A spokesman for the A40 Choir elaborated: "Soprano Celena Bridge (see gallery page of www.celenabridge.com for photos) will be making a welcome return and will sing Handel's famous Where 'ere you Walk and solos from Messiah. Organist Greg Morris will play Parry's Elergy and to further put the Parry choral items into historical context, David will also play the original version of Elgar's Salut d'amour, which is nowadays better known in its string orchestra and solo violin versions. As 2011 is the bicentenary year of Liszt's birth, the Music 4 Lovers theme will be continued with his Liebesträume No. 3. Liszt's much later Les Jeux d'eau à la Villa d'Este and Debussy's Reflets dans l'eau will give an insight as to other musical trends around the time of the Parry works."
The performance will take place on Saturday 19 November at 7:30 in St. Mary's Church, Amersham. Tickets - Adult £12, Student £6 - are available in advance via 01753 886005 or via www.a40music.com or on the door at Adult £15, Student £7.
The new branch has already had an encouraging response and looks as if, like the Beaconsfield arm, it will have singers of all ages (16+), from a huge variety of backgrounds, some of whom have had very little past choral singing experience while others have had more.
Both arms are revving up for an exciting term, with two concerts of well known and not so familiar choral repertoire: Royal Wedding works Parry I was Glad and Blest Pair of Sirens and Jerusalem, as well as Bach Christmas Oratorio highlights, Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Handel Zadok the Priest and carols.
Dynamic and experienced professional founder conductor David Meacock, who has also conducted in London and abroad, said: "If you like the sound of singing in finely tuned performances, which independent reviewers have said would be the envy of many a choral society, but without the need for auditions, how about coming to try us out - even if it's perhaps a while since you've sung in a choir?"
For further details, please race to the A40 Choir pages of this website and/or call David on 01753 886005.
The new A40 Choir has aims of seeking to enrich local community culture by giving amateur and professional musicians the chance to work together and music lovers the opportunity to hear the highest quality choral concerts in their immediate locality. The new choir aims to really draw people together: school parents, students and professors from the Royal Academy of Music a stone's throw away, all those who work in London, as well as local residents.
The first term's concert aims to include premieres of David Meacock's recently completed reduced orchestration of the recent Royal Wedding Music Parry Jerusalem and Parry Blest Pair of Sirens, which have been done to match the brass version of his reduced flexi-orchestration of Parry I was Glad already available for Hire from the Novello Hire Library. The term also will include Handel's Zadok the Priest and Messiah choruses as well as Christmas workshop/Concert events based around Bach Christmas Oratorio highlights, Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols and carols for audience and choir together.
Versatile Founder conductor David Meacock, has an impressive spread of experience not only as a choral conductor for just over twenty years, but also as a virtuoso pianist (his St John's, Smith Square debut included the Liszt Sonata), a highly successful teacher and more recently singing some of the most demanding big tenor opera arias in front of 7,000.
He has prepared choirs for Sir David Willcocks' Royal Albert Hall concerts and raised the bar for Come and Sing events when he did a Bach St John Passion on just one day of choir and soloists' rehearsal with a choir of about 200 containing only 10% who had ever sung the notoriously demanding piece before. He subsequently put together a totally uncut and unrehearsed, as far as the choir was concerned, exciting performance of Handel's Messiah. David is the editor of the Concerts from Scratch edition of the work.
Meacock said: "As there will be no auditions, with the only requirement being to be able to read music (as opposed to sight-reading brilliantly) I hope as many as possible will come along with bags of enthusiasm to have great fun singing both well known and not so frequently done works."
For more details and to register
your interest so that preparations can be made for known numbers
of singers, please see the A40 Choir (London) page of this Website.
If you too thought the Royal Wedding was a great musical feast and would like to sing it, and hear it 'live' again locally, well here's your chance! In fact there was so much of it we're going to take not just one term as originally envisaged, but TWO!
The A40 Choir is devoting this term
and next term to singing most of the main music we all thoroughly
enjoyed. Handel's Zadok the Priest is included as
it was played to the waiting crowds beforehand, while the atmospheric
and challenging Ubi Caritas, the new piece by the young
Welsh composer Paul Mealor, and Parry's evergreen
Jerusalem featured within Kate's and William's service.
Interestingly, the A40 Choir will also be including pieces sung
at the Queen's and other past Royal Weddings: McKie For
Thy Loving Kindness, Mathias Let the People Praise
Thee, and Wesley Blessed be the God and Father.
The A40 Choir aims to enrich the local community culture by giving
amateur and professional musicians the chance to work together
and music lovers the opportunity to hear the highest quality concerts
locally. We rehearse on Mondays, but if regular rehearsals are
a bit tricky during the Summer, then if you can manage just one,
13th June, everyone will be most welcome to come along to the
open workshop and performance at 8 p.m. at The Beaconsfield School:
to sing or just listen.
Otherwise, the other stirring substantial Parry pieces,
I was Glad and Blest Pair of Sirens will be the
centrepiece of next term's repertoire. Because this year is the
bicentenary of Liszt's birth, the term will also include
his gorgeous but nowadays little-known Psalm 13.
In order to give us time to make sure we have enough music available
for everyone, if you would like to join in, please contact the
conductor David Meacock either via the contact page of this website
or by calling 01753 886005 for further details, as soon as possible.
The next A40 Choir concert features the now rarely performed Cherubini Requiem in C minor which having been popular in its day is also interesting historically. First, Beethoven considered Cherubini to be his best rival; second the work itself was also admired by Brahms and Schumann; and third it has some moments which clearly foreshadow the now better known Verdi Requiem, written 60 years later.
David and his A40 Choir will be joined by Malcolm Hicks, who is often seen playing the organ at the Last Night of the Proms.
To put the Cherubini into historical context, David will also play one of the more well known of Beethoven's piano sonata, Les Adieux, Op. 81a, written towards the end of Beethoven's middle period, and only a few years before Cherubini's Requiem. At the end of his spectacular etude Mazeppa, Liszt quotes Victor Hugo "He falls at last . . . and rises up as king" and so, like the Beethoven, although the sentiments described by the music are unrelated to the Easter story, there is a parallel of sadness ending with joy. Additionally, 2011 is the bicentenary year of Liszt's birth.
A spokesman for the A40 Choir said: "We have really enjoyed getting to know the Cherubini as we've rehearsed it throughout this term. We hope many will want to share in our discovery and join us for an evening of varied, enjoyable and exciting music."
The performance will take place on Saturday 2 April at 7:30 in St. Mary's Church, Amersham. Tickets - Adult £12, Student £6 - are available in advance via 01753 886005 or via the A40 Choir page of this website or on the door at Adult £15, Student £7.
The 7,000 who heard Tenor David Meacock sing arias as the warm up act to the main CSP Feast Day evening concert have another chance to hear him - this time singing Donizetti Arias at the A40 Choir concert on Saturday 20 November in St. Mary's, Amersham.
Chalfont St. Peter resident David Meacock explained: "I thought I'd do my bit to support the CSP Feast Day event and was slightly gob-smacked when after performing Nessun Dorma! and a couple of other arias, I suddenly found myself surrounded by the event's organisers asking me to sing it all again."
This time, Meacock, accompanied on the piano by his wife Kate, will be hoping to wow the A40 Choir concert audience singing the heartfelt Una Furtiva Lagrima, and the spectacular Ah! Mes amis, quel jour de fête - Pour mon âme - famous for it's 9 top C's, which launched Pavarotti's career. He will also be taking the solos within Bach's famous Sleepers Wake! Cantata No. 140 and Janacek's seldom performed but beautiful setting of The Lord's Prayer (in Czech). There will also be a first performance of Favourite World War 1 & 2 Songs Medley - specially put together for the concert.
David and his A40 Choir will be joined by young soprano Anna-Louise Costello and bass Tom Humphreys, as well as by Malcolm Hicks, who is often seen playing the organ at the Last Night of the Proms.
Tickets - Adult £12, Student £6 - are available in advance via 01753 886005 or via the A40 Choir page of this website, or on the door at Adult £15, Student £7.
Some of the 7,000 or so who saw the Chalfont St Peter Feast Day Queen Tribute Band Concert, at the end of June, may not have realised - although announced - that the tenor who brought the house down singing three arias, including Nessun Dorma! of Pavarotti 1990 World cup fame, as the warm up act, was none other than A40 Choir conductor, David Meacock - also known locally for his virtuoso piano playing and as a teacher.
David said afterwards: "I wanted to support the day and was flattered when immediately after the morning performance the organisers asked me to sing again in the evening! My 4 and 2 year old children heard both, and have been singing their own abridged versions of all three arias, with some of the Italian words too, ever since, at great volume, so I'm hoping a few of the other audience might be similarly inspired to join the A40 Choir!"
So, there you are, how about coming and join a local friendly unauditioned choir, open to all aged above 16, trained by a conductor who can actually 'cut the mustard' himself?! Rehearsals on Mondays at 7:45 p.m., in Beaconsfield, include basic vocal training, so you'll find out how to make the most of your singing voice.
The A40 Choir's repertoire has always been varied containing a mix of evergreens and novelties, as well as lighter music, designed to appeal to experienced and new choral singers alike: this term is typical in consisting of the famous Bach Cantata No. 140 Sleepers Wake!, the lesser known setting of The Lord's Prayer by the Czech composer Janacek, and a suite of World War 2 songs. As usual, the very reasonable subscriptions, which include provision of all music copies, aren't due until the third week after your first visit, so you can come along and have fun trying out the A40 Choir for free.
Please see the A40 Choir page of this website for further details and/or call David on 01753 886005.
This coming Monday, 14 June, at 8 p.m., in The Beaconsfield School, the A40 Choir will be presenting a Russian Evening, with a typical A40 Choir mix of not so familiar, a medley of Russian Anthems, and the very well known in the form of Borodin’s Polotsvian Dance No. 17. The Russian Anthems Medley consists of Balakirev Send forth Thy Light, Tchaikovsky Oh Praise the Lord, The Crown of Roses and Holy, Holy, Holy, Rachmaninoff Concerto for Choir (1st movement) and To Thee, O Lord.
Balakirev was one of the mid-19th Century nationalist group of Russian composers known as The Mighty Five. Those who think they know Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff from their well known concertos and orchestral works will likely be surprised by this not so familiar genre.
Founder conductor David Meacock, who recently organised and conducted a scratch Messiah performance which raised £2,800 for the national DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal said: “As the evening will start with an open workshop, any singers who are good sight-readers who would like to come along and join in will be most welcome. Otherwise, especially as we're not clashing with any of the England football matches, I hope many will enjoy coming to listen!”
Tickets (including a free glass of wine, or soft drink) are available from 01753 886005 or www.a40music.com and are a snip at only £5-00; but on the door cost £7-50. Full-time students under 21 get in for just £3-00 in advance or £5-00 at the door.
Conductor and organiser of Saturday's Messiah 4 Haiti concert in aid of the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal, David Meacock, reports that the highly successful concert, which was put together in less than 6 weeks, has raised nearly £2.5K: £2,437 to be precise, with a couple of promised donations to come.
David said, afterwards: "We had four fabulous soloists and a small - but powerful when needed - nearly fully professional orchestra all of whom gave of themselves for free. The nearly 100 singers who had paid to sing thoroughly enjoyed themselves and many afterwards asked if we could come together to do similar events in the future, on a regular basis for good causes. It would have been nice to have more than about 60 audience, but this was the first local event and perhaps people didn't expect a provincial scratch choir to be as good as they in fact were."
