Welcome

The Nottingham Bach Choir was formed in 1954 and has been making a major contribution to the musical life of Nottingham since then. Most of its concerts are held in St Mary's Church, but also performs regularly in Southwell Minster. There are approximately 110 members who rehearse weekly under its inspirational Director of Music, Paul Hale. The choir gives high quality performances and is renowned for its sensitive and expressive interpretations of a wide range of choral music, in particular the works of Bach.

Nottingham Bach Choir is an auditioned choir rehearsing on Tuesdays at St John's Church, Carrington, and performs three concerts a year. It also performs a popular Christmas Concert each year at St. Peter's Church, Nottingham as part of their Coffee Morning series.

Although the works of J.S. Bach are central to our repertoire, we regularly perform choral music ranging from the late Renaissance era to the modern day. Outstanding reviews are regularly received for our concerts, most recently for a performance of J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Amongst our recent seasons, we celebrated 60 years with a magnificent performance of Elgar's Dream of Gerontius in Southwell Minster.

If you are interested in joining us or coming to our concerts, then explore our website for details of concerts, membership and workshops.

Nottingham Bach Choir is a registered charity number 508139

Our next concert is:

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ROSSINI PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE
CÉSAR FRANCK PRÉLUDE, FUGUE & VARIATION

Saturday 16th June 2018 7.30pm
St Mary's Church, Lace Market. Nottingham

Paul Hale Conductor
Anne Page Harmonium
Michael Overbury Piano
Soloists from the Royal Northern College of Music

This (as he described it) “poor little mass” was written by the 71-year-old Rossini in 1863, and performed in its original form the following year in Paris. Thirty-four years had passed since his last opera, Guillaume Tell. Yet the mass emerged as a work of inspiration and passion, a diverse series of beguiling movements, from slightly sinister counterpoint in the Kyrie to a flamboyant “Domine Deus” for the tenor soloist. Its great melodies have assured its continued popularity with choirs and audiences. Unusually, Rossini makes use of a harmonium which contrasts with the often more angular sound of the piano. The final Agnus Dei begins in a restless, melancholy vein, and moves through a lyrical alto solo, returning to the halting and uncertain rhythms which reflect the coexistence of doubt and faith.

Anne Page is known in the UK and abroad as a musician who combines virtuosity and versatility. In the pioneering spirit of her country of origin Australia, Anne likes to explore some of the less well trodden musical paths and has been one of a handful of musicians at the forefront of the revival of the harmonium, making recordings and establishing a course on the instrument at the Royal Academy of Music. Her performance of the harmonium part of Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle at St Mary's Church, Nottingham will be one of her five performances of the work this year including those at Oxford, Eton, Haslingfield (Cambridge) and London.

VACANCY

MUSICAL DIRECTOR OF NOTTINGHAM BACH CHOIR

Nottingham Bach Choir is seeking to appoint a new Musical Director in succession to Paul Hale, starting in September 2019.

Founded in 1954, we now have a strong reputation for accomplished performances in a region with a lively and competitive musical culture. We are a friendly auditioned choir of around 100 singers and give three or four concerts every season, for at least two of which we engage professional soloists. Our orchestral concerts are usually supported by the Nottingham Bach Players, professional and skilled amateur musicians, many of whom work with us on a regular basis.

The core of our repertoire draws on the major works in the classical canon, but we have also performed new work by national and local composers. In November 2018 we will perform Elgar’s The Apostles, followed in March 2019 by JS Bach’s St Matthew Passion in Southwell Minster.

The choir, which is a registered charity, is managed by an active committee of elected trustees in close collaboration with the Musical Director.

We rehearse in Nottingham on Tuesday evenings with a professional accompanist.

Fuller details of the choir, including recent programmes and an archive of works performed since 2000 can be found here on our website.

An application form, job description and person specification can be downloaded here.

Application deadline: August 31^st 2018. Auditions and interviews will take place on Tuesday, October 23^rd 2018.