2019
CHORAL WORKSHOP - 'AVE MARIA'!
9.30am - 5.00pm, Sunday 3rd November 2019
Woodbridge School
Woodbridge School
After the success of last year's Christmas-themed commission, attendees said they wanted more focus on vocal technique and singing in choirs, and we chose three pieces to help them do just that.
With tea, coffee and biscuits for all, we started with an hour on technique from Claire - from taking in breath, how to use it, using the face as a way to project sound, and how to get the most out of your body as an engine room for singing.
We tackled three unaccompanied settings of the Ave Maria - a four-part version attributed to Victoria, the setting from Rachmaninov's Vespers/All-Night Vigil - both of which were edited and bound into a special booklet with room for singers to take notes - and a setting by the contemporary Latvian composer Rihards Dubra, and we're grateful to Ayr Choral Union and MakingMusic for making copies of this piece available.
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After a sectionals for note-bashing and a quick lunchbreak, it was back to work, looking at how to move vocally through the pieces chosen, how best to stagger breathing (everyone thinks no one else will do it at the end of a phrase...), and enjoying music-making together in what is a fun day (not to mention The Claire and John Show!). There was a real sense of productivity and enjoyment throughout the whole day, and to hear 100 people singing pianissimo in the Dubra and then at full volume in the Rachmaninov was something to behold.
As ever, we paused for tea and cake with family and friends who came to see our end-of-day performance. After a quick reminder from Claire, the Hall of Woodbridge School resounded to the wonderful voices of the Workshop Singers
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Every year we build our workshop around the needs and requests of those who join us - the feedback forms are so important to how we make the day work - if you've an idea, or want to learn something in particular from one of our workshops, please do get in touch (details at the top of the page - 'Contact Us') so that we can build the day for those who join us!
ST MARY'S, WOODBRIDGE
7.30pm, Saturday 12th October 2019
St Mary's, Woodbridge
St Mary's, Woodbridge
The beautiful flint-walled medieval church of St. Mary’s, Woodbridge, houses a grand Victorian interior, ideal for the resonating sound of Suffolk Singers.
The choir last sang here in December 2014, under distinctly bone-chilling conditions, thankfully alleviated at the time by a very warm audience. The warmth and appreciation by the audience of our concert here on Saturday October 12th was no less although we were delighted to find the heating system considerably improved, to the comfort of singers and audience alike. Our concert was an absolute gem, with a beautifully balanced mix of well-loved sacred and secular songs, conducted by Claire Weston, Suffolk Singers music director. The choice of programme was influenced by advance notice that, due to various circumstances, only about 2/3rd of the full choir was available to sing. Thus pieces were included which avoided too much division of the voice parts, in some respects deemed more simple pieces. In reality, this can be a lot more demanding on both the singers to sing as one voice and on conducting skills. Suffolk Singers rose to the occasion and showed why they deserve a much revered reputation.
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Most of the pieces were performed a cappella with talented musician and Suffolk Singers friend, John Hutchings providing piano accompaniment where needed. The first half of the concert opened joyously with Finzi’s ‘My spirit Sang all Day’, followed by graceful, harmonious sacred songs and ending with the much loved ‘Cantique de Jean Racine’ (Fauré). Bruckner’s ‘Locus Iste’ was inserted as a last minute change in the first half of the programme. The audience were moved to tears by the beauty with which it was performed; nobody listening would have realised that the choir had so little time to rehearse it.
An equally rousing but more modern piece, ‘O Radiant Dawn’ (Macmillan) started the second half of familiar secular songs such as ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square’ or ‘Fly me to the Moon’. The hugely appreciative audience showed why the closing piece, ‘Spread A Little Happiness’, was aptly chosen, as that is just what Suffolk Singers achieved by this concert and indeed aims to achieve by any Suffolk Singers concert.
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NORWICH CATHEDRAL
7.30pm, Saturday 25th May 2019
Norwich Cathedral
Norwich Cathedral
"What a glorious evening!"