Before that, David now has to now turn his sights towards this week's A40 Choir concert, taking place on Saturday 13 March, at 7:30 pm, in St Mary's church, in Old Amersham. The choir with 3 of the four same soloists singing again will be performing Dvorak's rarely performed Mass in D in it's original form with Malcolm Hucks on the organ. Dvorak is nowadays known to most people for the famous cor anglais played slow movement theme of his New World Symphony, but in his day, he was very popular in England on account of his choral works. The soloists will also sing popular arias and after accompanying them, David will play Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3, Chopin's Nocturne in Eb and Brahms' Rhapsody in G minor - arguably these three composers' most loved piano pieces.
Tickets, which are cheaper in advance than at the door are £12 for adults and £7 for students under 23, are available via the A40 Choir page of this website or 01753 886005.
Locals are being urged to come and support Messiah 4 Haiti: a concert to raise funds for the national DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal.
Local Conductor and organiser, David Meacock said: ”We are very lucky in the UK not to have the constant worry of earthquakes. How would you feel if your two year old, like the toddler featured in the news, lost both arms, and could no longer hug his mother. There have been over 4,000 other amputees.”
Haiti’s Earthquake was so much more devastating than most others because its centre point was both in-land as well as much nearer to the earth’s surface.
Nearly 100 singers from many local choirs and none are coming together to perform Handel’s ever-popular Messiah, for Saturday’s concert, at 7:30 p.m., in St Clement Danes School, Chorleywood. They will be joined by four young soloists, at the start of their careers, Celena Bridge (Soprano) Adriana Festeu (Contralto), Robin Bailey (Tenor) and Ben Carter (Bass), and full orchestra. Because no professional is being paid, we’re already well into raising four figures, so all is needed now is some further substantial local audience support.
Handel’s Messiah is really a collection of his greatest hits, and so those who decide to come and support this local initiative primarily for the cause rather than because of being great classical music enthusiasts will hopefully really enjoy our music-making too. Handel’s Messiah is such a great work that you can’t hear it too many times.”
For audience tickets, which are cheaper in advance, and singers tickets (it’s still not too late to join in!), please either go to this website, or if you’re not on-line, call 01753 886005.
Having had about 100 expressions of interest from members of three leading local choirs - the A40 Choir, Amersham & Chesham Bois Choral Society and South Bucks Choral Society - within the first three days of lauching the project, the organiser of Messiah 4 Haiti - a concert in aid of the Haiti Earthquake relief efforts, is calling on all amateur choral singers and professional musicians to come together to help raise significant monies (£10K+) for this terrible situation.
Given the uniqueness of the situation all professionals performing will be doing so for free, so all ticket monies will go directly to the Disasters Emergency Committee Earthquake Appeal. It is hoped that corporate and/or individual sponsors and/or programme advertisers might come forward to cover minimal expenses such as the substantially discounted venue hire, so that programme takings can also be donated.
Singers will pay £8 each to sing and will be issued with a sheet of detailed instructions with their tickets. Adult audience tickets in advance of 5 p.m. on Sat 6 March are £15, adults at the door are £20 and full time students under 21: £9. It will save administration if everyone can please order via your choir (which can be emailed with bulk ordering forms if you haven't already had them). Please don't worry if you are not associated with a choir, just support us by ordering tickets via this website, where there is also opportunity to GIFT AID donations, which effectively increases your donation by nearly a third. I'd be grateful if fellow professionals interested in contributing could please email me via the website's contact page.
The concert, with afternoon rehearsal, will take place on Saturday 6 March 2010 at 7:30 p.m., in St Clement Danes School, Chenies Road, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, WD3 6EW - website with map etc: http://www.stclementdanes.org.uk/contact-us.htm
Conductor David Meacock, who has helped prepare choristers for Royal Albert Hall performances of the work for Sir David Willcocks, and is the conductor/editor of the recent Concerts from Scratch interactive edition of Handel's Messiah, said: "We all see the TV pictures which perhaps have also to a degree immunised all of us against the true reality and awefulness of it. Just imagine how you'd feel if part never mind all of your house burnt down, never mind all the death and destruction everywhere. . . Anyone who has done, or had builders in to do a house extension will hate the dust - but how many times worse must the dust of destruction be there . . . Someone in my choir pointed out that this disaster is the equivalent of SEVENTY Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet crashes happening simultaneously."
This month's local concert by Chalfont St Peter conductor and
pianist David Meacock and the A40 Choir was part of the BCC 'Sing
Hallelujah!' scheme.
The A40 Choir, with organist Malcolm Hicks who often plays the
Royal Albert Hall organ in the BBC Last Night of the Proms, sang
Vivaldi's 'Gloria', Albinoni's 'Magnificat' and of course Handel's
'Hallelujah! Chorus'. Four young soloists sang arias, and David
changed roles to play Liszt's spectacularly virtuosic Dante Sonata
- universally described by commentators as one of the most demanding
works of the whole piano repertoire which tests muscle and sinew
to the absolute limit!
The A40 Choir are now starting to rehearse Dvorak's Mass in
D for their next concert in March, but in the meantime will host
a Carol and Mince Pies Christmas Party, complete with Champers
Draw, open to all, on Monday 7th December at 7:45. For tickets,
costing £5, please call 01753 886005.
The A40 Choir are inviting everyone to come and hear their Italian themed concert on 14 November in St. Mary's church, Amersham, which is part of the BBC's Sing Hallelujah - a scheme led by Radio 3, and the English National Opera to encourage people to find their voice and discover the joy of singing through Handel's famous Hallelujah Chorus.
Alongside the Hallelujah Chorus, the concert will also include Vivaldi's ever popular Gloria alongside the far lesser known Albinoni Magnificat.
The choir with the highly experienced organist Malcolm Hicks, will be joined by four young soloists Celena Bridge - Soprano, Daniela Thomas - Contralto, Harry Bagnall - Tenor, and Ben Carter - Bass, who will also sing arias by Mozart, Donizetti and Albinoni. As well as conducting the choir and accompanying the soloists' arias, David Meacock will also play Liszt's spectacularly virtuosic Dante Sonata.
Asked how the Hallelujah Chorus manages to feature in an Italian themed concert, a spokesman explained that before settling in England, the German Handel had been a leading composer of Italian opera, and as the A40 Choir is particularly keen to be open to all we are very keen to be included in the BBC scheme.
Tickets for the concert, which starts at 7:30 are available from 01753 886005 or the choir page of this website for Adult £12, Student £6, or at the door for Adult £15, Student £7.
The young A40 Choir, which already has singers of all ages, from recent University leavers to the more experienced, is inviting locals to join in the fun.
Rehearsals take place in Beaconsfield on Mondays from 7:45 to 9:45, and will restart on 7 September. The current term works will be a typical mix of the A40 Choir's eclectic mix of well known and not so familiar choral repertoire: Vivaldi's Gloria and Albinoni's Magnificat.
The A40 Choir's dynamic and experienced founder conductor David Meacock, who has also conducted in London and abroad, is also the conductor/editor of the pedagorical Concerts from Scratch Messiah edition. As unlike many choral conductors, he has sung solos, not surprisingly basic vocal training is woven into the choir's rehearsals and his impressive three octave range allows him to demonstrate all parts at pitch. David is proud that the choir has always achieved good performance standards within a warm and welcoming, friendly and happy atmosphere - but has no auditions.
He quipped: "The base line, if you'll pardon the pun, is that people need to be able to read music as opposed to being required to sight-read brilliantly, as we have a termly rehearsal schedule to help focus home preparation."
Even with no auditions the choir has an enviable track record. It has broadcast on Classic FM, twice sung in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London and when the choir went to France, its recital in Rouen cathedral necessitated an encore. The choir's repertoire has ranged from the Baroque through to the contemporary Karl Jenkins' An Armed Man and has included first performances of Meacock's own reduced orchestrations, which have then been performed by others: Parry I was Glad is published by Novello and has been performed world-wide, while the Verdi Requiem was recently premiered in the USA. The A40 Choir has also sung lighter repertoire such as Gilbert & Sullivan and numbers from the Shows.
Very reasonable membership subscriptions include free music provision. The choir also has always had a free try-us-out-period for new singers. If you'd like to know further information, please have a look at the A40 Choir page of www.a40music.com and call David on 01753 886005.
Everyone is invited to come to the A40 Choir's Summer event, on Monday 15 June at 8 p.m., in The Beaconsfield School, Wattleton Rd., Beaconsfield: a workshop and concert performance of all the best bits, some of which have been 'choralised', from Bizet's Carmen, led by founder conductor David Meacock.
Timetable:
7:30 p.m. set up
8 p.m. workshop starts (with audience)
8:35 Break
8:45 Performance
9:15 refreshments - wine & soft drinks
9:45 - END
NB: Singers will need to wear concert dress: Men DJ with Black Tie, Ladies: Long coloured dress or blouse with long skirt
Please call 01753 886005 for tickets, which for both singers and audience are £5 Adults in advance, £7-50 Adults on the door, and Students Half price.
The A40 Choir invites people
to bring their Prout edition of Handel's Messiah to a special
Pre-Concert Workshop with the editor/conductor of the recent Concerts
from Scratch edition, which has been endorsed by Sir David
Willcocks; highly commended by Classic FM; and was recently
used at a Beaconsfield church roof fund-raising event.
The Workshop will be on Sunday 1 March, 2:00 - 5:30 pm St. Thomas'
Holtspur, Beaconsfield. Tickets are a snip at only £5. Those
who know the work really well are also invited to join in with
the A40 Choir Concert on Saturday 7 March at 7:30 p.m., in St.
Mary's, Amersham. For further details please call 01753 886005
or log on to the A40 Choir page of this website.
The DeltaAirlines Commercial music, Adiemus by Welshman, Karl Jenkins, is one of three pieces in the A40 Choir's next concert on Saturday 15 November, 7:30 in Mary's church, Amersham. The programme is particularly exciting as not only will the Choir will be joined by the Curzon CofE Combined School Choir and former professional singer now Rector, Tim Harper, for Vaughan Williams' rarely performed A Song of Thanksgiving, there will also be a specially made film accompanying Jenkins' highly popular and more substantial The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace.
Headteacher of Curzon CofE Combined, Jacquie Coles, said "I am delighted the A40 Choir have offered this huge unique opportunity to our pupils."
The A40 Choir will also be joined by a chamber ensemble comprising organ, piano, percussion and trumpets. Founder conductor David Meacock has even had permission from Oxford University Press to tweak the instrumental line-up of the Vaughan Williams so it will match The Armed Man scoring.
The Armed Man is a powerful and compelling account of the descent into and terrible consequences of war. Commissioned for the millennium by the Royal Armouries and dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo crisis, this work is a contemporary example of a mass based on the 15th-century French song L'Homme Armé (The Armed Man). The complete work sets sacred and secular texts including Tennyson, Kipling, The Koran and the Hindu Mahàbharàta within the framework of the Christian mass. Championed by Classic FM it has captured the imagination of music lovers everywhere to become not only a worl-wide chart-topping CD but also one of the most currently performed and poignant choral works of the moment.
