If you can
hear the music it is the opening chorus from Bach's Magnificat.
Last Concert:
Christmas Concert 2011
Saturday, 10th December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
(Click on photograph to enlarge)
St Mary's Church, Marsh Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
Handel's: Messiah (Highlights including
Hallelujah Chorus and Christmas Story)
Plus a selection of Christmas carols..........
Familiar and less familiar........
Conductor and Bass Soloist:-
Terry Saunders
(See below for biography)
Guest Soloists:-
Soprano:- Suzanne Walker
(See below for biography)
Mezzo-soprano:- Julia Batchelor-Walsh
(See below for biography)
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Organ:-
Tom Potten
(See below for biography)
_______
BIOGRAPHIES:-
OUR CONDUCTOR AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR
:-
Terry
Saunders: Terry
Saunders studied at
Bristol
University
and with John Carol Case (voice) and Pamela Speed-Andrews (piano). He has
pursued a varied musical career over the last 30 years, as an opera &
oratorio singer, music theatre & cabaret performer, organist &
choirmaster, composer and conductor. As well as many roles in Mozart operas, he
has sung Escamillo (Carmen),
Dulcamara (L'Elisir d'Amore),
Kecal (The Bartered Bride),
Uberto (La Serva Padrona) and the
title role in Don Pasquale. Terry has appeared as an oratorio soloist in more
than 100 concerts - including 16 performances of Stainer's
Crucifixion - and he has had the privilege of working with Sir David
Willcocks on several occasions. In music theatre, Terry's favourite role is
Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady.
He has performed this role in three productions, one of which - at Richmond
Theatre - won him an Arts Council award. He has conducted several musicals,
including South Pacific at Epsom
Playhouse and Sweet Charity at
The Secombe Theatre, Sutton. Terry regularly acts as an accompanist to other
singers, and is a senior house pianist at the
Ardingly
International
Music
School
. Terry was Director of Music at
St John’s
, Stoneleigh, from 2000 to 2006, for whom he composed liturgical settings and
several hymns. Terry also appeared for nine years as one of the 'boys with the
obedient feet' in the cabaret group Vamp 'til Ready; now he performs his own
one-man shows, including "An Evening
with Noel Coward" and "I
Get A Kick Out Of Cole".
King Arthur was his first concert as musical director of the Burnham
Music Group.
Tom
Potten:
was born in 1981 and has lived
in
Essex
most of his life. At the age of 7 he started piano lessons under local teacher
Ray Clarke, and with the guidance of his influential school music teacher, Peter
Dale, he developed his enthusiasm for music. In 2002 he gained his Bachelor of
Music degree from the London College of Music and Media, having studied with
composer Kit Turnbull and Jazz musician Eddie Harvey. It was here that his
passion for contemporary music really began. Since then he has been working
primarily as a piano teacher and session musician around the county, gaining
Yamaha certified music teacher status in 2003.
He also recorded accompaniments for Spartan Press Publications in the
same year and next year he will work with different publishers on a new series
of books.
Julia Batchelor-Walsh
– Mezzo-soprano:
Julia
graduated with a music
degree from the Welsh College of Music and Drama where she studied singing with
Elizabeth Vaughan. She was a post-graduate at the Royal College of Music for two
years where she studied with Margaret Kingsley.
Julia is an experienced concert singer and recitalist both nationally and
internationally. She has established a reputation as a singer of great
versatility, performing a diverse range of styles and genres. She
has appeared as soloist in much of the ‘Classical’ concert repertoire, from
Bach to composers of the present day, as well as in music by ‘American
Songbook’ composers such as Porter, Kern and Gershwin.
Julia has performed throughout Europe and North America and in 1999 she made her
concert debut in Australia, giving two recitals in Sydney. She made her debut at
the Royal Festival Hall in 2003 in Mahler’s 8th Symphony with The
Hertfordshire Chorus and Crouch End Festival Chorus. In a series of concerts at
the Barbican with CEFC, she has performed Mozart’s Requiem, Songs from Liquid
Days by Phillip Glass, Elgar’s The Apostles, Joby Talbot’s Finding Silence,
Stravinsky’s Les Noces, The Glagolskaja Mass by Janacek and Beethoven’s Mass
in C.
Her TV credits include the documentary series Behind Bars for BBC2 and the BBC1
drama Final Demand.