In the ancient, light space of the nave of Norwich Cathedral, bathed in the warm glow of evening, the Suffolk Singers opened the concert with 'O Radiant Dawn' by James MacMillan, who turns 60 this year. The choir sang from the font so as to make the most of the large space and provide a more theatrical opening to what was a wonderful evening. The MacMillan was answered by an organ solo - performed by our friend Jamie John Hutchings - by Kenneth Leighton, a Scottish composer like MacMillan, who was born 90 years ago. 'Veni Creator Spiritus' is a meandering prelude based on the plainsong hymn for Whitsun.
With the choir now assembled at the front of the nave, Music of the Saints followed - Paul Mealor's 'Peace" (St Francis of Assisi), Arvo Pärt's 'Morning Star' (The Venerable Bede, whose feast day it was), John Rutter's 'A Prayer of St Patrick', Charles Villiers Stanford's 'Beati quorum via', Fauré's 'Cantique de Jean Racine' (St Ambrose), and Howard Goodall's 'Love Divine', with organ music including the luxurious 'Méditation' from Charles-Marie Widor's Symphonie pour orgue No.1.
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John Tavener's 'Song for Athene' opened the second half, with its gentle Alleluias filling the space of the nave. Then, after the 'Ave Maris Stella - Choral III' by Marcel Dupré for organ, the Suffolk Singers performed the 'Magnificat' and 'Nunc Dimittis' from John Hutchings' 'Suffolk Service', which had been commissioned by former Chairman Michael Balaam - the soft undulating quaver rhythms building up to a burst of light in the Gloria, and in the 'Nunc Dimittis' the gently repeating patterns rising to a chord thundering from the organ, before ending ambiguously - it was very well received!
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John treated us to the Adagio in G minor by Albinoni/Giazotto - the climax literally shook our seats! The choir then sang Palestrina's 'Exsultate Deo' and Mendelssohn's 'Lift thine eyes', which really showed how much care to smooth vocal lines that our Director Claire Weston encourages from us! We then had a real treat from John - the 'Carillon de Westminster' by Louis Vierne, who had been organist of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris - the quiet opening had us fooled, as the lowest pipes - 32 feet in length! (and hidden from view) again had our seats shaking, before the huge finale with the Westminster Chimes - and then a real treat in the cymbelstern (a star on top of the organ with a bell attached to each point) started spinning, adding real bells to the end of this piece!
The evening concluded with a performance of one of our favourites - 'God is gone up' by Gerald Finzi - opening with the cathedral organ's Tuba Mirabilis, and answered by the choir, this was a truly magnificent way to finish our evening, with choir and organ in perfect harmony under Claire's direction!
Met with warm applause from the audience, we treated them to a little encore of another piece by Gerald Finzi - 'My spirit sang all day', with the final chord ringing around the ancient space.
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We are hugely grateful to those Suffolk Singers who took time to organise and put the concert together (including pre-concert trips to Norwich), the cathedral staff including Roger Lee the Sacrist, and our audience for joining us!
2018
CAROLS FOR ALZHEIMERS
6.30pm, Thursday 20th December 2018
St Mary's, Bury St Edmunds
St Mary's, Bury St Edmunds
On a crisp, cold December's evening, we joined with our friends in Rock Choir (from across Suffolk) in the truly magnificent and breathtakingly enormous space of St Mary's Church in Bury St Edmunds to celebrate Christmas, and thank all those who provide support for those with Alzheimers.
Opening with 'Once in royal David's city', we sang 'Here is the little door' by Herbert Howells, and then the first public performance of The Suffolk Carols by Jamie John Hutchings, which we commissioned earlier this year and used for our 2018 Choral Workshop (see below!). |
Suffolk Rock Choir treated us to some wonderful music, and there were reflections by those from the Alzheimers Society.
With congregational carols of 'O Come all ye faithful', 'O little town of Bethlehem', and 'Hark! the herald angels sing' (all with soaring descants!), the mood for Christmas was set, and we all went home looking forward to the festive season and having raised money for a very worthy cause indeed. |
CHORAL WORKSHOP 2018
10.00am - 5.00pm, Sunday 4th November 2018
Woodbridge School, Suffolk
Woodbridge School, Suffolk
On a bright, crisp November day, singers of all ages came to the Music Department of Woodbridge School for a day of joyous music-making!
Each year, singers fill in feedback forms and we use it to improve the workshop for the following year. In 2017, our singers told us they wanted to work on technique, to study a smaller amount of music and to be able to achieve a polished performance of a whole piece or set of pieces by the end of the day.