Tickets for the concert, which takes place in the on Saturday 15 November, at 7:30 p.m., are available on 01753 886005 or 01494 431020 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students are also cheaper in advance at £6-00.
Singers who'd like to enjoy a good warble through the chorus parts are invited to come to a pre-concert workshop on Sunday 9 November, 2:30 - 5 p.m. at St. Thomas' church, Holtspur, Beaconsfield. Tickets, from the same telephone numbers above, are a snip at just £5-00. Music will be available for those who don't already have their own.
Local G&S fans have a chance to enjoy a veritable feast of curtain-raising classics such as Take a Pair of Sparkling Eyes (from The Gondoliers), A Modern Major-General and A Policeman's Lot (Pirates), The Nightmare Song (Iolanthe), Titwillow and A Wandering Minstrel I (Mikado) at the A40 Choir's next concert in The Beaconsfield School on Saturday 21 June at 7:30 p.m..
Founder conductor David Meacock will also be playing some of the most well known and lyrical piano pieces ever written for the piano, such as Mozart's Turkish March, the slow movement of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, and evergreens by Chopin such as Sir Winston Churchill's all time favourite, the Third Ballade.
An A40 Choir spokesman said: "We have all had great fun rehearsing this selection of Gilbert and Sullivan's highly witty music. We're offering everyone, from casual classical music listeners to connoisseurs, young and old, a memorable night of easy listening and pure entertainment!"
Tickets (including a free glass of wine, or soft drink) are available from 01753 886005 and cost £12-50; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £7-00.
The A40 Choir's Easter concert consists of infrequently performed works by two English composers: Stainer's The Crucifixion and three anthems by Elgar: Great is the Lord, Give unto the Lord and the smaller Ave Verum.
In its day, the Stainer, subtitled A meditation on the Sacred Passion of the Holy Redeemer, was second in popularity only to Handel's Messiah. In recent years it has fallen out of fashion, perhaps either because more choirs have taken on the more meaty J. S. Bach Passions on which the work is modelled, or as other similarly accessible works created by more recent composers, such as John Rutter, have taken over. While Elgar is generally better known for his larger scale works such as Land of Hope and Glory, the 'Cello Concerto and the Enigma Variations (esp. the Nimrod variation), his miniature Ave Verum and more substantial anthems Great is the Lord, Give unto the Lord are also well worth hearing.
The bass solos will be taken by young visiting singers based in London, and anchor man for the night will be experienced organist Harold Lester. The concert will be conducted by Founder conductor David Meacock, who in typical 'living on the edge' fashion, will also take on the tenor solo role in the Stainer.
Tickets for the concert, which takes place in the on Saturday 15 March, at 7:30 p.m., are available on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £11-00; but on the door cost £14-00. Students are also cheaper in advance at £6-00.
Singers who'd like to enjoy a good warble through the choruses are invited to come to a pre-concert workshop on Sunday 9 March, 2:30 - 5 p.m. at the choir's usual rehearsal venue St. Thomas' church, Holtspur, Beaconsfield. Tickets, from the same telephone numbers above, are a snip at just £3-00. Music will be available for those who don't already have their own.
The next concert of the fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra celebrates The Buckinghamshire Building Society's Centenary. It will take place at 7:30 on Saturday 10 November at Dr Challoner's High School, Little Chalfont.
Founder Conductor David Meacock said: "The A40 CO has had a long association with Buckinghamshire Building Society, and so we were delighted to be asked to do a concert for the Centenary. The starting point for the popular programme was the Building Society's Swan logo, hence the inclusion of Saint Saens' famous descriptive piece, for solo cello, The Swan, from The Carnival of the Animals. This is complimented by Delius' Summer Night on the River and On Hearing the first Cuckoo in Spring which were written in the early 20th Century."
The wildlife theme is continued with Rimsky-Korsakov's spectacularly virtuosic The Flight of the Bumble Bee and Bach's pastoral Sheep May Safely Graze. Violin soloist Anna Cashell returns, following a highly characterful performance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons with the A40 CO last year, to play Vaughan Williams' evocative The Lark Ascending - which features consistently at the top of Classic FM's 'Hall of Fame' listing of the current 300 most popular and accessible classical music pieces. Following studies in Ireland and the Yehudi Menuhin School, Anna went to the Royal College of Music as the Mills William Junior Fellow, where she won many awards including the 2006 String Player of the Year. Anna will also play Romances by Beethoven and Dvorak. The orchestra will open proceedings with Schubert's cheerful Symphony No. 5 in Bb.
Tickets, which include free refreshments, are now available via the A40 Concert Orchestra page of this website (see A40 Orchestra page) or 01753 886005. Prices are Adults in advance £12, Adults on the door £15-00 and Students £6. Keen to encourage families to come together, there is also a bargain family ticket for 2 Adults with up to 3 children for only £25.
The A40 Choir is inviting locals to join their forthcoming exciting season of concerts and other events. This season's works include a mixture of well and lesser knowns: CPE Bach Magnificat, Anthems by Elgar, Stainer The Crucifixion and lighter items in the Summer.
Although always unauditionned concert reviewers commented even in the choir's early days that it produced a sound which would be the envy of many an established choir.
Founder Conductor David Meacock is also becoming increasingly well respected abroad for his expertise. The Concerts From Scratch edition of Messiah which he edited and conducted is selling well world-wide, and was recently used in another choir's local scratch performance of Messiah exerpts. The success of this edition is perhaps hardly surprising given it has been endorsed by the everlasting doyen of choral conducting Sir David Willcocks - under whose baton David sang at the Royal College of Music. Indeed, David Meacock has since been favourably compared with "Sir David in his younger days". Earlier this year, David's reduced orchestration of the Verdi Requiem [See Compositions and Arrangements page of this website for further details] had its premiere in the USA.
David commented: "Given a bit of patience and with vocal training as an integral part of fun rehearsals - which I have been surprised to regularly hear from choristers and fellow professional musicians isn't often done in other choirs - I believe that anyone with very basic music ability can join us and be part of the uplifting experience of singing in a choir. As all music is provided, there is no need to worry about funding and finding the right edition!"
If you would like to join in our
success and give yourself a chance to have fun enjoying local
music making on a professional level, then please call David on
01753 886005. See www.a40music.com for further details.
The A40 Choir presents Songs from the Shows on Saturday 23 June at Beaconsfield High School, starting at 7:30 p.m.. The choir will be singing founder Conductor David Meacock's three suites of favourite numbers from Porgy & Bess, My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music. Apart from her previous appearances with the A40 Choir, local Soprano Debra Skeen who will join the choir and also present a medley of solos, has sung concerts all over the UK and abroad. The new novice men's group will also sing Close every Door from Joseph and David Meacock will play two Chopin Polonaises, including the old Warhorse, The Military Polonaise.
The concert comes only a month after David Meacock's Reduced orchestration of the Verdi Requiem was premiered in the USA on 19 May. It had previously been premiered in the UK with the A40 Choir in March 2000 and has since been performed a number of times around the UK. The conductor of Kirkland Choral Society, Dr. Glenn R. Gregg, wrote afterwards:
"Many thanks for your excellent reduced orchestration of the Verdi 'Requiem'. Our performance was spectacularly successful, thanks in part to your fine work in creating this version. You have paved the way for many who would not otherwise have had the chance to perform this towering masterpiece. . . You have done a marvellous job with your reduced orchestration, and you have done a great service to the choral community, both in the U.K. and elsewhere. I hope that my discovery and use of your Verdi orchestration will lead to more performances in the U.S."
Dr Gregg has also said that he may well programme Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius (premiered by the A40 Choir in November 1999) in the future, using Meacock's reduced orchestration, and that he will be happy to recommend these orchestrations to others when the opportunity arises.
A spokesman from the A40 Choir said: "Few parochial choirs are lucky enough to have a conductor with national and international exposure. Apart from this latest triumph, Meacock has been the editor/conductor of the highly successful Concerts from Scratch edition of Messiah upon which a recent local scratch Messiah was based. His chamber orchestration of Parry's I was Glad, published by Novello continues to be performed all over the world and he has also had arrangements published by the Royal School of Church Music. David's Songs from the Shows arrangements are challenging but great fun to sing and I'm sure hearing all the show-stopping lollipops from three of the most popular shows ever written without all the padding in between will also be most enjoyable for the audience too!"
Tickets, which include interval wine/soft drinks, are available via the A40 Choir page on this website, or by calling 01753 886005. Adults in advance cost £12-50, at the door are £15-00 while students get in for just £7-00.
Harry Child has won the A40 Choir
Bucks Treble of the Year competition and so will be singing the
Pie Jesu solo in Faure's
beautiful Requiem at the A40 Choir's next concert
in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 10
March at 7:30 p.m..
A pupil at Davenies School in Beaconsfield, where his singing
teacher is Richard Gobs, Harry has won top singing prizes at the
Marlow Music Festival and at the Maidenhead Festival. He is also
a member of Wycombe Swan Youth Theatre and the Parish Church Choir
at Holy Trinity, Cookham. Alongside his singing he is keen on
a variety of sports, and plays football for the school's ‘A’
team.
Founder Conductor David Meacock said: " I am delighted to be able to give Harry this well deserved opportunity. Faure's Requiem is particularly in vogue at present as some of it is used in 'Inspector Morse.' The other much smaller piece by Faure which will also feature, the'Cantique de Jean Racine, is almost played daily on Classic FM, so even if you don't recognise the titles of the music we will be singing, you may well actually already know some of it without realising! Alongside these pieces will be a nowadays rare performance of Liszt's at one time fashionable Missa Choralis, written towards the end of his life after he had retired as a virtuoso pianist and had taken minor orders in the church."
Tickets are £6 for students, and for adults, £11 if paid for in advance, or £14 at the door. Please call 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 or see the A40 Choir page of this website for an ordering form.
If you watched How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, and dreamed of singing Maria, one of the other parts or even all of them, here's your chance, right on your doorstep.
The young A40 Choir invites everyone of all ages - adults, teenagers and children to their Sing-a-Long The Sound of Music to sing favourite themes from the famous musical locally, experience the expert choral conducting of David Meacock and sample the youngest choir in the area - which although unauditioned, has featured on Classic FM., made two appearances in the Queen Elizabeth Hall and sung in Rouen cathedral.
It will take place on Saturday 24 February 2007 from 2:30 to 4:30 pm, at St Thomas', Church, Holtspur, Beaconsfield. Tickets - Student £5, Adult in advance £10, Adult on the door £12 (if available!), from 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 or via the A40 Choir page of this website. As tickets are expected to go fast, early booking is advisable.
Wanting to play its part in encouraging singing among youngsters, the A40 Choir is also promoting a competition to find the A40 Choir Bucks Treble of the Year, with a local performance and cash prize. There is also the possibility of a London performance. Boys should prepare the Pie Jesu from the Fauré Requiem for the auditions on Sunday 25 February. Further details and Entry form, which must be submitted with the entry fee of £5 by Sunday 11 February, is available from this website or by sending a stamped addressed envelope to A40 Choir Bucks Treble of the Year, 'Kavit', 35 Layters Close, Chalfont St Peter, Bucks. SL9 9HS.
The enterprising A40 Choir is also issuing a call to men who might be a closet crooners, bath-time warblers or rugby club rockers to come to informal fun workshops for budding tenors and basses who would dearly like to sing in a mixed choir but consider that they currently do not have the required skills to do so.