In October 2009 she appeared with Synergy Vocals and Steve Reich in a
performance of the composer’s Music for Eighteen, to a packed Royal Festival
Hall, receiving a standing ovation in what was one of the most exciting concerts
of her career.
Alongside her solo career, Julia is proud to be a freelance member of the BBC
Singers, and retains a love of choral singing that began in her school choir
some 30 years ago. Her association with this extraordinary group has enabled her
to work with many of the world’s greatest conductors, composers, ensembles and
orchestras: Boulez, Rattle, Noseda, Tortelier and Baremboim to name but a few.
In January 2010 she was honoured to be one of just
24 Singers to spend three days working with Sir David Willcocks, in two
programmes for Radio 3’s ‘The Choir’, celebrating the musical life and the
90th birthday of this remarkable man. Julia is also an original
member of Aurora Nova.
In May and June 2011 she gave a series of 12 performances of Reich’s
Music for Eighteen with Synergy Vocals at the Paris Opera.
This Autumn she has travelled to Bonn, Dusseldorf and Paris for further
performances of Music for 18, and has recorded a series of Christmas Carols with
the BBC Singers for broadcast on Radio 3’s breakfast programme during the
Christmas period.
Julia is an experienced singing teacher and has private practices in London,
Hertfordshire and Burnham-on-Crouch, where she lives with husband David and son
Sebastian. Vocal coach for the hugely successful Mattefer
Music Week, she is
now vocal coach for Mackensie Music, and is guest vocal coach for Highgate
Choral Society and The Hertfordshire Chorus.
Suzanne Walker – Soprano: Suzanne
studied at the University of Birmingham where she graduated with a BA (Hons)
degree in Music, Drama and Dance. She studied singing at the Birmingham
Conservatoire and with Annette
Thompson
in London. Her oratorio experience includes Handel’s Messiah
and The Passion of Christ, Fauré’s Requiem,
Haydn’s The Creation and Passion
of Christ, Mozart’s Requiem and Exultate Jubilate, Vivaldi’s Gloria,
Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis,
Leighton’s Crucifixus Pro Nobis, Mendelssohn’s
Elijah, Brahms’ Requiem and Schubert’s Stabat
Mater for the St Peter’s Singers, Peterborough Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds
Cathedral, Ramsey, Kings Lynn and Ely Choral Societies, Blackheath Choir, and St
George’s choir in St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast amongst others.
Operatic roles include Susanna in Le
Nozze di Figaro and Silberklang in Der
Schauspieldirektor by Mozart, Lauretta in Bizet’s Dr
Miracle, Atalanta in Xerxes and
Ino in Semele by Handel, and Dido in
Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, for
companies such as Opera Experience, Opera Da Camera, Morley Opera, Definitely
Divas and Starlight Opera. She has created the roles for a number of new
contemporary operas including Heather in Lunch
at the Cooked Goose and Elizabeth I in
Welcome to Purgatory by Betty Roe & Marian Lines, as well as Spem and the song cycle The
Year of the Green Parrots by Joe St Johanser. She recently made a recording
with the London Sinfonietta of a new opera The
Tempest by Joe St Johanser playing the part of Trincula. She also gives
recital concerts and performs regularly with Three in a bar. When not singing
Suzanne works in contemporary dance and is Director of Programming at Sadler’s
Wells.
_______
Previous Concerts:
Spring Concert 2011
Saturday, 14th May at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Marsh Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
Haydn's: St. Cecilia Mass
Conductor :-
Terry Saunders
Guest Soloists:-
Rebecca Gibson: Soprano
Marjorie Ouvry: Mezzo-Soprano
Alberto
Sousa: Tenor
Sebastian Valentine: Bass-Baritone
(See below for biographies)
Orchestra:-
Professional Orchestra
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Organ:-
Tom Potten
_______
BIOGRAPHIES:-
Rebecca
Gibson- Soprano:
Rebecca Gibson is a
musician and actress. She has been studying singing privately for the
past nine years. She is currently preparing for post-graduate auditions for
conservatoires country-wide. She has performed with Carl Rosa Opera and as
a soloist at The Earl's Court Festival. Rebecca is currently working on a
selection of Early Music for performance at the Lute Society, a premier by a new
Russian composer and a production of Menotti's The
Consul. In another life Rebecca is a musical comedian and directs
her own improvised comedy musical troupe, MusicBox
Improvised Musical (www.musicboximpro.co.uk).
