate Pueri Dominum by Marianna Martines. This was a particular challenge for the choir because there are no recordings of this work, so the first time we heard the complete work...was in the performance!
STOP PRESS
We are recruiting new singers in the Alto, Tenor and Bass sections for the start of our 2023/24 Season. So, if you enjoy singing and would like to try us, contact Linda Cleveley on 01284 703348 or 07757 316553; or Tess Wright on 01284 388167. See here for more information. Full details of all our concerts during the coming season will appear on this website. We’d love you to join us!
PROSPECTIVE NEW MEMBERS
Please if possible, arrive at King Edward VI School between 7.00 and 7.15pm on Wednesday 6 September so that we can get everyone checked in and ready to start by 7.30.
Introducing our 2023/24 concert programme
We have an exciting programme of concerts planned for our 2023/24 season.
On Saturday 2 December 2023 we’ll be in The Apex to perform music by the 18th century Viennese composer Marianna Martines, who was a trailblazer for female musicians in Vienna and beyond and was also a highly accomplished and famous composer. This will be followed JS Bach’s Magnificat, which of course is amazing.
On Saturday 9 March 2024 we’ll be back in The Apex to perform a wide selection of music by Bruckner, including his Mass in E minor, and on Saturday 24 May 2024 we’ll be in St Edmundsbury Cathedral to perform a varied and exciting programme of music by Puccini.
Lots to look forward to and lots to enjoy.
Announcing our new Music Director
We are delighted to welcome Benedict Collins Rice as our new Music Director.
Benedict is the founder and artistic director of The Facade Ensemble, currently Ensemble in Residence at The Courtauld Institute. He is Music Director of Bath Bach Choir and Ipswich Chamber Choir (among others) and follows in the footsteps of Holst and Tippett as Lecturer and Choir Tutor at Morley College.
‘I'm thrilled to be joining the Bury Bach Choir as their new Music Director’ says Benedict. ‘It is a beautiful town with a real cultural identity of which the Choir is an integral part. I am really looking forward to developing the choir's musical horizons and reputation further. I had so much fun working with the Choir at the audition (and think they did too!), and can't wait to bring this infectious enthusiasm to the Choir’s audiences.’
Often in demand as a guest conductor, Benedict has worked with the Berlin Sinfonietta, assisted with the BBC Concert Orchestra and conducted the Southbank Sinfonia and British Youth Opera. He has performed through Europe and the US (from The Royal Albert Hall to Carnegie Hall), recorded for several labels, worked for BBC and NBC Television and the BFI, and broadcast live on Radio 3.
He held two conducting scholarships at Cambridge University before continuing his studies with the heads of conducting at the Royal College of Music, Royal Northern College of Music, Vienna University of Music and Birmingham University where, for his MA in Choral Conducting under Simon Halsey CBE, he gained the course’s highest-ever conducting mark.
Announcing his appointment, Choir Chair Tess Wright said ‘Benedict’s intelligence, experience, musicianship and knowledge of the repertoire shone through the application process, and we relished his ability to direct the Choir at his audition with precision, charm and humour. We’re hugely looking forward to the Choir’s next stage of musical development under his leadership.’
Benedict will take up his appointment in April, and his first concert with the Choir will be our Coronation Concert in St Edmundsbury Cathedral on 20 May 2023, in a programme including Mozart’s
Coronation Mass, Handel's
Zadok the Priest, Britten's arrangement of
The National Anthem, and Haydn’s
Nelson Mass.
Carmina Burana - another sell out concert
Following on from our capacity audience for Messiah in November 2022, we were delighted to have another sell-out concert in March 2023. Our
Carmina Burana and Sea Pictures concert at The Apex sold out ten days before the event. It was an amazing evening, with the choir concentrating hard (there are a lot of words!) and in good voice and the percussionists, the pianists and the soloists all giving thrilling performances, conducted magnificently by Timothy Parsons. The eruption of applause from the audience at the end of Carmina Burana was a wonderful reward for all our hard work in bringing this exciting music to Bury St Edmunds.
Collection for Ukraine
At our concert A Christmas Celebration at Lavenham Church on 17 December 2022, one of the pieces we sang was A Ukrainian Prayer by John Rutter. Afterwards there was a collection for the Disaster Emergency Committee's Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. The total collected was an amazing £1010. A huge thank you to all the people of Lavenham who donated so generously.
Christmas Jumper Day
At our rehearsal on 8 December 2022 we wore Christmas Jumpers, and collected £106 for Children in Need UK.
Bury St Edmunds Bach Society, registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales, no. 1181842.
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