The Choir's conductor said: "I would like to emphasise that absolutely no experience is necessary as comprehensive basic training will be given, from finding your voice to reading music. Please call me on 01753 886005 or contact me via the website."
Finally, anyone who would like to join the Beaconsfield based unauditioned A40 Choir, which rehearses on Mondays, to sing Fauré's Requiem and the even more gorgeous Cantique de Jean Racine alongside Liszt's little known Missa Choralis should also call 01753 886006 or make contact via this website.
Prizewinning violinist Anna Cashell is the soloist in Vivaldi's Four Seasons at the A40 Choir and fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra's next concert, on Saturday 18 November, at 7:30 p.m.. The Choir will be singing Handel's Four Coronation Anthems - including Zadok the Priest.
Following studies in Ireland and the Yehudi Menuhin School, Anna is currently the Mills William Junior Fellow at the Royal College of Music. At the RCM she has won many awards including the 2006 String Player of the Year the Tagore Gold Medal. She is appearing with the A40 Concert Orchestra through having earlier this year won the Raymond Fox Bursary from the National Federation of Music Societies, now calling itself 'Making Music', and then being nominated as a Making Music Arthur & Gwyneth Harrison Professional Development Programme Artist.
The Academy of Ancient Music's keyboard player, local professional Alastair Ross, will be the A40 Concert Orchestra's anchor man; playing the harpsichord for the Vivaldi Four Seasons and the organ for the Handel Coronation Anthems.
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "When I go to London concerts, I often see names of musicians listed in the major UK orchestras who in the early part of their careers have played with the A40 Concert Orchestra, so I hope locals will come and enjoy a London quality concert on their doorstep."
Tickets for the concert, which takes place in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe, are available on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
Singers are being invited to come and enjoy INSTANT MESSIAH - possibly the first performance of the work UNCUT and UNREHEARSED on Saturday 14 October in St Giles Cripplegate, Fore Street London. The A40 Concert Orchestra and soloists will have run through the work in the afternoon, but the chorus will turn up in time for the performance's conductor David Meacock's first downbeat at 6 p.m..
David Meacock has appeared as both a choral conductor and pianist in major London venues including the Queen Elizabeth Hall and St John’s, Smith Square; as well as abroad.
His first term as a student at the Royal College of Music, was famous choral conductor Sir David Willcocks’ last as Director, and so as a member of the choir he experienced Sir David’s weekly choral training.
In 1999 Meacock re-orchestrated Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius to allow choirs of just 80 singers to perform it in the provinces. His reduced orchestration of the Verdi Requiem was premièred just four months later in March 2000.
This led to the then Concerts From Scratch organiser inviting David to prepare choristers for Sir David’s Royal Albert Hall concerts, as well as to do three Christmas Singdays! and, in 2004, the first Easter Singday! Although only 10% of the singers had performed Bach’s St. John Passion, David steered a couple of hundred singers towards a very good performance, which many a choral Society would have been proud of after a full term’s rehearsals, on merely four hours on-the-day choral rehearsal.
David’s bid of over £4,000 for charity to conduct the Hallelujah chorus at a Royal Albert Hall Messiah from Scratch event was trumped, and so he has now formed his own bring and sing organisation, the A40 Super Choir, which has three aims: first, to bring singers together in large numbers to enjoy singing both favourites as well as lesser known choral repertoire; second, to grow large enough to perform in the Royal Albert Hall; and third, to raise ten times the failed £4,000+ bid (over £40,000) for charity.
The first highly successful A40 Super Choir event was on 1 April this year, in St Giles’ Cripplegate, Barbican, London. Following a two-hour workshop, David conducted the Brahms’ Requiem using Brahms’ own rarely heard version for two pianos. He also filled out the programme by being the soloist in Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in Eb.
The next event is INSTANT MESSIAH. Anyone who is unfamiliar with the usually cut choruses, and doesn’t fancy sight-reading them on the day, can use David Meacock’s Concerts From Scratch edition, which includes CDs - endorsed by Sir David Willcocks - to prepare.
Meacock says: "Unlike other Bring and Sing organisations who chicken out of some movements, and so only sing the Hallelujah chorus and other really well-knowns, we will sing the whole work (Prout edition), uncut, and unrehearsed. This is the next challenge up! I hope many and enjoy singing in the wonderful acoustic of warm, and easy to reach, St Giles’ Cripplegate - also used by the BBC Singers and Symphony Orchestra - incidentally, a stone’s throw away from the Barbican’s Waterside Café where food and drink will be available for those not bringing their own."
To apply, go to the A40 Choir and Super Choir page of this site and send off the application form.
The A40 Choir’s Summer Concert will contain best bits from Bernstein’s West Side Story, including Tonight and Maria, along with Strauss’ Radetsky March and Vienna in the Woods. The Choir will also sing a collection of popular songs entitled Love Medley including Love and Marriage as well as Love Story.
The Strauss and Love Medley numbers were originally arranged by John McCarthy for his world famous Ambrosian Singers. Beaconsfield resident McCarthy was also Beecham’s chorus master at the Royal Opera. The Bernstein was put together a couple of years ago for the A40 Choir by founder conductor David Meacock.
As for the Choir’s last concert when David dazzled the audience with a sparkling performance of Liszt’s Eb Piano Concerto, it will again be a busy night for David. This time as well as conducting the Choir, he will be playing piano pieces which were favourites as a youngster.
Founder Conductor David Meacock explained: "On 25 April, my wife Kate gave birth to our first-born Charlotte. So, it seemed particularly appropriate to focus on music, including Chopin, Grieg and Debussy which I enjoyed as a youngster. These encompass both pieces I can remember enjoying listening to while wishing I could play them, as well as others I played. I really enjoy putting on these lighter Summer Concerts which are not for regular classical concert goers to let their hair down a bit, but also for those who are really only interested in the well-known highlights without all the padding in between."
Tickets for the A40 Summer concert at Beaconsfield High School on Saturday 24 June, at 7:30 p.m. from 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £11-00; but on the door cost £13-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
The A40 Choir's next concert consists of two works: Brahms' A German Requiem and Liszt's exciting Piano Concerto No. 1 in Eb. The choir will be joined by two soloists - local Member of the Royal Opera Covent Garden, Melissa Alder and Head of the Royal Academy of Music's Vocal Faculty Mark Wildman. Londoners Elizabeth Shepherd and Paul Ayres are the two visiting pianists.
Founder Conductor David Meacock who will also play the Liszt says: "The Brahms is not that fequently performed and it is even rarer to hear it in Brahms' own arrangement for two pianos which was the version used for the first English performance. Indeed, we have had to specially order the music, which had to be sent from Germany. As Brahms and Liszt were among the leading pianist/composers of the Romantic Era, hearing their orchestral works on the piano - particularly when using the composer's own version - is to hear the work in a form which is arguably much closer to its original conception. It is well known that in Liszt's case he farmed out the donkey work of his orchestrations to others, and would touch them up afterwards."
Some of the Brahms was used as the theme music for a recent BBC2 German history programme. David can remember being spellbound by the Liszt Piano Concerto when, as a treat for doing well in his O-levels, he heard the late Jorge Bolet play it at a Prom. Not surprisingly it has remained one of David's favourites ever since.
Tickets for the High Wycombe concert, which takes place in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 11 March, at 7:30 p.m., are available on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
A few weeks later, on Saturday 1 April in St Giles Cripplegate, London many of the A40 Choir will be joined by other singers to form the new A40 Super Choir. This church which is used by the BBC Singers and BBC Symphony Orchestra is a stone's throw away from the Barbican where food will be available for those not bringing their own. The performance will take place following the afternoon workshop starting at 3:30 p.m.. Singers who would like to take part should go to the A40 Choir page of this site and paste and copy the application form into their usual word processing programme.
The A40 Choir’s next concert is centred round English works: Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Finzi In Terra Pax, Handel Psalm 112 and Elgar Introduction & Allegro for Strings. The choir will be joined by two soloists - local Member of the Royal Opera Covent Garden, Glenys Groves, Head of the Royal Academy of Music’s Vocal Faculty Mark Wildman - and the fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra.
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "The Finzi and Vaughan Williams pieces were requested by A40 Choir members who had sung them with me in London. The Finzi is a highly descriptive setting of the Christmas story - indeed some of the orchestral effects could be from a film sound track. Contrasting the romantic style of these works, the Handel Psalm 112 while not well known is a delightfully jolly work. Having had a personal undertaking from the Vicar and set up an A40 Choir heating squad to keep an eye on the church heating, I am confident that this time the warmth of the church will match that of Elgar’s music!"
Tickets for the concert, which takes place in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 3 December, at 7:30 p.m., are available on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
The A40 Choir is revving up for their forthcoming 10th season by inviting singers to join in its continuing triumph.
The season will start with an Evensong to celebrate the choir's formation 10 years ago in 1995. The term will also include Finzi's In Terra Pax, Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols as well as Handel's Psalm 112.
Founder Condictor David Meacock explained: "During the last 10 years, the unauditioned 90 strong young choir has had an exciting existence. In addition to its local programme it has broadcast on Classic FM, sung two concerts in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank London, made an appearance at Rouen Cathedral and given premières of reduced orchestrations of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius and Verdi's Requiem which have been subsequently performed by other choirs. It tackles both well known core choral masterpieces as well as not so well knowns and, in the Summer, lighter secular works. The Choir also has regular social events."
Monday 8 p.m. rehearsals, in Beaconsfield, start in early September. If you would like to join in our success and give yourself a chance to enjoy local music making on a professional level, then please call David on 01753 886005.
The A40 Choir with local Member of the Royal Opera Glenys Groves presents A Night at the Opera at Beaconsfield High School on Saturday 25 June, at 7:30 p.m..
Glenys Groves who has been a regular soloist with the A40 Choir since 1995 will be introducing and singing favourite arias by Mozart, Dvorak and Puccini. The choir will be singing the famous Humming Chorus, Wagner's Here Comes the Bride and various Verdi Choruses. Glenys and the choir will come together to perform Mascagni's glorious Easter Hymn and Purcell's more reflective Dido's Lament and Final chorus from the opera Dido and Aeneas. Founder conductor and pianist David Meacock will play Liszt's spectacular virtuoso transcription of Wagner's magnificent Tannhäuser Overture, which David was inspired to learn after hearing the late Liszt specialist pianist Jorge Bolet playing it.
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "I really enjoy putting on these lighter Summer Concerts which are not for regular classical concert goers to let their hair down a bit, but also for those who are really only interested in the well-known highlights without all the padding in between."
Tickets on 0777 999 79 40 or 01494 671793 cost £11-00; but on the door cost £14-00. Students get in for just £6-00. See also the ordering form on the A40 Choir page.
Soprano Helena Dix, who this June will be representing Australia in the BBC Cardiff singer of the world, is one of four professsional soloists singing in the A40 Choir's forthcoming performance of the Verdi Requiem. She will be joined by Head of the Royal Academy of Music's Vocal Faculty Mark Wildman and husband and wife team Jennifer Westwood and Martin Hindmarsh.
Australian born Helena (picture enclosed) is currently in her final year of the opera programme at the Royal Academy of Music, supported by the Josephine Baker and Countess of Munster Trusts. She recently sang the part of Erste Dame in Mozart's The Magic Flute with Sir Colin Davis, and will shortly be making her début in the Royal Albert Hall in Carmina Burana.