Marjorie
Ouvry- Mezzo-soprano: Marjorie’s
singing career has run alongside her career in education starting in her native
Scotland and continuing in London. Major operatic roles in opera companies
include Carmen, Cheribino, and Dido. Marjorie has sung as a professional soloist
with many British choral societies and as soloist at the first Festival of
Classical Music in the Seychelles. She was a prize-winner and highest placed
woman entrant in the International Singing Competition,
‘The English Song Award’, in 1984. Recital venues include the
Blackheath Halls, National Portrait Gallery and St Martin in the Fields and
Southwark, and Coventry Cathedrals.
Marjorie performed new works at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2000 and
2003 to critical acclaim. She gained the postgraduate Diploma in Performance at
Trinity College of Music 2006 and winning the Lillian
Ash French Song Duo Competition in 2006 and the John
Ireland Competition in 2007. At
college she sang in the Schumann Festival, Beggars’ Opera (Mrs Trapes) and in
Les Dialogues des Carmelites (Prioress). Marjorie continues to enjoy performing
in oratorio and giving solo and shared recital performances sometimes with her
husband – a fine bass baritone! She
is currently studying with the distinguished teacher, chorus master and
international conductor, Robert Dean. She is delighted to be returning to sing
with the Burnham Music Group.
Alberto
Sousa-Tenor:Alberto Sousa was born
in
Madeira
,
Portugal
. He graduated in Music (Voice - Performance and Teaching) at Universidade
de Aveiro with António Salgado. Currently, Alberto is in the second year of
GSMD Opera Course, studying with Laura Sarti, sponsored by the Worshipful
Company of Ironmongers. Alberto won the first prize at the "3º Prémio José
Augusto Alegria" in 2009. Main operatic roles: Monostatos Die
Zauberflöte Mozart, Orfée Orfée aux Enfers Offenbach, Macheath Die
Dreigroschenoper Kurt Weill, Gherardo Gianni Schicchi Puccini, Boy 1 Trouble
in Tahiti Bernstein, Witch Hansel and Gretel Humperdinck, Leandro La
Spinalba Almeida, Kaspar Amahl and the Night Visitors Menotti, L’Aumonier
Les Dialogues des Carmelites Poulenc. Main oratorio roles: Te Deum Charpentier,
Te Deum Bruckner, Messa Regina Caeli Pietro Yon, Messe in G Schubert, Missa in
Angustiis "Nelson Mass", The Creation Haydn, Kronungsmesse Mozart,
Oratorio de Noël Saint Saëns, Petite Messe Solennelle, Stabat Mater Rossini,
Magnificat Bach, St. Paul Mendelssohn, The Messiah Haendel.
Sebastian
Valentine - Bass-Baritone:
Sebastian
Valentine, Baritone, was educated
at King Edward’s School,
Bath
and graduated from The Royal
College of Music, where he studied singing with Ashley Stafford.
He has received teaching and coaching from many distinguished
international artists, including Graziella Schiutti, Margaret Cable, David Ward,
Roger Vignoles, David Owen-Norris, Ryland Davies and Mollie Petrie, and has
performed in master classes with Sarah Walker, Roger Vignoles, Steven Varcoe,
Michael Chance and Sir David Wilcocks. Sebastian
was described as “a wonderfully pompous Poo-Bah” in a Charles’ Court Opera production of Sullivan’s, The Mikado.
Other roles he has performed include Schaunard, La Bohème with Sevenoaks
Opera, Guccio, Gianni Schicchi, for the Benjamin Britten International Opera School, Cox, Cox
and Box, Louis,The Wandering Scholar (Holst), Leporello and Don Alfonso Cosi
fan Tutte, for Minatour Opera, Dick Deadeye, HMS
Pinafore and Dr Bartolo, Barber of
Seville for Charles Court Opera,
Papageno, for Priory Opera, the
covers of Mr Page and Falstaff, Merry
Wives of Windsor (Nicolai), for Opera
South, Speaker, Second Priest and Second Armed Man, Magic Flute for Opera
Project, Dick Deadeye, HMS Pinafore
in Wales, Bouncer, Cox and Box
and Grinder, The Zoo (Sullivan) for
the Sullivan Society.