So we sat down with our long-time friend and East Anglian composer Jamie John Hutchings (John to us!), and commissioned him to write something that would fulfil the brief. The result was a set of three carols - 1) O Sapientia - a mysterious, brooding work for Advent 2) The Virgin's Lullaby - a gentle, rolling melodious piece 3) Sing! Rejoice - a riot of fun, perfect for merriment! Our guests were joined by Suffolk Singers members, and also the Chamber Choir of Woodbridge School - all of us together had such a wonderful time, both socially and musically! |
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The day started with a lesson on vocal technique from Claire Weston, followed by a useful session on how to approach a new score - looking for ways to make it easier, looking for anchor points and so on.
With this knowledge fresh in our minds, we went into sectionals to first note-bash the pieces, then to focus on paying attention to note-lengths, phrasing and breathing, dynamics, diction, and key musical points, before coming back as a group to put the music together. |
Of course, before the end of the day, we took a break to eat cake! We're very grateful to those brilliant bakers who created such tasty nourishment before our final performance!
What a wonderful time we had - we all worked really hard, and what a wonderful result! "Fantastic experience I learned a lot as well as having fun" "The new format was great. I learnt a lot. I need to totally change my mouth position!" "Very well organised and I learned new techniques!" |
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"Great discipline – good learning – very well organised day and most enjoyable. Thank you."
"It’s been a great as ever – lovely mix of theory, practice, energy and ‘networking’, and so well organised and disciplined." "Excellent workshop I liked the ‘instruction’ as well as the singing." "Good to meet composer and hear what he said about his music. There was much energy and good cheer. Excellent." |
The Suffolk Singers will be singing the full set of The Suffolk Carols in a few week's time:
Venue - St Mary's, Bury St Edmunds Date - 6.30pm on 20th December Further details at: Alzheimers Society's - Carols for Christmas |
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A HARVEST OF SONG
7.30pm, Saturday 6th October 2018
St Michael's, Framlingham
St Michael's, Framlingham
The Suffolk Singers Autumn 2018 concert ‘A Harvest of Song’ saw the choir back on familiar ground at St Michael’s Church, Framlingham, where they entertained a near capacity audience.
The pieces also crossed a variety of genres, from the Three Antiphons of Hildegard of Bingen, especially composed for the choir by Jamie John Hutchings, spirituals (My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord by Moses Hogan), Stanford’s 100 mph Quick We Have But a Second, a bebop arrangement of Gershwin's Love Walked In, to Sting’s Fields of Gold. A real harvest of song!
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The repertoire ranged in time from the late 1500s (Hosanna to the Son of David by Thomas Weelkes) to present day composers Ola Gjeilo (Ubi Caritas), James Macmillan (O Radiant Dawn) and Arvo Part (Morning Star).
During the concert, the choir also performed a particularly moving composition, A Good Night written by Hutchings in memory of Janis Haerle, who was a member of Suffolk Singers from 2009 and who sadly died in January 2018.
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BELGIUM TOUR
Friday 25th - Sunday 27th May 2018
We spent the second May Bank Holiday weekend in Belgium!
Staying in Ypres, we began with a concert on in St Martin's Cathedral, on the Saturday afternoon, with music by Weelkes, MacMillan, Copland, and Pärt. This was followed by an organ recital of music by British, French and Belgian composers alive at the time of Armistice, given by our friend Jamie John Hutchings, whose performance of Widor's Symphonie 6 led to a standing ovation throughout the cathedral.
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That evening we had the very great privilege of singing at the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate; with a crowd of many hundreds, this was a particularly moving event for all concerned.
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All in all, we had a typically Suffolk Singers trip - great music, great friendships, and sharing our joy of life and music with our new friends and audiences in Belgium!
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CARNEGIE HALL, NEW YORK
Sunday 15th April 2018
Suffolk Singers were been invited to participate in a performance of Ola Gjeilo’s “Dreamweaver” and “Song of the Universal” at Carnegie Hall in New York City!
Suffolk Singers were been invited to participate in a performance of Ola Gjeilo’s “Dreamweaver” and “Song of the Universal” at Carnegie Hall in New York City!