The choir will also be joined by the fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra and organist Malcolm Hicks, who is well known for his work with the BBC. The A40 Choir premiered David's reduced orchestrations of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius and the Verdi Requiem in November 1999 and March 2000 respectively. They have since been used by other choirs throughout the UK, and this will be the 11th performance.
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "When we premièred the Verdi, another similar sized choir had used Verdi's original orchestration, which was intended to accompany much larger choirs: Verdi had 1,200 singers in the first UK performance. People who had been to both performances preferred my version because it balances the smaller choir better and so not only allows more drama, but enables the choir to be properly heard."
Tickets for the concert, which takes place in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 26 February, at 7:30 p.m., are available on 0 777 999 79 40 or 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
See the A40 Choir page for a ticket ordering form.
The fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra has been given a national award to promote 'live' classical music by the Musical Instruments Division of the Cornhill Allianz Insurance Company. The Orchestra will give two Family Concerts on Saturday 29 January in Dr Challoner's High School, Little Chalfont.
The centre piece, Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, will be performed twice: at 2:30 p.m., for those too young to attend an evening concert; and then at 7:30 p.m.. The second half of the evening concert will consist of Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture with its evocative immitation of the sound of the sea, the beautiful F# minor slow movement of Mozart's famous 23rd Piano Concerto in A major, K. 488 which Founder Conductor David Meacock will direct from the piano; the opening of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony in C minor (the one that starts "de de de dah"!) and Schubert's charming Rosamunde Entr'act No. 2 in Bb.
Tickets are FREE for each student accompanied by an adult. Adult tickets ordered in advance costing £12 (saving £3 off the full on-the-door price) are available from 01753 886005 or 0 777 999 79 40. Students without an adult get in for just £6.
A couple of weeks later, on Saturday 5 February, David Meacock will lead the A40 Choir's Singin' 2005 - a workshop running from 10:45 to 3:30 on Verdi's Requiem in the Choir's usual rehearsal venue: St Thomas' Church, Holtspur, Beaconsfield.
David who also regularly conducts Concerts From Scratch London choral workshops and concerts says: "This workshop is open to those who'd like to come and sample the A40 Choir with a view to perhaps joining the Choir for the performance at the end of February as well as those who already know the work and would like to have a one-off fun day of singing."
Tickets for Singin' 2005 are £16 and include light lunch if ordered prior to 25 January, and are available on 0 777 999 79 40 or 01753 886005 or 01494 671793.
See the A40 Concert Orchestra and A40 Choir pages www.a40music.com for further details about both events - including the application form for Singin' 2005.
The next concert of the A40 Choir with the fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra is centred round Mozart's Requiem for which the four vocal soloists will be led by Chalfont St. Giles resident Member of the Royal Opera, soprano Melissa Alder. She will be joined by Alexandra Sherman and Benjamin Segal making return visits, as well as Head of the Royal Academy of Music's Vocal Faculty Mark Wildman.
The church's Willis Organ, the Rolls Royce of organs, will also be heard at its splendid best in Poulenc's Organ Concerto, played by Malcolm Hicks, who is well known for his work with the BBC. The fully professional string orchestra will complete the programme with Borodin's Nocturne from his Second String Quartet
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "It is ironic that Mozart's Requiem so-called is only second to Handel's Messiah in being the favourite work of the choral repertoire when Mozart only wrote about half of it. It was completed by Franz Süssmayr who remains largely unknown! I came across the Poulenc when my father having heard it for the first time on the radio was so bowled over by it that he arrived home that night with a newly purchased recording of it. I hope that local people will come and hear why others find these universal favourites so attractive for themselves."
Tickets for the concert, which takes place in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 20 November, at 7:30 p.m., are available on 0 777 999 79 40 or 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
The unauditioned 90 or so strong A40 Choir are revving up for their forthcoming season by inviting singers to join in their continuing triumph.
The season will start with Mozart's very popular Requiem followed by Verdi's dramatic Requiem and will be rounded off with famous opera choruses. Further details about the A40 Choir are on the Web: www.a40music.com
Founder Condictor David Meacock explained: "These are among everyone's favourite choral works and doing two Requiems back to back will give the added interest of making direct comparisons of two composers' approaches to the same liturgy. The opera choruses will provide the core of the usual Summer light concert."
Although the A40 Choir was only started in 1995, the 90 strong young choir has had an exciting existence. In addition to its local programe it has broadcast on Classic FM, sung two concerts in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank London, made an appearance at Rouen Cathedral and given premières of David's reduced orchestrations of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius and Verdi's Requiem which have been subsequently performed by other choirs. It tackles both well known core choral masterpieces as well as not so well knowns and, in the Summer, lighter secular works. The Choir also has regular social events.
There are also be opportunities for members to participate in the London based Concerts From Scratch workshops and concerts which the A40 Choir's conductor David Meacock conducts both in preparation for the Royal Albert Hall concerts conducted by the doyen of English Choral conductors, Sir David Willcocks, as well as David Meacock's own concerts.
Monday 8 p.m. rehearsals, in Beaconsfield, start in early September. If you would like to join in our success and give yourself a chance to enjoy local music making on a professional level, then please call David on 01753 886005.
Member of the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Glenys Groves will star in the A40 Choir's next concert entitled Mostly Musicals' best bits. The concert takes place in Beaconsfield High School on Saturday 26 June, at 7:30 p.m..
Alongside a previously performed choral suite on the Sound of Music, the concert consists of two brand new medleys of the best bits from My Fair Lady and numbers inspired by water: Over the Rainbow, I'm Singin' in the Rain, Raindrops are fallin' and I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas. The water theme will also be present in some of the favourite piano solos by Chopin, Liszt and Ravel played by Founder Conductor of the Choir David Meacock - though wine and fruit juice will be available during the interval! Glenys Groves, who has sung with Pavarotti and other top international soloists, will also be singing a group of solo songs which will include optional audience participation in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Any Dream will do from Joseph.
An A40 Choir spokesman said: "Our similar Summer Concert last season was packed, so especially given the added attraction of Glenys singing, I'd advise people to book up for this concert as soon as they hear about it. It's not every day you have the chance to hear a Royal Opera Covent Garden soloist on your doorstep!"
Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £11-00; but on the door cost £14-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
The next concert of the A40 Choir with the fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra takes place in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 27 March, at 7:30 p.m..
The concert consists of two favourites of the classical and baroque core choral repertoire, Haydn's Nelson Mass and Vivaldi's Gloria separated by Purcell's thoughtful Chacony in G minor for strings. Vocal Solos will be taken by a strong team of young soloists, Janet Lax, Alexandra Sherman, Benjamin Segal and James Harrison who between them already have an impressive array of solo appearances in many of the UK's major venues, including at the Royal Albert Hall. Organist Malcolm Hicks is well known for his work with the BBC.
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "The Vivaldi and Haydn were both requested by choir members, and so I hope that local people will come and hear why others find these universal favourites so attractive for themselves."
Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
The A40 Choir, is inviting everyone to come and enjoy Sing-in! 2004 an all day workshop on Haydn's Nelson Mass and Vivaldi's Gloria, which will start with a session on Vocal Warm ups and musical patterns. It will take place on Saturday 17 January 2004, from 10:45 am - 3:30 p.m. at St Thomas', Holtspur, Beaconsfield (a stone's throw from M40, Junction 2).
Sing-in! 2004 will be led by David Meacock, known locally as the Founder Conductor of the A40 Choir. A few years ago, David was the only Englishman chosen to attend an international Conducting seminar led by Michael Tilson Thomas in the USA. More recently David has led Concerts From Scratch Workshops to prepare singers for the main Royal Albert Hall Concerts From Scratch performances in which The Really Big Chorus, an enormous choir consisting of thousands of singers, is conducted by the doyen of English Choral Conducting, Sir David Willcocks. David Meacock's workshops have been so successful, that he was asked to edit the Concerts From Scratch edition of Messiah, which came out in September 2002, and then conduct two new Concerts From Scratch events: Christmas Singday! and, this coming April, Easter Singday!.
Ever enthusiastic conductor David says: "The A40 Choir, although unauditioned, has featured on Classic FM, made two appearances in the Queen Elizabeth Hall and sung in Rouen cathedral. To sample it live, simply ring, book, and turn up!"
Call 01753 886005 to book a ticket @ £15, which includes a light lunch with wine if booked before 10 January or make contact via the contact page of this website.
The next concert of the A40 Choir and A40 Concert Orchestra takes place in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 22 November, at 7:30 p.m..
The concert opens with the fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra, under guest conductor Nigel M. Taylor playing Verdi's The Force of Destiny Overture - an appropriate lead in to Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto played by David Meacock. David will then take the podium to conduct the now nearly 100 strong A40 Choir performing the full orchestral version of John Rutter's Gloria and Parry's Blest Pair of Sirens. The concert will close in Last Night of the Proms style with audience participation in Parry's Jerusalem.
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "I hope that local people will come and enjoy an unforgettable night of spectacular music. The Verdi is a great favourite, and I remember being bowled over both by the sheer spectacle and the music of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto when I heard it 'live' as a youngster. The Parry uses words by Chalfont St Giles poet Milton, while John Rutter's Gloria exhibits all the jazzy vitality of USA where it was first performed in the 70's. Choir, Orchestra and audience singing and playing their hearts out together is always tremendous fun for everyone!"
Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £6-00. Bargain hunters can come to all three of the Choir's 2003-04 concerts for £30.
The unauditioned A40 Choir are revving up for their forthcoming season by inviting singers to join in their continuing triumph. The repertoire will include Rutter's Gloria, Parry's Blest Pair of Sirens, Vivaldi's Gloria, Jerusalem, Haydn's Nelson Mass and lighter items. Further details about the A40 Choir are on the Web: www.a40music.com
David explained: "This season's repertoire has been chosen entirely from choristers' suggestions. It will be interesting to compare and contrast the Gloria settings by Italian Baroque composer Vivaldi and contemporary English composer John Rutter, who is probably best known for his many popular carols."
Although the A40 Choir was only started in 1995, the 90 strong young choir has had an exciting existence. In addition to its local programe it has broadcast on Classic FM, sung two concerts in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank London, made an appearance at Rouen Cathedral and given premières of David Meacock's reduced orchestrations of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius and Verdi's Requiem which have been subsequently performed by other choirs. The Choir also has regular social events.
There are also be opportunities for members to participate in the London based Concerts From Scratch workshops and concerts which the A40 Choir's conductor David Meacock conducts both in preparation for the Royal Albert Hall concerts conducted by the doyen of English Choral conductors, Sir David Willcocks, as well as David Meacock's own concerts.
Monday 8 p.m. rehearsals, in Beaconsfield, start in early September. If you would like to join in our success and give yourself a chance to enjoy local music making on a professional level, then please call David on 01753 886005.
The A40 Choir's Summer Concert comprises three new medleys by founder conductor David Meacock which he describes as "being on 'the best bits' from Gershwin's Porgy & Bess, Bernstein's West Side Story, and Negro Spirituals," along with popular piano pieces by Chopin, Debussy & Rachmaninoff. The concert is on 28 June in Beaconsfield High School, starting at 7:30 p.m..