He has also appeared in Sullivan’s Yeomen of the Guard,
Mozart’s Magic Flute and Britten’s A Midsummer Nights Dream
with British Youth Opera and
Britten’s Noye’s Fludde with King Edward’s School and toured the
UK
and the
USA
with Carl Rosa Opera covering the
role of The Pirate King. Sebastian sings regularly as a soloist with choral
societies across the
UK
and has performed the Fauré and Brahms’ Requiems, Bach Magnificat, Bminor
Mass and St.John Passion, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle, Handel’s
Messiah, Puccini’s Missa di Gloria and Mozart’s
Coronation
Mass.
In 2009 he performed in Un
Giorno di Regno for Opera della
Luna/Stanley Hall/Iford Arts and sang the role of Renato, Ballo
in Maschera in Education Workshops for Opera
2005, Cork. Forthcoming
engagements include the role of Dr Grenvil, La
Traviata for Riverside Opera and
the roles of Fiorello/Captain/Notary, The
Barber of Seville for Iford
Opera.
_______
December Concert 2010
Saturday, 11th December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
Vivaldi's: Gloria
Mozart's: Misericordias Domini
and
Christmas Music For All
Conductor :-
Terry Saunders
Guest Soloists:-
Soprano:- Suzanne Walker
Mezzo-soprano:- Marjorie Ouvry
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Organ:-
Tom Potten
_______
BIOGRAPHIES:-
_______
Summer Concert 2010
Saturday, 8th May at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
Mendelssohn's: Elijah
Conductor :-
Terry Saunders
Guest Soloists:-
Soprano:- Suzanne Walker
Mezzo-soprano:- Marjorie Ouvry
Baritone:-
Sebastian
Valentine
Tenor:- Alex Pidgen
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Organ:-
Tom Potten
_______
December Concert 2009
Saturday, 12th December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
Giacomo Puccini's: Messa di Gloria
and
Carols for Choir and Audience
Conductor :-
Terry Saunders
Guest Soloists:-
Baritone:-
Sebastian
Valentine
Tenor:- Geoffrey Strum
(See below for biography)
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Organ:-
Tom Potten
_______
Geoffrey Strum - Tenor:
Geoffrey Strum was born in
London
. He gained a B.A.(Hons.) at
Middlesex
University
and also studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has sung in
Masterclasses with Anthony Legge, Head of Music at The English National Opera;
Jonathan Hinden, principal coach at Glyndebourne Opera;
Brian MacKay, conductor; Paul
Hamburger, Professor of Music at The Guildhall School of Music, David Coleman,
resident Conductor of Paris Opera and Jeremy Silver, Carlos Aransay and Iain
Ledingham.
Geoffrey
has sung leading roles in Oratoria including the tenor solos in Messe Di Gloria
by Puccini, conductor Robert Dean. The
Creation by Haydn, conductor Brian MacKay. Elijah by Mendelssohn, conductor
Gregory Rose, and The Messiah by Handel, conductor Neil Jenkins.Geoffrey
regularly performs in concerts and recitals throughout the country and
Europe
. He has been directed in Opera productions
by Elaine Tyler-Hall of The English National Opera, Wayne Morris, director of
Pimlico Opera; Alex Ingram,
conductor of The English National Opera; Christopher
Cowell; Steve Cannon and John
Ramster.
Geoffrey studies voice with Scilla Stewart and has attended coaching
workshops with Sheila Thomas, Sandra Gelson and Gerry Cornelius at Morley Opera
School, where he sang leading roles such as Nemorino in L’Elisir D’Amore ,
Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto , Don Jose in Carmen, Siebenkas in Ten Belles
Without A Man, Belmonte in Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail, Tito in La Clemenza
di Tito, Piquillo in La Perichole and Jenik in The Bartered Bride.
He has also studied with Delia Lindon.
Geoffrey has toured the
U.K.
and
Europe
with the Ambrosian Singers in productions of
Carmen and Aida. He was featured as
an opera singer in The Bill for Thames
Television.
In 2005
Geoffrey was involved in the world debut of The Whitechapel Whirlwind by Howard
Fredrics and Jacob Sager Weinstein at the Bloomsbury Theatre,
London
. This is a new opera about
Jack Kid Lewis the boxer. Geoffrey
played the role of the Goon and also understudied the lead role .