A member of the Program Development team at Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY), contacted Claire saying "I had the pleasure of listening to the lovely voices of the Suffolk Singers through YouTube (a beautiful performance of Gjeilo’s 'Ubi Caritas') and was impressed by the musical quality and most of all, the enthusiasm of your singers."
On the strength of the recording acting as an audition piece, we received the formal invitation to join a limited number of choristers from around the world, to form the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, a choir of distinction. In consequence we are being offered a unique opportunity to perform in one of the world's greatest concert halls.
ELY CATHEDRAL
1.10pm, Saturday 17th March 2018
Lady Chapel, Ely Cathedral
Lady Chapel, Ely Cathedral
The Beast from the East was no match for the Suffolk Singers, nor for their audience! Deep in the snow, the cathedral looked quite outstanding, and after a generous lunch from the cathedral, the choir treated the audience to a rich programme of Rheinberger's Abendlied, MacMillan's O Radiant Dawn, Whitacre's Sleep, Gjeillo's Ubi Caritas, and a new Suffolk Singer favourite - Morning Star by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Charity Concert for the Teenage Cancer Trust
Woodbridge Community Centre, Suffolk
7.30pm, Saturday 20 January 2018
7.30pm, Saturday 20 January 2018
Our first concert of 2018 was our annual fundraising concert in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, and this year saw our fifth concert supporting this wonderful charity.
The audience were treated to music by Franck, Stanford, Saint-Saëns, and movements from The Balaam Cycle, commissioned by former chairman Michael Balaam.
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The second half of the concert opened with an acoustic song from Will Bloomfield, of the band OUTLYA, called 1953, which is a song about Suffolk, and was very well received.
A group of Claire's singing pupils from Thomas Mills in Framlingham, and from Ipswich and Woodbridge Schools, also delighted the crowds, especially with their rendition of Fly me to the moon. Having cheered the crowds with Spread a little happiness (including a Golden Shoesday moment from Claire), the concert finished with a rousing rendition of Moses Hogan's My soul's been anchored in the Lord. |
Thanks must go to those who prepared the Hall, Martin for arranging the debut of our new staging (!), those who organised the raffle, the tickets, the amazing Ploughman's at the interval (complete with more pickled onions than you have ever seen),
Harrison and John for accompanying, and as ever, to Claire!
Harrison and John for accompanying, and as ever, to Claire!
2017
SONGS OF SERENITY
Binham Priory, Norfolk
7.00pm, Saturday 30th September 2017
7.00pm, Saturday 30th September 2017
It was a wonderful occasion for the Suffolk Singers and here are some super reviews from the audience:
"The last day of September 2017
Suffolk Singers last evening in the beautiful acoustic and setting of Binham Priory, Norfolk, quite simply restored the soul. “Songs of Serenity” were sung unaccompanied, with grace, empathy and a perfect blend of their 28 voices." "Music Director Claire Weston’s attention to detail and sensitive direction brought the very best from her singers to Binham - a combination of music and place: so uplifting. It was a unique and very special, memorable occasion. Thank you to everyone." "Your singing touches the heart both emotionally and physically and that’s rare when listening to a choir. Happened at Binham for me." |
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IPSWICH MUSIC DAY
2.00pm, Sunday 2nd July 2017
Ipswich Masonic Hall
Ipswich Masonic Hall
Once again we joined the largest free one-day event in the UK. The sun shone, the people flooded into Ipswich and long, long queues formed to get into Christchurch Park. We started the proceedings in the Classical Section at the Masonic Hall and were delighted that every seat was taken and folk were queueing into the entrance hall - as the door was wide open we must surely have been heard out in the street!
We started with the mesmeric "Dixit Maria" by Hans Hasler but sung our way through 25 minutes of music to conclude with Kirby Shaw's totally upbeat version of Paul Simon's "Bridge over Troubled Water".
With Blythburgh the previous evening it had been a very busy weekend of music-making but extremely energising for all those involved.
We started with the mesmeric "Dixit Maria" by Hans Hasler but sung our way through 25 minutes of music to conclude with Kirby Shaw's totally upbeat version of Paul Simon's "Bridge over Troubled Water".
With Blythburgh the previous evening it had been a very busy weekend of music-making but extremely energising for all those involved.
