Rolleston Music Circle & Choral Society News 2007

Newsletter - Winter 2007

We are busy preparing for our popular annual concert of Christmas carols, music and readings. It will have two performances. The first will be on Saturday 8th December, at St.Mary's Parish Church, Newton Solney. The second will be here in the village, on Wednesday 19th December at the Methodist Chapel in Chapel Lane. Both concerts will start at 7.30 pm. Tickets available on the door. Please come early to avoid disappointment.

The choir has also announced an annual bursary for young musicians, in memory of our late conductor Peter Vernon, who died in July. The award - of £150 a year - is being organised by Burton and District Arts Council, and is designed to help promising youngsters meet the cost of such expenses as buying instruments or attending auditions. It's hoped to have the scheme up and running next year. 

Nick Willmot

Newsletter - Autumn 2007

We were delighted to see so many people at the Scout Headquarters for our summer concert in July. Our next engagement will be on Saturday 15 September, at St.Mary's Church, when we'll be taking part in the Rolleston Heritage Weekend. Our programme will include English and Irish folk songs, romantic piano and organ pieces, and three anthems arranged by our conductor-composer Simon Lesley.

The next major date will be Saturday 17 November, at St John's Church in Horninglow. The main work will be Bach's Magnificat. This is quite short, so we'll be adding in a number of perhaps better-known pieces, including Allegri's Misere, Bach's Sleepers Awake and Albinoni's Adagio in a version for organ and strings. The concert will also include Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Trumpets. Something for everyone, as they say. More details about both these concerts nearer the time. (Nick Willmot)

Peter Vernon

It is with Sadness that we have to record the untimely death of Peter following a tragic accident. He was the Choral Society’s Musical Director from 1993 until his retirement in 2006, and conducted many memorable concerts for the society. As an accomplished pianist and conductor his talents were in constant demand. At the time of his death he was Head of the Music Department at Abbot Beyne School and also on the staff of the Birmingham Conservatoire where he conducted the Junior Chamber Orchestra.

A fuller appreciation of Peter’s career will appear in the next issue of Rollestonian. (Alan Partington)

Newsletter - Summer 2007

Following our very successful concert in the parish church in March, under our new conductor Simon Lesley, we're now working on a summer concert of folk music from Britain, America and South Africa. Once again, this will be in the village: this time at the Scout Headquarters on Saturday 7th July, starting at 7.30 pm. More details and prices will be posted in the village nearer the time. 

Nick Willmot

Newsletter - Spring 2007

We shall be making a welcome and perhaps overdue return to St Mary's Church for our next concert, so we hope as many of you will come as possible. This will be an evening of French choral favourites, including Faure's Requiem and Cantique de Jean Racine. Since Christmas we have undergone a rejuvenation, with the appointment of an enthusiastic new conductor, Simon Lesley. The concert will be on Saturday 17 March, at 7.30. Tickets will be available from choir members and from Starbuck's News - details will be published nearer the time.

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Last updated: 22 December 2007