Rolleston Music Circle & Choral Society News 2012
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It was great to see so many of you at the Town Hall on 13th October for our blockbuster concert, Zimbe! Come Sing the Songs of Africa! We had more than 100 people on stage, including young singers from John of Rolleston and William Shrewsbury schools. All the combined forces, including the composer Alexander L'Estrange and his jazz quintet, made it a night to remember and there was hardly a spare seat in the hall. A hard act to follow, but we will try...!
We took the opportunity of a big occasion to make a special presentation to our President, Alan Partington. Alan has been a member or supporter of the Society for at least 35 years. He was its chairman for 11 years – from 1982 to 1993 – and again for another five years from 1995 to 2000. As President since 2004, he is a constant source of advice, encouragement and good sense. Thank you, Alan.
We are now busy preparing two concerts for Christmas. The first, on Wednesday 12th December, will be at St Mary's Church. Once again we will be joined by children from John of Rolleston School, with their teacher/conductor Jane Smith. Please note the slightly earlier start time of 7.00 pm. The second, a week later on Wednesday 19th December, will be at the Methodist Chapel on Chapel Lane, with the usual start time of 7.30 pm. Please look for our posters giving more details. Or check out our new website: www.rollestonchoralsociety.co.uk
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Rolleston Choral Society has a new website www.rollestonchoralsociety.co.uk
Rhythm, colour, great tunes and an unplifting message – this October's concert by the Rolleston Choral Society has them all. Add to that mix a massed choir of local singers – around 150 in all – and you have the makings of a very special event.
Alexander L'Estrange - still only in his thirties - is fast becoming one of the most popular writers of choral music to have emerged from Britain in recent years.
His large-scale work, Zimbe! Come Sing The Songs of Africa! has taken the musical world by storm, with more than 70 highly acclaimed performances in Africa, the US, Canada, New Zealand and Oman - as well as throughout Europe and the UK. The unique fusion of traditional African song with jazz has instant appeal for performers and audiences alike.
He says the work was inspired partly by watching an episode of The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency on TV. “One particularly moving moment, depicting a funeral scene, involved a huge number of local 'extras' breaking into an apparently spontaneous performance of a traditional funeral song. I wanted my piece to reflect some of the manifold ways in music plays a part in everyday life in Africa – from the rising of the sun to its setting – both literally and figuratively.”
And so the 14 numbers in the 40-minute-long piece have a range of themes – from a playground song from Ghana, to a wedding song from Zimbabwe, to an assertive protest song, “Freedom is Coming”.
It will be another exciting leap forward for Rolleston Choral Society. Over the past five years, under our conductor Simon Lesley (also in his thirties) we have covered a lot of new ground, and gained many new audiences and new friends along the way. As well as some of the established classics like Handel's Messiah, we have performed folk songs, Negro spirituals, jazz, pop and selections from the musical theatre and big screen. We have sung many pieces by living British composers, including John Tavener, John Rutter, Bob Chilcott and Simon Lesley himself. In June this year, in a packed St Mary's Church, our Jubilee concert encompassed more than 400 years of English music, from the 15th century Agincourt Song to last Christmas's hit from TV's Military Wives, Wherever You Are.
But we don't want to rest on our laurels. Zimbe! Is providing fresh challenges. For a start, we will be singing in six different languages, including Swahili, Xhosa and Zulu – and English. Second – and quite possibly a “first” for us – we aim to put the printed music down and sing from memory. Come to think of it, we may have to – given that the composer wants us to clap along to the music most of the time!
The score for Zimbe! calls for a mixed chorus, a semi-chorus, a children's choir and a jazz quintet. Our choir numbers around 50 singers – so where are the other 100 or so coming from? The important semi-chorus will be formed by young people from the Lichfield Cathedral School Youth Choir, who are already big enthusiasts for the piece. More young singers will come from the Brewhouse Youth Choir in Burton. And by no means least, we will have up to 60 children from John of Rolleston and William Shrewsbury primary schools, who have been busy practising (as we have!) since the spring.
And for the icing on the cake, the jazz quintet will be none other than Alexander L'Estrange himself and his band, “Call Me Al”. We only want the best!
Unfortunately, St Mary's Church can't accommodate all these forces, so we have taken over Burton Town Hall - along with its good acoustics - for what should be a memorable and joyful evening. It should also be a massive celebration of local musical talent.
So make a note of the details: Saturday 13th October, at 7.00 pm (please note the early start time). Tickets are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for 16s-and-under. They should be available now, or very soon, from Starbucks News, The Brewhouse and the ESBC Customer Service Centre in the Market Place, Burton (cheques and cards only). Or, of course, from any choir member.
See you there!
Where else could you hear music by Henry VIII and Handel? Or 17th-century madrigals? Or a grand anthem by Gerald Finzi? St Mary's Church is the place to be at 7.30 pm on Saturday 2nd June, when our concert will form part of the village's "Jubilation" weekend. The programme will of course be broadly patriotic in theme and will reflect the best of British music over the centuries. It will also feature an eight-part choral setting of Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations, and John Rutter's This Is The Day, which he composed specially for last year's Royal Wedding. Much more besides, including the Military Wives' Christmas hit Wherever You Are by Paul Mealor. And there may be the chance to join in something rousing at the end! Tickets £8, to include refreshments, available from Starbucks and from choir members.
And don't forget to make a note in your diaries: Saturday 13th October. This will be a major occasion at Burton Town Hall to celebrate 50 years of music in Rolleston. We will be joined by singers from John of Rolleston School, William Shrewsbury School, the Brewhouse Youth Choir and Lichfield Cathedral School Youth Choir for a performance of Zimbe! Come Sing The Songs of Africa, a highly tuneful and colourful work guaranteed to to get your feet tapping. We will be joined by the composer, Alexander L'Estrange, and his five-piece jazz band. Burton will not have seen or heard anything quite like it before! More details coming before long.
Meanwhile, why not come and join us? New members are always welcome; we rehearse at 7.40 pm on Wednesday evenings, at the Methodist Chapel.
Nick Willmot
Having almost raised the church roof (well not literally, thank goodness) at our Christmas concert - spurred on by those very enthusiastic children from John Of Rolleston - we are now working towards a very special concert to celebrate HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. This will be on Saturday 2nd June at St Mary's Church, and will form part of the village's "Jubilation" weekend. The programme will, of course, be broadly patriotic in nature and will reflect the best of British music over the centuries. It will include an eight-part choral setting of Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations, and John Rutter's This Is The Day, which he composed specially for William and Kate's royal wedding last year. Much more besides.
And don't forget to to make a note in your diary: Saturday 13th October. This will be a major occasion at Burton Town Hall to celebrate our 50th anniversary. We will be joined by singers from John of Rolleston School, William Shrewsbury School, the Brewhouse Youth Choir and Lichfield Cathedral School Youth Choir for a performance of Zimbe! Come Sing The Songs of Africa, a highly tuneful and colourful work guaranteed to get your feet tapping. We'll be joined by the composer, Alexander L'Estrange, and his five-piece jazz band. Burton will not have seen or heard anything quite like it before!
More details on both concerts coming before long. Meanwhile, why not come and join us? New members are always welcome; we rehearse at 7.40 pm on Wednesday evenings, at the Methodist Chapel.
Nick Willmot
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Last updated: 26 December 2012