Famous numbers from the Gershwin & Bernstein include: Summertime, It ain't necessarily so, Oh, I got plenty o' nuttin', My man's gone now, Maria, Tonight, I have a love, and it's all that I have, I like to be in America, I feel pretty, and Dear Kindly Sergeant Krupke. The eight Negro Spirituals include: Swing Low, Deep River, Steal away, Joshua Fit de Battle and, of course, Little David Play on yo' harp.
It will be a busy night for David as he will also be playing, not "on his harp", but on the hired in Concert Grand Steinway piano. David has played in St John's Smith Square, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and abroad where he was once favourably compared with the Maestro of pianists Maurizio Pollini. David's solos will include Chopin's First and Third Ballades, Debussy's Reflets dans l'eau and Rachmaninoff's famous Prelude in G minor.
Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £11-00; but on the door cost £13-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
The A40 Choir will give the third performance of conductor David Meacock's reduced orchestration of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 22 March, at 7:30 p.m..
The A40 Choir will be joined by the fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra whose last concert in the Wycombe Town Hall sold out a week in advance. There will also be another strong team of soloists: solo engagements have taken husband and wife Jennifer Westwood (mezzo) and Martin Hindmarsh (tenor) as far as Hong Kong and Mark Wildman (bass) is the Head of the Vocal Faculty at the Royal Academy of Music. Organist Malcolm Hicks, who regularly performs in major London venues, and Leader Lucy Waterhouse, who plays with the Philharmonia, and Mark were all in the première of David's version of the work, while Jennifer and Martin sang in the second performance in N. Yorkshire.
This is definitely a concert not to be missed judging from Council Member of the Elgar Society, John Norris' glowing review of the A40 Choir's première in 1999. After saying that "arguably the greatest pleasure in classical music is the discovery of news facets to a familiar and well loved work", he then described the performance as "a rendition of considerable insight," and the orchestration as "unambiguously successful."
Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £6-00.
Following the highly successful Swan début in April 2002, the A40 Concert Orchestra returns to Wycombe Town Hall on Saturday 1 February 2003 playing a popular Classical and Romantic programme.
The programme will open with one of the all time piano concerto favourites, No. 23 in A major by Mozart, which Founder Conductor David Meacock will direct from the keyboard - combining skills which have earned him appearances in major London venues and abroad. David will continue in this role in the slow movement of the Ravel G major Piano Concerto and favourite movements from Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals: Tortoises, The Elephant & The Swan.
After the interval, Nathaniel Vallois, the Leader, will continue the wildlife theme as the violin soloist in Vaughan Williams' evocative The Lark Ascending. Nathaniel's appearances as a soloist also include the South Bank, London and abroad. After Wagner's Siegfried Idyll, the concert will conclude with The Flight of the Bumble Bee by Rimsky-Korsakov.
The A40 Concert Orchestra is fully professional and consists of a mixture of players from the BBC Symphony Orchestra and others at the start of their careers. A recent review described the A40 Concert Orchestra's sound as 'magnificent' and November 2002 performance of Wagner's Meistersinger and Tannhaüser Overtures as 'splendid.'
David Meacock said: "This programme combines variety and popularity to encourage as many as possible to sample the newest professional orchestra in Bucks.. Even if you don't recognise all the titles, you'll hopefully recognise most of the music; and be assured that the rest is very accessible on a first hearing."
Tickets - available from the Wycombe Swan Box Office on 01494 512000 or via www.wycombeswan.co.uk - are priced as follows: Adults £12, Concession: (over 60's, full time students & reg disabled) £10. A special ticket to encourage families to go to the concert means that one full adult brings 2 under 16's @ 1/2 price £24.
Following an enormous concert celebrating 10 years of highly successful A40 music making in S. Bucks, the A40 Choir, is inviting everyone to come and enjoy Sing-in 2003 an all day workshop on Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, which will start with a session on Vocal Warm ups and Rhythm. It will take place on Saturday 18 January 2003, from 10:15 am - 4:30 p.m. at St Thomas', Holtspur, Beaconsfield (a stone's throw from M40, Junction 2).
Sing-in 2003 will be led by David Meacock, known locally as the Founder Conductor of the A40 Choir. A couple of years ago, David was the only Englishman chosen to attend an international Conducting seminar led by Michael Tilson Thomas in the USA. More recently David has led Concerts From Scratch Workshops to prepare singers for the main Royal Albert Hall Concerts From Scratch performances in which The Really Big Chorus, an enormous choir consisting of thousands of singers, is conducted by the doyen of English Choral Conducting, Sir David Willcocks. David Meacock's workshops have been so successful, that he was asked to edit the Concerts From Scratch edition of Messiah, which came out in September, and then conduct a new Concerts From Scratch Event: Christmas Singday.
Ever enthusiastic conductor David says: "The A40 Choir, although unauditioned, has featured on Classic FM, made two appearances in the Queen Elizabeth Hall and sung in Rouen cathedral. To sample it live, simply ring, book, and turn up!"
Call 01753 886005 to book a ticket @ £15, which includes a light lunch with wine if booked before 11 January.
The A40 Choir's next concert, in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 16 November, at 7:30 p.m., marks 10 years of A40 music making in South Bucks..
The concert opens with the fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra playing Wagner's uplifting Die Meistersinger Overture. The Choir and the two soloists, Adrian Dywer (Tenor) and Head of the Royal Academy of Music's Vocal Faculty, Mark Wildman (Bass), then perform Puccini's unknown but increasingly popular Messa di Gloria - stylistically similar to the Verdi Requiem, but without the venom! The second half will start with three favourites for the two soloists. Also by Puccini, is the tenor Aria Nessun Dorma which was No. 1 in the Pop Charts following it's association with Pavarotti in the 1990 Italy World Cup. After Verdi's bass aria Ella giammai m'amo! the two soloists will sing Bizet's much loved Pearl Fishers Duet. The concert will close with Wagner's magnificent Tannhaüser Overture and with audience participation in Sir Malcolm Sargent's version of Arne's patriotic Rule Britannia!
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "Those who lamented the omission of the full version of Rule Britannia from this year's Last Night of the Proms, can now enjoy it late but 'live' on their doorstep. I hope that local people will come and enjoy what I hope will be an unforgettable night of glorious music!"
Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £12-00; but on the door cost £15-00. Students get in for just £6-00. Bargain hunters can come to all three of the Choir's 2002-03 concerts for £30.
Following the success of their last season, which included a second appearance at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank London and a concert in Rouen cathedral, members of the unauditioned A40 Choir are revving up for their forthcoming season by inviting singers to join in their continuing triumph.
The first term's repertoire will include Puccini's Messa di Gloria and Rule Britannia, while the remainder of the season will include Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius and lighter items. Further details about the A40 Choir are on the Web: www.a40music.com
David explained: "Puccini also wrote Nessun Dorma of Pavarotti/World Cup fame, and so I'm hoping people will enjoy trying out one of his not so well known, but increasingly popular, early works. Stylistically, the work is very similar to Verdi's Requiem."
There will also be opportunities for members to participate in the London based Concerts From Scratch workshops which the A40 Choir's conductor David Meacock now conducts. In fact Pinewood Studios based publishers Artemis Editions were so impressed by David's teaching of the 380 singers who attended the last workshop, that they asked him to be the conductor/editor of a new From Scratch edition of Handel's Messiah coming out at the end of the Summer - which has been endorsed by the doyen of English Choral conductors, Sir David Willcocks.
Monday 8 p.m. rehearsals, in Beaconsfield, start in early September. If you would like to join in our success and give yourself a chance to enjoy local music making on a professional level, then please call David on 01753 886005.
The A40 Choir and A40 Concert Orchestra's next performance, in Beaconsfield High School on Saturday 22 June, at 7:30 p.m., is enticingly entitled A Summer Pastoral Concert.
The concert continues the season's celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee and emphasis on English music, following the new fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra' spectacular début with the Choir in November, and successful recent appearance at the Wycombe Town Hall. The first half of the programme consists of three works by Vaughan Williams, whose musical style, strongly influenced by folk song, often evokes a 'pastoral' musical representation of the English countryside. Beethoven's more familiar dramatic 'Pastoral' Symphony No. 6 offers concert-goers literal representations of bird song, dancing, drinking songs, and a shepherd's relief after a thunderstorm.
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "I first came across Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music in my teens when I played viola in it as a Junior Exhibitioner at the Royal Academy of Music, London; and it has been on my wish list of pieces to conduct ever since. Towards the Unknown Region was suggested by some choir members, and the light-hearted In Windsor Forest seemed appropriate given our relatively close geographical proximity."
Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £10-00; but on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
The A40 Concert Orchestra string section is to perform a string of favourites in the Wycombe Town Hall on Saturday 20 April 2002 at 7:30.
The programme opens with three Baroque composers. Handel's vigorous Arrival of the Queen of Sheba is followed by the more reflective Purcell Chaconne in G minor. The Orchestra's Leader Lucy Waterhouse and a colleague from the Philharmonia will be the soloists in the Bach Double Violin Concerto in D minor. Lucy recently rediscovered a 19th Century cadenza which will give added interest to the otherwise familiar work. Founder Conductor, David Meacock, who is well known locally as both a conductor and pianist, will direct the slow movement of Shostakovitch 2nd Piano Concerto from the piano.
David says: "Classical Music lovers will have recordings of at least some of these gems, or hear them broadcast frequently, but here is a chance to hear them all together, live."
A Classic FM favourite is the Barber Adagio which opens the second half. This will be followed by perhaps the most often quoted of all the Classical music repertoire, Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. After home-grown Elgar Serenade for Strings in E minor, J. Strauss' Pizzicato Polka concludes the concert in a lighter vein.
Those who heard the A40 Concert Orchestra's appearance with the A40 Choir last year will already know that this will be a high quality concert combining the expertise of experienced professionals with the enthusiasm with younger talented players at the start of their careers. In fact the A40 Concert Orchestra's appearance was considered so successful, that an international broadcasting company has already expressed interest in broadcasting future concerts.
Tickets are available from the Wycombe Swan Box Office on 01494 512000 or via www.wycombeswan.co.uk Adults £11, Concession: (over 60's, full time students & reg. disabled) £10 Family ticket: One full adult brings 2 under 16's @ 1/2 price £22
The A40 Choir's next concert, consists of a string of English favourites alongside some lesser knowns. Many of the pieces have been included to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
The anthems Handel Zadok the Priest, Elgar O Harken Thou, Stanford Te Deum laudamus in Bb and Parry I was Glad were all included in past Coronations as was the hymn arranged by Vaughan Williams All People that on Earth do Dwell. Holst I Vow to thee my Country and Jerusalem will also give the audience a chance to join in. Mathias' Let the People Praise thee, O God, was written for the wedding of Prince Charles and the late Lady Diana as she was then. Three other pieces have been included as complimentary favourites: Britten Rejoice in the Lamb, Mendelssoln Hear My Prayer, and Willcocks/Widor Sing! The latter is a choralised version of the famous Widor Toccata.
The 'curiosity item' is David Meacock's own Festival anthems which were written when he was only 21 and won him a prize at the Royal College of Music.
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "We are performing a complete programme of English music, because many of the Choir are going to perform in Rouen cathedral, and the French like to hear English choirs performing our own composers."
