Archive for category: Concerts

Celebrating its 200th anniversary, Ipswich Choral Society performs Haydn’s masterpiece ‘The Creation’ at Snape Maltings Concert Hall on 20^th April, joined by the Britten Sinfonia and soprano Anna Dennis. Ipswich Choral Society also welcomes back Halifax Choral Society, making the performance a truly momentous occasion featuring Britain’s two oldest choral societies.

‘The Creation’ was the first major work performed by Ipswich Choral Society in 1825, 16 years after Haydn’s death. Incredibly, original hand-written scores from 1824 used by the new society were discovered in January 2012, now archived at The Hold in Ipswich. Completed in 1798, ‘The Creation’ would have been quite contemporary at the time. The premiere using the English text as held at Covent Garden, London in 1800.

For this 200^th anniversary concert, Ipswich Choral Society is delighted to be performing again at Snape Maltings with Halifax Choral Society. The two societies last performed together back in 2017, when Halifax Choral Society celebrated their 200^th anniversary. Living proof that the 19th Century pastime of joining a choral society is still as enjoyable in the 21st Century!

Ipswich Choral Society are thrilled that Britten Sinfonia will be joining them for this special occasion. Britten Sinfonia has a national and international reputation as one of today’s finest ensembles. Renowned for its adventurous programming and high-quality performances, Britten Sinfonia also brings high-quality music-making to schoolchildren, hospital patients and communities across the East of England.

Also performing are soloists Anna Dennis, Ryan Vaughan Davies and Dan D’Souza. Anna Dennis won the Royal Philharmonic Society Singer Award in 2023 and has performed at the English National Opera, La Scala in Milan and the Sydney Opera House, among others. Welsh tenor Ryan Vaughan Davies is a Jette Parker Artist at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Dan D’Souza is an Irish-British baritone and performed at venues including the English National Opera, the Paris Philharmonie, the Berlin Philharmonie and La Scala.

Photo: Ipswich Choral Society and Halifax Choral Society performance of Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ at Snape Maltings Concert Hall, April 2017. Credit Peter Smith.

Singing for the first time at Ely Cathedral, Ipswich Choral Society, joined by The Cantate Choir from Kent, will perform Tchaikovsky’s Liturgy of St John Chrysostom on 28 January 2023. Ipswich Choral Society Music Director, Robin Walker, also conducts The Cantate Choir.

Sung unaccompanied, Tchaikovsky composed The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom in 1878. The first performance took place in the Kyiv University Church in June 1879, followed by the first public performance in Moscow in December 1880.

John Chrysostom, appointed archbishop of Constantinople in 397, was one of the most prolific authors in the early Christian church and an excellent preacher. He revised the Divine Liturgy or celebration of the Holy Eucharist and to this day, is still celebrated by the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. There are several feast days dedicated to St John Chrysostom, one of which is the 27^th January.

Prayer for Ukraine is a patriotic hymn which has become the spiritual anthem of Ukraine. First published in 1885, it gained national significance during the Ukrainian war of independence in 1917-1920. Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine it has gained further prominence, being performed at many international concerts and church services. There will be a retiring collection after the concert in aid of the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal

Ipswich Choral Society will be offering a coach travel and concert ticket package for anyone from Ipswich wishing to attend the concert. The coach will leave from Crown Street at 5pm on 28^th January. If you are interested, please contact chair@ipswichchoralsociety.org by 10^th January for more details.

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Tchaikovsky

Prayer for Ukraine, Lysenko / Konysky

 Ipswich Choral Society

The Cantate Choir

Robin Walker, Music Director

Saturday 28 January 2023, 7.30pm

Ely Cathedral, Ely, CB7 4DL

Tickets: £15*

Available from ICS Ticket Line 07597 052572 or online here.

Retiring collection in aid of DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal

*Ticket booking fee may apply

Celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen, marking the first British monarch to achieve 70 years of public service.

Ipswich Choral Society and Music Director Robin Walker will be performing music from Coronations and Royal occasions throughout history. The choir are delighted to be joined by David Poulter accompanying on the organ.  The celebration concert will be held at St Margaret’s church in Ipswich on 18 June, starting at 7.30pm.

Ipswich Choral Society presents “Jubilee!”

Robin Walker Conductor

David Poulter Organist

Saturday 18 June 2022, 7.30pm

St. Margaret’s Church, Soane St, Ipswich IP4 2BE

Tickets £15 available online here or via the ICS Ticket Line 07597 052572.

Interval refreshments will be available.

Starting with Purcell and through to big Romantic classics, before moving onto Gilbert and Sullivan, then finishing with modern stage music.

Ipswich Choral Society will be charting the history of the chorus on stage for their autumn concert on 17 November at Ipswich School. Music Director Robin Walker conducts the choir through a programme incorporating operatic classics with modern show tunes, joined by pianist Daniel Law and special guest soloist Claire Weston.

Starting with Purcell, moving onto Handel and Mozart and through to big Romantic classics by Wagner, Verdi and Bizet the first half of the concert provides highlights from the operatic chorus reportoire. The second half focuses on musical theatre with pieces from the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan to the choruses from popular musicals such as ‘My Fair Lady’, ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Les Misérables’.

Prize-winning pianist and Master’s graduate of the University of East Anglia and Royal College of Music, Daniel Law has appeared as a concerto soloist, chamber and theatre musician throughout East Anglia. He regularly collaborates with Colchester Institute and Aldeburgh Young Musicians as well as teaching at a number of schools throughout Essex and Suffolk.

Chorus! The history of choirs on stage

• Conductor Robin Walker, ICS Music Director
• Piano Daniel Law
• Special guest soloist Claire Weston

Sunday 17 November 2019, 3pm
Great School, Ipswich School, Ivry Street, Ipswich, IP1 3QW

Tickets: £15, U16s/students Free

Available here online or via the ICS Ticket Line: 01473 625208.

Ipswich Choral Society with Music Director Robin Walker return to Snape following their hugely successful performance of Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ in 2017. The concert on 6 April features a mostly Mozart programme including his famous ‘Requiem’ and a world première of ‘The Affirming Flame’ by Tom Randle.

Shrouded in mystery, the commissioning of the unfinished Requiem written at the time of Mozart’s death in 1791 has always fascinated the musical world. Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ is a choral masterpiece and hugely popular with performers and audiences alike. For their performance at Snape, Ipswich Choral Society is delighted that their President, the international conductor Cem Mansur, will be joining them as guest conductor.