Choral Society Michaelmas Term Update!

One of our strengths as such a large music society is that we can bring together students from across the university to perform some wonderful pieces of music. We began our year with auditions in Freshers’ Week and gained many experienced singers from both the undergraduate and postgraduate population. It was great getting to know everyone in a post-rehearsal social early on this term, as it allows us to show new members that we are friendly and welcoming despite our size.

This term, Durham University Choral Society will be performing the requiems of Duruflé and Fauré in Elvet Methodist Church on Saturday 22nd November and, if you would like more information, please visit our website here. They are both wonderful pieces of music and it’s been fun getting to grips with the easy (and not so easy) parts of both. Thankfully, we're very ably supported by our conductor, Mike Summers, and our accompanist, Zac Clark. This is now our second year being led by Mike and he’s great at making the society feel comfortable, while also bringing out the best sound possible. 

I am really looking forward to working with two student soloists, who will be performing with the society for the first time. Sophie Kidwell will be our soprano soloist and James Quitmann our bass soloist. It’s wonderful to get these talented singers from the university involved in our concerts and to able to give aspiring soloists a chance to hone their performance skills. Having heard both soloists sing before, I can definitely say that their performances will be one of the highlights of the concert and that they will work well with the society as a whole.

The society itself is sounding amazing. I'm always surprised at how much the sound can develop between the first rehearsal and the last – it’s testament to the hard work of every single member and I just hope that we can share the result of this hard work with as many people as possible this Saturday.

Thank you,

Daniel Waite

President

Durham University Choral Society

Chris Higgins Music Bursaries

These newly established music scholarships from the Chris Higgins Music Bursary fund are to be spent on diploma or higher-level tuition, residential courses and personal development in the realms of music performance. A broader aim attached is to foster teaching links on an individual basis with the following: The Sage, Gateshead; The Royal Northern College of Music; the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama; The Birmingham Conservatoire; The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; the London music colleges (RAM, RCM, Guildhall; Trinity).

Eligibility:

Level of Study
Undergraduate

Mode of study
Full time

Programmes
All undergraduate programmes 

Breakdown of Scholarship:

Details

£300-500

Number of awards available

5 per year

How to apply - prospective applicants must:

Stage 1: Submit:

• An application cover letter, including a personal statement of no more than 700 words describing why you feel you should be awarded the Chris Higgins Music Bursary. This should explain how the student will benefit from the bursary and their goals and aims as an individual. It should include information on how they will be ambassadors for the university, spreading its image and reputation further afield. This should be sent to j.r.lawrence@durham.ac.uk.

• A reference of no more than 700 words from a suitable adult (e.g. a teacher, the conductor of an ensemble in which you play, the director of a production in which you have been involved), explaining why you are suitable to be awarded the Chris Higgins Music Bursary, sent directly from the referee to j.r.lawrence@durham.ac.uk.

Stage 2: Submit:

• A summary document after the tuition has completed, explaining the benefits from the music bursary and any links which have been fostered on an individual basis with any musical institutions or people.

Applications accepted from:
1 January 2015

Application deadline:
15 February 2015

When candidates will hear the outcome of their application:
March 2015

Selection Process:

• Applications will be considered on the basis of their ability to meet the eligibility criteria, the personal statement and references provided.

• All eligible applications for the Chris Higgins Music Bursary will be considered by a panel of senior staff at Durham University. This will most likely be comprised of the Head of Music Development, Music Development Coordinator, Music Society President, Head of Music Department and the Dean of Experience Durham.

• Where there is a shortlist of equally qualified applicants, the University will select a recipient following an interview process.

   

      For more information, please contact j.r.lawrence@durham.ac.uk. Good luck to all applicants!

Tuesday 21st October: Sir Thomas Allen Birthday Celebration Review

It is undisputed that Sir Thomas Allen is one of the finest lyric baritones of our time and so it seemed only fitting that his surprise birthday celebrations, held at Durham Castle last night, featured some of the university's top singers and instrumentalists.

A string quartet, featuring Chris Hirschman, Tim Seegar and Clare Durgan, greeted the Chancellor and his guests upon arrival, with guests in the Great Hall arriving to the sounds of the Big Band, before an introduction from another of the string quartet’s members, Experience Durham's Head of Music Development, Jessica Lawrence. In her speech, she mentioned the awed reaction of one of the students at having been invited to sing at this event, saying that he was his "hero", something that was echoed by many people throughout the evening.

The first performance was given by the Opera Ensemble and displayed the talent of both the excellent soloists and the company altogether. Marnie Blair gave a brilliant and sultry rendition of Carmen's Habanera aria (L'amour est un oiseau rebelle), before Hattie Ekbery and Lewis Whyte entertained with the Papageno/Papagena duet from The Magic Flute. Also included were the Sola, sola in buio loco sextet from Don Giovanni and the return of a brilliant arrangement of Summertime from Porgy and Bess by Roderick Williams.

During the breaks for the guests to mingle and enjoy the atmosphere of the impressive building, the Big Band brought further excitement to the evening with their upbeat music. The band, featuring two fantastic solo singers, impressed Sir Thomas, who was seen dancing along at points during the evening.

The Sovereign Singers gave the second concert-style performance of the evening and visited a wide range of styles, from pop (Never Gonna Give You Up) and traditional (Loch Lomond) to jazz classics (A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square and Cole Porter’s brilliant Miss Otis Regrets). Their programme gave soloists Tom Rowarth and Meg Griffiths a chance to shine, as well as using the entire ensemble to fullest effect through complex harmonies, and this was well received by the guests in the hall.

After another opportunity to talk and move about, it was time for the Light Opera Group (DULOG) to take to the stage, aptly choosing to begin with Willkommenfrom Cabaret. This high-energy set took guests through varying styles of musical theatre, from Tim Minchin’s When I Grow Up from Matilda to Broadway legend Sondheim’s Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music, via songs in a more popular styles, Jersey Boy’s Walk Like A Man (with impressive falsetto from Mike Vasmer), Footloose’s, Let’s Hear It For The Boy and The Bodyguard’s I want to Dance With Somebody.

The evening closed with Sir Thomas thanking the musicians and organisers for the effort they put into the evening and his guests for coming, emphasising the importance of music in our time and reminding everyone that music is definitely “of use”, before treating everyone to a spontaneous rendition of a song. Finally, everyone joined in a rousing chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’, a treat with so many musicians harmonising!   

Happy birthday again, Sir Thomas!