News

Scunthorpe & District Choral Society celebrates 80 years of performing in its current form in 2025.  As part of this celebration we’re excited to offer a one-off opportunity to anybody who would like to join us in rehearsing Verdi’s Requiem in the early part of next year, leading up to a performance in The Baths Hall on 6^th April 2025.

The performance will be conducted by Neil Ferris, director of the BBC Symphony Chorus and we will be performing alongside four high calibre professional soloists, Gainsborough Choral Society and a 63 piece strong orchestra.  Verdi’s Requiem is a truly iconic and thrilling choral work.  Opportunities to sing in it do not come along often, and we know for many singers it is a life ambition to take part at least once.  And those who have sung in it before are bound to want to do so again!

Any singer is welcome to join us in this exciting performance.  All we ask is that they commit to attending our or Gainsborough’s rehearsals, and that they pay a one off contribution of £50 to help cover the costs of this ambitious undertaking.  Any level of singer is welcome; our highly respected and talented chorusmaster Susan Hollingworth will provide the tuition to bring us all together in harmony.  Both Scunthorpe and Gainsborough rehearse on a Thursday evening from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.  Rehearsals will start on 9^th January at Bottesford Baptist Church on Chancel Road, Bottesford, Scunthorpe, DN16 3LD and All Saints’ Church, Church Street, Gainsborough DN21 2JR.

We’d be grateful if you could extend this invitation to members of your choir, and very much hope some of them would like to join us.  If you would like any more information please don’t hesitate to contact me on this email address.

Kind Regards,

Alex

Alex Godfrey, Chairman

• Saturday 9th November, 2024

St Martin’s Church, Trevose Gardens, Sherwood NG5 3FU

7.30pm

with Sinfonia Chorale directed by Richard Roddis

organ accompaniments and solo

Palestrina O Magnum Mysterium, Quem Vidistis & Agnus Dei (Missa Brevis)

Bruckner Agnus Dei (Mass in E minor) & Christus Factus est

5′ Théodore Dubois (1837-1924) Sortie (Grand Choeur) in E

Dubois was a Parisian organist and choirmaster, and Professor at the Conservatoire. This Sortie is in neo-classical syle and, interestingly is marked Moderato.

Stanford Farewell, my joy, The Blue bird & The Train

Fauré Requiem

Saturday 16th November 2024

St Peter’s Parish Church, Ruddington

7.30pm

Ruddington and District Choral Society with piano, chamber orchestra, vocal soloists

conducted by Paul Hayward

Fauré Cantique de Jean Racine (1865). This prayer includes the following line. O Christ look with favour on your faithful people now gathered together to bless your name, receive the songs we offer to your eternal glory, and may we return laden with your blessings.

Ravel Pavane pour une Infante défunte

Brahms A German Requiem (sung in English) (the arrangement for reduced instrumental forces by Ian Farrington)

Saturday 7th December 2024

The Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham

7pm

harpsichord continuo with Orchestra da Camera & Nottingham Harmonic Society

conducted by Richard Laing

Handel Messiah

Monday 9th December 2024

St Peter’s Church, Ruddington

7.30pm

organ accompanist

Come-and-Sing with Ruddington and District Choral Society 

conducted by Paul Hayward, with vocal soloists

Handel Messiah 

Saturday 14th December 2024

Bingham Parish Church, Nottinghamshire

7.30pm

A Concert of Music and Carols for Christmas including one or two organ solos

Bingham and District Choral Society and Newark * Choristers conducted by Dr Stephen Bullamore

Saturday 18th January 2025

Bramcote Parish Church

10am

accompanist

Come-and-Sing-and-Play with Sinfonia Choraleconductor Richard Roddis

Repertoire by Mozart

Saturday 15th March 2025

venue tbd

Sinfonia Chorale directed by Richard Roddis

Repertoire by Mozart

Saturday 29th March 2025

Bishops Stortford

organ continuo with Mvsica Donvm Dei period-instrument orchestra

J.S. Bach St Matthew Passion

Saturday 5th April 2025

Bingham Parish Church, Nottinghamshire

7.30pm

Bingham and District Choral Society conducted by Dr Stephen Bullamore

Brahms A German Requiem (the arrangement for reduced instrumental forces by Ian Farrington)

Friday 13th June 2025

Southwell Minster

Lunchtime Concert

Bingham and District Choral Society conducted by Dr Stephen Bullamore

Free entry

Programme to include

Songs and Legends of Robin Hood Guy Turner

Saturday 13th December 2025

St Peter’s Church, Ruddington

7.30pm

organ accompanist with Ruddington and District Choral Society 

conducted by Paul Hayward, with vocal soloists

Missa Sancti Nicolai Joseph Haydn
Carols for Choirs 1 selections t.b.d.
Fantasia on Christmas Carols Ralph VaughanWilliams

The sun shone and the singers came from near and far. One person had got up at dawn and driven up from London that morning. Such is the charisma of Bob Chilcott, one of the leading choral composers and conductors of our time. Bingham and District Choral Society was honoured that he had agreed to lead our first Singing Day since the pandemic. The Minster School at Southwell was an excellent, spacious venue.  Ably supported by our superb accompanist Michael Overbury, Bob led us through a selection of his own pieces, some hauntingly lyrical, others challenging us with exciting, complex rhythms. In-between sessions, a magnificent selection of home-baked cakes was eagerly consumed by the singers. In short, we had all the ingredients for a hugely successful day. Our thanks go to Bob, Michael and the volunteers from BDCS who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to enable everything to run so smoothly.

The Bingham & District Choral Society’s Christmas Concert is a hugely popular community event and a highlight of our winter programme. This year’s concert took place last Saturday at Bingham Methodist Church where we were joined once more by the wonderful Carnarvon Children’s choir. After the performance, there was a retiring collection for Framework, a Nottingham-based charity whose mission is to support and house homeless people. The collection raised the splendid sum of £400. Also included were  two hearing-aid batteries and a small Euro coin!

Guy’s heroic endeavour to walk from Land’s End to John ‘O Groats was followed eagerly by members of the choir in the summer. We are now able to announce that, as one of Guy’s four charities selected to benefit from the funds raised by his walk,  Bingham and District Choral Society will receive £3,121.60 . This is a splendid boost to the choir’s finances at a time when extra resources are badly needed. We are  hugely grateful to Guy and wish him every success in completing the walk in shorter stages over the next year or two.

LAND’S END TO …. ER …. ELLESMERE

Despite a great start, local musician Guy Turner’s solo attempt to walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats was cut short at Ellesmere. He woke up with a very painful foot, which was diagnosed as Plantar Fasciitis, brought on by constant heavy duty walking, and was forced to call a halt to the walk.

Guy has now returned to Nottinghamshire and his work as a singer in Southwell Minster Choir, and conducting Bingham Choral Society.

Despite the great disappointment, Guy prefers to emphasise the positive! He walked 468 miles in 28 walking days, which averages nearly 17 miles per day. He survived long walks and high hills during the heat wave. He has raised over £18,000 for his four charities. He met lots of interesting people and saw some amazing scenery. Even though shorter than planned it is an adventure he will never forget.

He plans to complete the journey over the next couple of years, but in short sections.

If you would like to read about his walk, all the daily blogs can still be found on his website, as can details of the charities and how to donate.

https://guyscottturner.wixsite.com/guygoesnorth

Here are some images  of our lunchtime concert with Scunthorpe Choral Society  at St Mary’s Church Newark on Saturday 18th June 2022, followed by a celebration lunch and a presentation of a set of Jubilee mugs to our founder and first Musical Director, Neville Ward. Our special thanks go to James Turner, the photographer.