_______
Summer Concert 2009
Saturday, 16th May at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
George Frideric Handel's: Judas Maccabaeus
Conductor :-
Terry Saunders
Guest Soloists:-
Soprano:- Suzanne Walker
Mezzo-soprano:- Marjorie Ouvry
Baritone:-
Sebastian
Valentine
Tenor:- Alex Pidgen
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Orchestra:-
TBA
_______
December Concert 2008
Saturday, 13th December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
'An Essex Garland'
a celebration of music from Essex
William Byrd's: Laudibus in Sanctis
Martin Taylor's: Turn, Turn, Turn
William Russell's: Mass in C
Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei
Gustav Holst's: This have I done for my
true love
Ralph Vaughan Williams's: Fantasia on Christmas
Carols
Peter Dale's: Cradle Song
C. Armstrong
Gibbs
's: Cradle Song
Ivan Moody's: The Manger
Arr.
Reginald Jacques
: Angels from the Realms of
Glory
John Goss's: See Amid the Winter’s
Snow
Arr. David Willcocks
Tune from Piae
Cantiones: Good King Wenceslas
Arr. Reginald Jacques
and
Carols for Choir and Audience
Conductor :-
Terry Saunders
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Piano/Organist:-
Tom Potten
_______
Summer Concert 2008
Saturday, 10th May at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
Giacomo Rossini's: Petite Messe Solennelle
Conductor :-
Terry Saunders
Guest Soloists:-
Soprano:- Suzanne Walker
Mezzo-soprano:- Marjorie Ouvry
Bass-Baritone:- Martin Lamb
Tenor:- Alex Pidgen
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Piano:-
Tom Potten
_______
December Concert 2007
Saturday, 8th December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
John Rutter's: Magnificat
and
Carols for Choir and Audience
Conductor :-
Terry Saunders
Guest Soloist:-
Soprano:- Suzanne Walker
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Piano/Organist:-
Tom Potten
Trumpet:-
Nick Perry & Will Potten
_______
Summer Concert 2007
Saturday, 12th May at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme :-
Henry Purcel: King Arthur
Conductor :-
Terry Saunders
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Guest Soloists:-
Soprano:- Suzanne Walker
Mezzo-soprano:- Marjorie Ouvry
Tenor:- Geoffrey Strum
Bass-Baritone:- Martin Lamb
Orchestra:-
1st violin: Gabriel Anderson and Chris Gibson
2nd violin: Xandria Edwins and Peiman Khosravi
Viola: Hayley Chisnali
Cello: Mary Pells
Bass: Steve Pritchard
1st trumpet: Nick Perry
2nd trumpet: Will Potten
Continuo: Tom Potten
_______
Christmas Concert 2006
CONCERT BY CANDLELIGHT
Saturday, 9th December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme includes:-
Andrew Carter: Te Deum
Two Spanish Carols
and
Carols for Choir and Audience
Guest Conductors:-
Tom & Will Potten
Choirs:-
The Burnham Music Group
&
Children's Choir
Organist:-
Timothy End
BIOGRAPHIES:-
OUR CONDUCTOR AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR
:-
From January 2007 - Terry
Saunders
GUEST CONDUCTORS:-
Tom Potten:
was born in 1981 and has lived
in
Essex
most of his life. At the age of 7 he started piano lessons under local teacher
Ray Clarke, and with the guidance of his influential school music teacher, Peter
Dale, he developed his enthusiasm for music. In 2002 he gained his Bachelor of
Music degree from the London College of Music and Media, having studied with
composer Kit Turnbull and Jazz musician Eddie Harvey. It was here that his
passion for contemporary music really began. Since then he has been working
primarily as a piano teacher and session musician around the county, gaining
Yamaha certified music teacher status in 2003.
He also recorded accompaniments for Spartan Press Publications in the
same year and next year he will work with different publishers on a new series
of books. This will be Tom’s first time as conductor of the Burnham Music
Group and he hopes to continue working with them as a rehearsal pianist for many
more years to come.
Will
Potten:
began his career with the Burnham Music Group almost twenty years ago, playing
third trumpet in Duruflé's Requiem. Since then, he has performed with
them on many occasions, both playing and singing. Whilst at school, he
also played for a number of years with various Essex Youth Orchestra ensembles.