SUMMER SERENADE
7.30pm, Saturday 1st July 2017
Holy Trinity, Blythburgh
Holy Trinity, Blythburgh
No seats left as we were joined by an appreciative audience for a summer's evening of music in one of the UK's most outstanding churches. The sun even came out in the first half and shone magically through the windows during a rendition of "Ave Maria". This meant that the doors could be opened and refreshments taken outside - it was a very special evening.
A selection of items from the concert is available on our YouTube channel
The programme included works by Dubra, Gjeilo, Hassler, Hutchings, Jenkins, Tavener, Simon and Whitacre as well as an "Ave Maria" composed by Suffolk Singers alto, Susan Wilkins. There were delightful contributions from the amazingly talented Gabriella Harvey as well as some lovely pieces performed by Claire's Young Songsters, including a particularly memorable South African Lullaby entitled "Thula S'thandwa Sam".
TATE BRITAIN'S GREAT BRITISH WALKS
9.00pm, Tuesday 9th May 2017
SkyArts
SkyArts
In late 2016 we were asked to record for the production company 7Wonder, who produce Tate Britain's Great British Walks for SkyArts.
So, on a bright afternoon we travelled to Dedham Vale, to St Mary's church in East Bergholt, near Flatford Mill, the setting for John Constable's The Haywain. John Constable was the subject for the second episode of the Walks programme, featuring Gus Casely-Hayford and Richard E Grant.
Mike Reilly and his team were brilliant in getting us ready, and soon we recorded "English Country Gardens" and "Jerusalem", as well as a handful of voxpops with Janis, Peter, and Claire talking about music, Constable, and Suffolk.
So, on a bright afternoon we travelled to Dedham Vale, to St Mary's church in East Bergholt, near Flatford Mill, the setting for John Constable's The Haywain. John Constable was the subject for the second episode of the Walks programme, featuring Gus Casely-Hayford and Richard E Grant.
Mike Reilly and his team were brilliant in getting us ready, and soon we recorded "English Country Gardens" and "Jerusalem", as well as a handful of voxpops with Janis, Peter, and Claire talking about music, Constable, and Suffolk.
ELY CATHEDRAL
1.10pm, Saturday 4th March 2017
Lady Chapel, Ely Cathedral
A truly wonderful occasion for the Suffolk Singers - and it would appear to have been similarly so for the audience, of which there were an amazing 170! Here are just a few comments gleaned on the day:
"What a beautiful sound your choir makes!"
"What a wonderful sound you make ... perfect balance."
"The singing was AMAZING and we enjoyed visiting the Cathedral in its historic splendour."
"The choir is better than amateur, as good as a professional choir".
Overheard by a Suffolk Singer post concert in the Ladies’ queue: "Everyone was commenting on it, one lady saying it was 'brilliant' and another 'stunning' and asking that her praise be passed to the rest of the choir. The rest were all very complimentary too!"
Lady Chapel, Ely Cathedral
A truly wonderful occasion for the Suffolk Singers - and it would appear to have been similarly so for the audience, of which there were an amazing 170! Here are just a few comments gleaned on the day:
"What a beautiful sound your choir makes!"
"What a wonderful sound you make ... perfect balance."
"The singing was AMAZING and we enjoyed visiting the Cathedral in its historic splendour."
"The choir is better than amateur, as good as a professional choir".
Overheard by a Suffolk Singer post concert in the Ladies’ queue: "Everyone was commenting on it, one lady saying it was 'brilliant' and another 'stunning' and asking that her praise be passed to the rest of the choir. The rest were all very complimentary too!"
MAKE A DIFFERENCE - AGAIN!
7.30pm, Saturday 21st January 2017
Woodbridge Community Centre Fundraising Concert in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust Suffolk Singers and their friends provided a varied programme of easy-listening music to suit all tastes; the packed venue was also treated to music by some of Claire Weston’s young singers from Thomas Mills High School, Framlingham, and The Jam Sandwiches Jazz Group from Woodbridge School. The informal table seating, with a light supper of savoury and sweet refreshments provided the perfect atmosphere to enjoy music and raise funds for this very worthy cause. A fantastic £2,390.62 was raised by this sell-out performance. |