Organist 'anchor man' will be Lindsay Bridgwater who makes frequent appearances with many of the leading orchestras, particularly the Philharmonia with whom he regularly tours the globe.
Tickets for the concert in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 9 March, at 7:30 p.m.. on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £10-00; but on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
The A40 Choir's next concert, in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 17 November, at 7:30 p.m., also marks the launch of the fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra - a mix of experienced professional from the UK national orchestras and young musicians at the start of their careers.
The concert opens with Walton's Crown Imperial and closes with Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 'Land of Hope and Glory'. In between, is Saint-Saëns' monumental 'Organ' Symphony, Poulenc's lesser known but highly approachable Gloria and Mascagni's Easter Hymn. The soprano soloist, Delphine Gillot, has sung in St. John's, Smith Square London and around Europe This concert will also be a real showpiece for the marvellous Willis organ in the church.
Founder Conductor David Meacock says: "The A40 Concert Orchestra has the same popularist ethos as the BBC Concert Orchestra. Those who missed the annual televised Last Night of the Proms Land of Hope and Glory, can now enjoy it late but 'live' on their doorstep. The Saint-Saëns and Poulenc have been among my favourite works ever since discovering them as a teenager. Mascagni's Easter Hymn, though perhaps not a well known title, has one of those soaring romantic melodies guaranteed to lift you sky high for at least a week after the concert!"
Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 677143 cost £10-00; but on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
If you thought that the A40 was just the main route from here to London or Oxford, then perhaps you haven't yet realised that the road is also now a well established local route to unauditioned, but high standard music making, open to everyone. The Beaconsfield based A40 Choir is revving up for the forthcoming season by inviting singers to join in their continuing triumph.
Full details of the season, which has an English and French bias, are on the Web: http://www.btinternet.com/~A40ClassicalMusic.DavidMeacock This term includes the Poulenc Gloria, Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony, Walton Crown Imperial and Elgar Pomp & Circumstance March No. 1, now known for its Last Night of the Proms Land of Hope and Glory slot.
The A40 Choir will also be making a CD of English choral favourites mostly used in Coronation Services, to coincide with the Queen's Golden Jubilee. There is also an optional long weekend in France in Rouen, singing in the Cathedral and visiting Monet's Garden. Meanwhile the new fully professional A40 Concert Orchestra is hoping to play its first concert on its own in the Wycombe Town Hall - part of the Wycombe Swan Theatre arts complex on 20 April 2002.
A40 Choir rehearsals restart on 10 September in Beaconsfield, on Mondays @ 8pm.
David concludes: "If you would like to join in our success and give yourself a chance to enjoy local music making on a professional level, then please call me on 01753 886005 for further details."
The A40 Choir's Summer concert consist of a varied trio of favourite works, united by an interesting twist of being performed in less familiar versions: Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto and Sir David Willcocks' Sing! - a choralised version of Widor's Toccata.
The Widor has become the almost obligatory wedding finale organ solo. Widor actually sanctioned the idea of choralising it, and the doyen of choral conductors, Sir David Willcocks was commissioned by the Concerts from Scratch organisation to do just that. The A40 Choir will be joined by a 'live portable organ' - in the form of the A40 Orchestra's wind section for whom David has arranged the original organ part! The A40 Choir's regular accompanist Janice Holmes will be joined by guest pianist Elizabeth Shepherd for the Carmina excerpts.
The A40 Choir's versatile conductor, David Meacock, who will be soloist in the concerto said: "Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto became even more famous after it was used in the film Brief Encounter. I have found it interesting to hear piano concertos played with orchestra and piano reduction of the orchestral part. Because of having two pianos for the Carmina, I thought others might also enjoy finding other dimensions within an old favourite, by hearing it with a second piano."
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., takes place in Beaconsfield High School on Saturday 23 June. Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 671793 cost £10; on the door cost £12. Students get in for just £5.
David Meacock will play three all time favourite Piano Concertos in aid of The Iain Rennie Hospice at Home: Liszt's First in Eb, the Grieg A minor and possibly the best loved of all, Rachmaninoff's Second in C minor Op. 18. This unique concert, with novel interval draw, will take place in Beaconsfield High School on Friday 22 June at 8 p.m..
David has played in St. John's Smith Square, London and in Switzerland where he was favourably compared with the "Maestro of pianists Maurizio Pollini." A recital last year in St. James' Piccadilly was attended by the Shadow Minister for Media & the Arts, Peter Ainsworth MP. David will be playing the actual Steinway piano used by the late Shura Cherkassky in his last recordings.
David says: "According to statistics, cancer strikes one in three of us and so I wanted to support such a relevant and worthwhile local charity. The idea of playing three Romantic concertos in an evening was fashionable among some of the pianists in the earlier part of the last Century. Both Liszt and Rachmaninoff admired Grieg's Concerto which has now become even more well known from take off's of the opening by Victor Borge and Les Dawson. Rachmaninoff's Second became especially famous after being used in the film Brief Encounter."
It will be a busy weekend for David, as the next day he will be playing again and conducting the A40 Choir's Summer Concert.
Tickets which include a complimentary glass of wine, cost £10 for Adults and £4 for students, and are available from 01753 886005 or 01442 890222 or on the door.
The A40 Orchestra's next concert consists of two soloists and two symphonies. Emma Slade and Eric Sargon are to be the two soloists in Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante in Eb for Violin and Viola. This will be followed by Schubert's Sixth Symphony and Mozart's most well-known Symphony No. 40 in G minor.
Eric Sargon recently retired from his position as Sub Principal Viola in BBC Symphony Orchestra which he held for the last 25 out of the 43 years he was a member of the BBC SO. He has also appeared as soloist in various London venues; coached at the Royal College of Music; and led the viola section of various orchestras conducted by David Meacock during the last 11 years. In contrast, Emma Slade is at the start of her career, having only graduated from Trinity College last year and has led the A40 Orchestra since last September while also freelancing with various other orchestras.
David Meacock said: "This programme shows two important facets of the A40 Orchestra. Firstly, the programme mixes popular works which many will have heard on Classic FM with accessible lesser well known pieces. Secondly, the A40 Orchestra also has a reputation for successfully, and uniquely combining talented local amateurs with mostly young music students in near equal numbers, encompassing both young and more experienced players. Many have been genuinely surprised at the high standard of performance resulting from this approach."
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., takes place in Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College Theatre, Newland Park, Chalfont St. Giles. Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £10-00; on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
Just before Christmas the A40 Choir's Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank London début included For unto us is born from Messiah. Having just been asked back to the QEH, the young Choir's next local concert is a complete performance of Messiah in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 24 March, starting at 7:30 p.m..
Founder conductor David Meacock says: "Although Messiah is nowadays most often performed at Christmas, Handel conducted the first performance at Eastertide 1742, and, in fact, the majority of the work is concerned with the events we commemorate at Easter. We have been rehearsing for this performance since January, and so we are all really looking forward to presenting what many regard as the pinnacle of choral repertoire."
The A40 Choir will be joined by a strong team of visiting professionals. Local soprano soloist Glenys Groves and tenor Henry Moss have both sung solos at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden; countertenor James Huw Jeffries has sung abroad; and baritone Mark Wildman is Head of the Royal Academy of Music Vocal Faculty. A40 Sinfonia Leader Lucy Waterhouse plays with the Philharmonia.
Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £10-00; on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
Following a recent interview of Founder Conductor David Meacock, on the famous Classic fm classical music station, the A40 Orchestra, is encouraging locals to come and hear Classic FM repertoire 'live and in full'.
A spokesman for the A40 Orchestra said: "Our concerts usually contain works from which many listeners may have heard just a single movement on Classic FM. If you haven't been to a 'live' concert for a while, our next on Saturday 3 March could be for you."
Schumann's Piano Concerto, conducted by Philip Mackenzie, is the highlight of the typically full programme, which also includes two symphonies - the Paris by Mozart and Beethoven's eighth - and Mozart's Cosi fan tutte Overture.
Concerto soloist David Meacock says: "Schumann's concerto, written for his wife Clara, is among the most lyrical of the Romantic piano concertos, with generally less emphasis on raw heroic virtuosity than many of the others it strongly influenced."
As usual, David will be saying a few words about the music, this time briefly describing some humorous aspects.
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., takes place in Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College Theatre, Newland Park, Chalfont St. Giles. Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £10-00; on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
The A40 Choir is inviting locals to an open rehearsal just before their 16 December Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London début alongside various stars in the annual Stars for Scope Christmas Concert.
On Monday 11 December, at 8 p.m.., visitors will be able to join the A40 Choir at their usual Beaconsfield rehearsal venue singing Carols and listen to Founder Conductor David Meacock putting the final touches to the A40 Choir's solo items. These will include David's own arrangements of Silent Night, White Christmas and various Waltzes by Irving Berlin, Handel's For unto us from Messiah and The Christmas Story. David originally wrote The Christmas Story for a local children's group, and the A40 Choir broadcast it on Classic FM in December 1995, when the Choir was only three months old.
Anyone who would like to come should call 01753 886005 so that numbers are known for the interval wine and mince pies. There will also be a Champagne draw, including other prizes.
A spokesman for the Choir said: "I don't think any of us thought that after only five years we would be literally travelling up the A40 to sing on our own, in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, rather than even in combination with other choirs - especially as we are all unauditioned."
Other celebrities performing will include Sir Nigel Hawthorne, Bad Girls actress Helen Fraser, big band trumpeter Joan Hinde, singer Julie Rogers, TV presenter Floella Benjamin, Surgical Spirit actress Nichola McAuliffe, Peak Practice actress Esther Coles, the Aylward School Steel Band and rising stars from the internationally acclaimed Yehudi Menuhin School of Music. Tickets for the Concert costing £8, £10, £14, £16 (Group discounts available) from the South Bank Box Office, now, by calling 020 7960 4242.
Fauré's Requiem is the centre piece of a ravishing French romantic programme alongside Debussy's beautiful Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune and Franck's popular Symphony in D.
This is the first joint concert since the A40 Choir and A40 Orchestra were named as a Classic FM 'Team of the week', in recognition of their successful local performances of popular classics. It takes place at 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 18 November. Shortly afterwards, the A40 Choir will literally travel up the A40 to make its South Bank, London début in the annual Stars for Scope Charity concert, alongside famous personalities such as the multi-talented TV astronomer and Xylophone player extraordinaire, Patrick Moore.
Following the American tradition of talking about the music, the Founder Conductor, David Meacock, will demonstrate some of the differences between the various versions of the Fauré, and stylistic features of the other two composers.
He says: "Fauré's Requiem is usually heard with just organ or in either of the small or the large orchestral versions. Comparing parts of these different versions under the one roof before we perform it complete will give added interest to this deservedly all time favourite masterpiece."
Tickets on 01753 886005 or 01494 677143 cost £10-00; on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
The A40 Choir and A40 Orchestra invite singers and players to join in their continuing triumph. This season not only includes a host of exciting and popular works but also the unauditioned A40 Choir's Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London début.
The two organisations are conducted by David Meacock who was recently the only English Conductor to attend a Michael Tilson Thomas led International Conductors' seminar in Florida, USA. The forthcoming season's repertoire will include the Fauré Requiem, Messiah and lighter choral numbers, alongside orchestral works by Beethoven, Debussy Franck, Mozart, Schubert and Schumann.