He completed a music degree
at
Girton
College
,
Cambridge
, in 1997. During his time there, he sang with
Girton
College
choir, which was directed by Martin Ennis, and also went on tours to
Mexico
,
Ireland
and the
Vatican
. With the choir, he made a
recording in 1995.
With the Cambridge Univeristy
Musical Society he performed under several well-known conductors.
Particular highlights were Elgar's Dream of Gerontius under Stephen
Cleobury and The Rite of Spring conducted by Daniel Harding.
ORGANIST:-
Timothy
End:
started learning the piano at the age of three and the violin at six.
By the age of fifteen he had attained the Advanced Certificate for both
instruments. At this time he also
devoted himself to learning the organ, attaining Grade 8 with Distinction aged
16. Whilst attending the Junior
Academy of Music, he was leader of the Symphony Orchestra and performed at the
Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall.
He
then started a Music degree course at King’s College, London.
He was an Organ Scholar and led both their Symphony Orchestra, performing
at St. John’s Smith Square, and the King’s College String Quartet, who were
asked to perform at the Commemoration Oration Service in the Great Hall, fronted
by the Prime Minister. In the final
term he was the soloist in César Franck’s Symphonic Variations for
piano and orchestra.
After
graduating with a first class honours BMus degree, Tim is currently studying for
a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance on the piano accompaniment course at the
Royal Academy, being tutored by Julius Drake and Patsy Toh.
He was recently awarded first and second prize at the prestigious Delius
Prize held at the Academy, adjudicated by Sir Charles Mackerras.
Timothy
holds the Francis Simms Prize and awards from the Countess of Munster Trust and
the Musicians Benevolent Fund.
_______
Summer Concert 2006
Saturday, 24th June at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St.
Leonard's Church,
Southminster, Essex
(See below for location etc)
Programme includes:-
W. A. Mozart: Coronation Mass in C
Matyas Seiber: Three Hungarian Folk Songs
Matyas Seiber: Yugoslav Folk Songs
Zoltán Kodály: Mátra Pictures
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
(See below for biography)
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Guest Soloists:-
From the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Soprano - Emma Llewellyn
Mezzo-soprano - Andrea
Hazell
Tenor -
Mark Guerin
Baritone - Simon Preece
Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
For St. Leonard's web site click
here.
For
the location of St. Leonard's church click
here.
_______
Christmas Concert 2005
Saturday, 10th December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme includes:-
W. A. Mozart: Misericordias Domini K.222
Orlando Gibbons: Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis
of The Short Service
Malcolm Arnold: The John Clare Cantata
and
Carols for Choir and Audience
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
(See below for biography)
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Pianist/Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
_______
Summer Concert 2005
Saturday, 2nd July at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme included:-
John Rutter: Mass of the Children
Karl Jenkins: Choral Suite from "The Armed Man"
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies: Songs from "The Kestrel Road"
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
(See below for biography)
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Guest Soloists:-
From the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Soprano:- Andrea Hazell
Baritone:- Simon Preece
Professional Orchestra:-
Chamber Ensemble (Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn,
Timpani, Percussion x 2, Harp and Double Bass)
Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
_______
Christmas Concert 2004
Saturday, 11th
December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:- St.
Leonard's Church,
Southminster, Essex
(See below for location etc)
Programme included:-
Haydn: The Creation - Part 1
and
Carols for Choir and Audience
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Guest Soloists:-
Mezzo-soprano - Andrea
Hazell
Tenor - Luke Price
Bass - John Bernays
Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
For St. Leonard's web site click
here.
For
the location of St. Leonard's church click
here.
_______
Summer Concert 2004
Saturday, 19th
June at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:-
St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Mary's church click here.
Programme included:-
Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace
with
soloists from the ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
and a professional orchestra
Francis Poulenc: (Text: Jean de Brunhoff):
The Tale of Babar the Little Elephant
with
Special Guest Appearance as Narrator by
Lord Birkett
and
Eric Stephenson (Piano)
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
_______
"The
Armed Man - A Mass For Peace" is the result of a special millennial
commission from the Royal Armouries and the latest in a six century old
tradition of "Armed Man" Masses that take the fifteenth century French
song "L'Homme Armé" as their starting point.