Both resume 8 p.m. rehearsals in the week beginning 11 September: the A40 Choir in Beaconsfield, on Mondays; and the A40 Orchestra in Chalfont St. Giles on Wednesdays.
David concludes: "If you would like to join in our success and give yourself a chance to enjoy local music making on a professional level, then please call me on 01753 886005 for further details."
The A40 Choir's next concert celebrates the Centenary of one of the parts of a National Institution: Sir Arthur Sullivan - better known in partnership with W. S. Gilbert for the fourteen operettas - who died in 1900. The evening includes the institution's first hit, Trial by Jury, popular G&S numbers from the operettas and other items which put the operettas into historical context.
One of the several soloists, soprano Debra Skeen, is also local. She will play the part of the Plaintiff in Trial, and sing other solo numbers. Apart from extensive opera solo and chorus experience, which has taken her to Germany, Japan and Israel, Debra has also appeared on Radio 2's Friday Night is Music Night and in Space Concerts with Patrick Moore.
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., takes place in Beaconsfield High School on Saturday 24 June.
Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £8-00; on the door cost £10-00. Students get in for just £4-00.
The A40 Orchestra's next concert on Saturday 3 June contains several favourites: Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture and Violin Concerto, with Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 and Romance in F, alongside the lesser well known Dvorak Mazurek.
The local soloist, who usually leads the A40 Orchestra, Craig Stratton, first heard the Dvorak during recent postgraduate studies in Prague. He says: "It is so popular over there that every violinist has to play it. So I cannot understand why it is rarely played in England as it is a marvellous piece from both a listener's and player's point of view."
Founder Music Director David Meacock adds: "I hope all those learning the violin will take the opportunity to come and be inspired by also seeing two of the most popular violin with orchestra pieces played live, locally. I originally came across Beethoven's First Symphony at school and remember enjoying its rebellious humour immensely."
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., takes place in Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College Theatre, Newland Park, Chalfont St. Giles. Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £10-00; on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
Few would imagine themselves attending a first performance of Verdi's Requiem, but here's your chance - in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 25 March, starting at 7:30 p.m.. For, following the success of David Meacock's new reduced orchestration of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, the A40 Choir will be giving the first performance of David's new version of Verdi's Requiem.
A40 Choir Founder Music Director David Meacock explains: "Like many works written in the Romantic era, the Verdi Requiem was conceived on an extravagantly grand scale: in fact so much so that the first English performance had a choir of 1200. Given that the work has been described as an opera to liturgical libretto, and as reduced opera orchestrations for provincial performances are now commonplace, I was most surprised to find that neither of the work's major publishers have a reduced orchestra version in their catalogue. This will the first performance of this version, which aims both to capture the flavour of the original's orchestral colours, while also making the Requiem more viable in non major venues for other's celebrations of Verdi's Centenary in the Gregorian Millennium. The new orchestration consists of strings, organ, two horns, two trumpets, tenor trombone, and bass trombone with both the timpani and bass drum parts being covered by one percussionist."
The A40 Choir will be joined by a strong team of visiting professionals. Between them the vocal soloists and organist Peter Barley have worked in most of the various major London halls and opera houses. A40 Sinfonia Leader Lucy Waterhouse plays with the Philharmonia.
Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £8-00; on the door cost £10-00. Students get in for just £4-00.
The A40 Orchestra's next concert on Saturday 26 February features a host of favourites: Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Dohnányi's highly amusing Variations on a Nursery Song (Twinkle Twinkle little Star) lead the line-up.
After the Rhapsody's première in 1924, its use in a movie about Paul Whiteman called The King of Jazz earned Gershwin a then incredible quarter of a million dollars in only ten years. Although in the Romantic idiom, the Twinkle variations also poke fun at Brahms, Debussy and Richard Strauss, with the same frivolity as the musical Tom & Jerry cartoons.
Tchaikovsky's ever popular Romeo & Juliet Overture and the Onedin Line theme music - Khatachurian: Adagio from Spartacus Ballet - complete the orchestral part of the programme. The piano version of the old Black and White Flash Gordon Films' theme music is a novel item.
Founder Music Director David Meacock says: "As Liszt used to play his piano transcriptions in orchestral concerts, and the A40 Orchestra has previously played the orchestral version of Les Preludes, people might find it interesting to hear the rarely played piano version - which only received its London première a few years ago."
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., takes place in Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College Theatre, Newland Park, Chalfont St. Giles.. Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £10-00; on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
Have you ever wanted to sing alongside someone who has sung solos alongside world famous tenor Pavarotti, and start the Millennium by learning some 'tricks of the trade'? Well, here's your chance - just down the road.
The A40 Choir, is inviting everyone to join the Sing-in 2000: a vocal techniques and repertoire day, with Member of the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Glenys Groves and Founder Conductor, David Meacock. It will take place on Saturday 22 January 2000, from 10:15 am - 4:30 p.m. at St Mary's C. of E. Combined, Beaconsfield.
The day offers corporate and opportunity for free individual sessions on Vocal Technique and its application to varied favourites: Mozart Ave Verum, Mendelssohn Hear My Prayer, Wood O Thou, the Central Orb Stanford Te Deum laudamus in Bb and a worship song arrangement. There will also be informal Q & A's with Glenys over lunch.
Ever enthusiastic conductor David says: "The A40 Choir has been twice featured on Classic FM. To sample it live, simply ring, book, and turn up!"
Entry is by pre-booked ticket (closing date: 19 January): call 01753 886005. The cost, including light lunch with glass of wine, and all music, is £10-00 per person, or £15-00 for Husband & Wife Teams.
Meanwhile both the A40 Choir and A40 Orchestra are hoping that new members might like to join for this term's repertoire which includes: Verdi Requiem, Tchaikovsky Romeo & Juliet Overture, Onedin Line theme music, and Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue.
The A40 Orchestra's next concert on 27 November follows their recent nomination (with the A40 Choir) as a Classic FM 'Team of the Week'. It will contain two concerto items: Mozart's Clarinet Concerto with Chalfont St. Peter resident Antony Elliott as soloist, and Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme played by 16 year old Ji Hyun Kim (cello) from the Yehudi Menuhin School.
These items will be complemented by Mendelssohn's famous Nocturne movement from The Midsummer Night's Dream Op. 61 and three favourite Delius miniatures: A Song before Sunrise, On hearing the first Cuckoo in Spring, and A Summer Night on a River. The full length version of Leopold Mozart's Toy Symphony (originally attributed to Haydn) will give you a chance to compare his light hearted depiction of the cuckoo with that of Delius!
Founder Music Director David Meacock says: "The first time I came across the Toy Symphony was playing viola in it at a university end of term music department 'bash', when the quail was played by a publican. Instead of filling the instrument with water as intended, he used vodka, and so the interpretation became increasingly lively as the performance progressed!"
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., takes place in Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College Theatre, Newland Park, Chalfont St. Giles.. Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £10-00; on the door cost £12-00. Students get in for just £5-00.
When the A40 Choir was formed just four years ago, few could have dreamt that within such a short time we would be tackling Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius, never mind a first performance of it.
A40 Choir Founder Music Director David Meacock explains: "Elgar wrote The Dream for the 1900 Birmingham Festival, where he knew that he would have enormous vocal resources and so these were understandably matched by a very large orchestra. It was after hearing major London Choirs 'blown out through the back' of première London venues that I came up with the idea of making a reduced orchestration - for strings, organ and brass quartet with one percussionist."
Because Elgar is still under Copyright, the Idea had to be approved by the Board of the Elgar Trust, which included Anthony Payne, known for his completion of Elgar's Third Symphony. This will the first performance of this version, also designed to make one of the most important masterpieces of the English heritage more accessible via live performances in non major venues.
The Choir will be joined by a strong team of visiting professionals. Mezzo Leigh Woolf has sung the work with the CBSO; Baritone Mark Wildman is Head of the Royal Academy of Music, London, Faculty of Vocal Studies and Gerontius Henry Moss (tenor) has recently made solo débuts at both English National Opera and for The Royal Opera, Covent Garden. Organist Malcolm Hicks regularly plays at the Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall and A40 Sinfonia Leader Lucy Waterhouse is a member of the Philharmonia.
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., takes place in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 20 November.
Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £8-00; on the door cost £10-00. Students get in for just £4-00.
The A40 Choir and A40 Orchestra invite singers and players to join in their continuing triumph, and participate in their forthcoming season. The unauditioned Choir will continue ambitious programmes with first performances of new orchestrations of Elgar The Dream of Gerontius and Verdi Requiem, and a G&S Centenary Celebration Summer Concert, to include Trial by Jury. Orchestral repertoire will include Delius miniatures, Tchaikovsky Romeo & Juliet Overture, Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue, Mozart Clarinet Concerto, and Mendelssohn Violin Concerto played by the Orchestra's new young professional Leader, Craig Stratton.
Founder Music Director David Meacock says: "Both organisations have a really exciting millennium season lined up and so we are still hoping even more people will come and join us. The A40 Orchestra welcomes all instrumentalists and the Choir is hoping to continue its amazing expansion."
Rehearsals of the A40 Choir are on Mondays, at 8 p.m., beginning on 6 September, in St. Mary's C. of E. Combined School, Beaconsfield; while the A40 Orchestra rehearses in the Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College Chalfont St. Giles Newland Park Campus on Wednesdays at 8 p.m., starting on 8 September.
David concludes: "If you would like to join in our success and give yourself a chance to enjoy local music making on a professional level, then please call me on 01753 886005 for further details."
When the A40 Choir was formed just four years ago, few could have dreamt that within such a short time they would be 100 strong and tackling Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius.
Elgar wrote The Dream for
the 1900 Birmingham Festival, where he knew that he would have
enormous vocal resources and so these were understandably matched
by a very large orchestra. It was after hearing major London Choirs
'blown out through the back' of première London venues
that A40 Choir Founder Music Director David Meacock came up with
the idea of making a reduced orchestration - for strings, organ
and brass quartet with one percussionist.
David says: "What better way to celebrate the Millennium
than to also mark the Centenary of one of the widely acknowledged
most important contributions to the English 20th Century Choral
repertoire by making it accessible to parochial choirs - for whom
the original is far too large to do properly, but now not considered
overly difficult - by making a reduced orchestration which preserves
the flavour of the original orchestral colours far better than
an organ only accompanied performance."
Because Elgar is back in copyright, David's idea had to be approved by the Elgar Trust who also have given permission for World-famous music publishers Novello to make it available for Hire for the Millennium following the A40 Choir's first performance of the new version on 20 November 1999.
David continues: "The work initially had a hostile reception, partly because of establishment led prejudice against Roman Catholicism, (the text is by Cardinal Newman) but more significantly because of an eleventh hour change of conductor who with the choral singers complained about its difficulty. Given all these circumstances, Elgar could not possibly have envisaged the need to make the work accessible to parochial choirs. Elgar was a practical orchestrator and many of his works were written for amateur musicians, so I am sure he would approve. I am hoping that where several choirs have an opportunity to combine with others for a full version, each might decide to repeat the work for their usual seasonal local performance, using the new reduced orchestration."
The concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., takes place in the Parish Church of All Saints, High Wycombe on Saturday 20 November. Tickets on 01753 886005 cost £8-00; on the door cost £10-00. Students get in for just £4-00. Singers wishing to join in time for Monday rehearsals starting on 6 September, in Beaconsfield, should also call 01753 886005.