Large
scale in both scope and scale "The Armed Man" it is a profoundly
moving yet very accessible work which uses the most traditional of means to
explore an all too contemporary subject. As Karl Jenkins explains, "As I started
composing "The Armed Man" the tragedy of Kosovo unfolded. I was
reminded daily of the horror of such conflict and so I dedicate the work to the
victims of Kosovo”.
"The
Armed Man" has drawn on a diverse array of cultural and historical sources.
It's difficult to think of another composer who could successfully place a
muezzin's call to prayer within a Mass setting and follow it with a Kyrie that
quotes both Palestrina and Brazilian drum rhythms. That Karl Jenkins does so with such
ease and to such powerful effect is a tribute to his remarkable skill and
musical sensitivity.
"The
Armed Man - A Mass For Peace" received its world première in April 2000 at
London's Royal Albert Hall.
The Burnham Music Group's
performance was we believe the first performance in the area.
_______
Christmas Concert
2003
Saturday, 13th
December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:- St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
Programme included:-
William Mathias: Ave Rex
Edward Elgar: Te Deum & Benedictus in F
John Rutter: Candlelight Carol
Gordon Langford: The Christmas Gift
John Tavener: Motets
and
Carols for Choir and Audience
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
_______
Previous Concerts:
Summer Concert
2003
Saturday, 14th
June at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:- St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
Programme included:-
Igor Stravinsky: Mass for Mixed Chorus and Double
Wind Quintet
Giovanni Gabrieli: In Ecclesiis
Gabriel Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine
Gabriel Fauré: Pavanne
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
(Accompanied by professional musicians)
Soloists:- Solos were sung
by past and present members of the choir
Soprano:- Marie Perry
Alto:- Pam Langmead
Tenor:- Trevor Southey
Baritone:- Peter Robinson
_______
Christmas Concert
2002
Saturday, 7th
December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:- St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
Programme included:-
William Mathias: Rex Gloriae
Maxwell Davies: Ave Maria
Schutz: Now Let Us All Thank Thee, God
J. S. Bach: Three Chorales
Sweelinck: Hodie Christmas Natus Est
Carols for Choir and Audience
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Harpsichord:-
Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
_______
Summer Concert 2002
Saturday, 22nd
June at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:- St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
Programme included:-
Purcell: Te Deum laudamus
& Jubilate Deo in D
and
Welcome to all the Pleasures
Tavener: Love Bade Me Welcome
Górecki: Lobgesang
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Harpsichord:- Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
Links to information regarding the composer:-
John
Tavener - 1.click
here 2. click
here
_______
Christmas Concert 2001
Saturday 8th December at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:- St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
Programme included:-
Britten: A Ceremony of Carols
Marcel Grandjany: Fantaisie sur un thème de J.
Haydn
(Harp solo)
Tavener: Song for Athene
Vivaldi: Credo
Carols for Choir and Audience
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Guest Harpist:-
Emma Ramsdale
Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
_______
Links to information regarding the composer:-
John
Tavener - 1.click
here 2. click
here
Links to information regarding the harpist:-
Emma
Ramsdale - 1. click here
________
Summer 2001
Tuesday 26th
June at 8.00 p.m.
As part of the Tillingham
Festival we performed the four part version of Pergolesi's Stabat
Mater.
Venue:-
St. Nicholas Church, Tillingham, Essex, UK
For
the location of St. Nicholas church click
here.
_______
Links to information regarding the composer:-
Giovanni
Battista Pergolesi - 1. click
here 2. click
here 3. click
here
________
9th
December 2000 at 7.45
p.m.
Venue:- St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
Programme:-
The
New-Born King
-
Gordon Jacob
A
Christmas Cantata for Baritone solo, mixed voices and piano
Interval
I
Sing of a Maiden
-
Lennox Berkeley
Missa
Brevis
-
Lennox Berkeley
Kyrie
– Gloria – Sanctus – Benedictus - Agnus Dei
Saraband
and Sleigh Ride
-
Leroy Anderson
for piano duet
Nativity
Carol
-
John Rutter
Good
King Wenceslas
- Piae
Cantiones
arr. Reginald Jacques
The
Shepherds’ Farewell
-
Hector Berlioz
Once
in Royal David’s City
-
H. J. Gauntlett
While
Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night
- Este’s Psalter
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Guest Soloist:-
Baritone - Benjamin Davies
Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
(See below for biography)
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
Links to information regarding the composers:-
Sir
Lennox Berkeley - 1. click
here 2. click
here 3. click
here
Gordon Jacob - 1. click
here 2. click here
3. click here
________
17th June 2000 at 7.45
p.m.
Venue:- St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
Programme included:-
Andrew Carter: Musick's Jubilee
Franz Joseph Haydn: Te Deum
Four hands one piano:-
Lennox Berkeley: Sonatina
Dvorak: Two Slavonic Dances
Bizet: Petit Mari, Petite Femme!...
Le Bal
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Guest Soloists:-
Soprano - Hilary Dolamore
Soprano - Meinir Wyn Thomas
Alto - Helen Foster Brookes
Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
Pianists:-
Eric Stephenson & Jeremy Plummer
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
Links to information regarding the composers:-
Sir
Lennox Berkeley - 1. click
here 2. click
here 3. click
here
Andrew Carter - 1. click
here 2. click
here
________
11th December 1999 at 7.45 p.m.
Venue:- St Mary's Church, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, UK
Programme included:-
J. S. Bach: Magnificat in D
A selection of Carols for Choir, Soloists and Audience
Choir:-
The Burnham Music Group
Guest Soloists:-
Soprano - Hilary Dolamore
Soprano - Saffron van Zwanenberg
Alto - Helen Foster Brookes
Tenor - Tom Raskin
Baritone - Nigel Brookes
Organist:-
Jeremy Plummer
Conductor:-
Eric Stephenson
________
SOLOISTS BIOGRAPHIES:-
BASS - JOHN BERNAYS:-
For
short biography click
here.
________
OUR PREVIOUS CONDUCTOR AND MUSICAL DIRECTOR
:-
Eric
Stephenson:
After 14 years with the BMG Eric decided to lay down his baton in August
2006 and retire from the BMG . He will be missed by us all and we wish him a
long and happy retirement. Eric Stephenson
studied at The Royal Academy of Music. His career since then has been devoted to developing musical
awareness and interest of young people from all walks of life and in teaching
while maintaining his performance work in piano. He was a pioneer in the sixties when his post at Kingsdale
School in Dulwich enabled him to bring to over 2,000 boys and girls a
wide-ranging experience in all choral and instrumental music. The school became famous for its achievements in musical
education and performance and for the opportunities given to every pupil and not
simply the obviously talented.
He then became the
first Music Adviser for Warwickshire initiating learning opportunities county
wide and then was appointed to the London Borough of Hillingdon where twenty
years were spent in developing tuition in every orchestral instrument for
children aged five and upwards with free lessons as of right provided by the
Authority.
Since leaving
Hillingdon, Eric spends most of his time practising, teaching and directing the
Burnham Music Group. He was elected
ARAM for his services to music.
PREVIOUS ORGANIST:-
Jeremy Plummer
was Organ Scholar at Brasenose College, Oxford, between 1967 and
1970, studying during this period
with John Webster and James Dalton. After a period as assistant organist at All
Saints, High Wycombe, with Alastair Ross, he was organist and choirmaster of a
number of churches in West London,
and Musical Director of "The Nave"
in Uxbridge. He now works as organist and teacher in Berkshire as well as
leading Musical Retreats and Training Days in Church Music.
Jeremy has a wide experience as a choir trainer and as an accompanist on
piano, organ and harpsichord. Since taking a post-graduate degree in Music
Education at Reading University in 1990, he has had a developing interest in the
way in which meeting music changes people, particularly in the context of
Christian worship. This has led to a series of workshops in Music and Worship,
Music and Prayer and Music and Healing.
His particular interests in organ music are the music of J S Bach - so much
so that he has done a "sponsored play" of the complete works - and
twentieth century organ music, Hindesmith and Kenneth Leighton being favourites.
Jeremy is currently Director of Music at the Victoria Hall in Bolton and
Training Officer for the Methodist Church Music Society. He accompanies
professional singers and has done consultancy work with schools for GCSE and A
Level Music as well as leading an Evening Class entitled "Singing for the
Terrified" and directing a Methodist Circuit Choir. He is now studying for
an MA in Music and Liturgy at Leeds University.
Jeremy performed regularly with the Burnham Music Group
and has worked with Eric Stephenson over a number of years.
Photographs © David Hucklesby
Material
Copyright © Burnham Music Group 1999-2012
Site maintained by David Hucklesby
