Details of Forthcoming Concerts

60TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR

The Society was formed in 1948 and so 2008 is going to be a year of celebration. A number of events are planned including a special concert on 8th March, the Spring Concert on 24th May which is to feature Carmina Burana by Carl Orff and the Christmas Concerts on 19th and 20th December that will include a commissioned work written specially for the Society in its 60th year.  

24th May 2008 - 60th Anniversary Concert kindly spopnsored by Deutsche Bank, Guernsey  

In celebration of 60 years, the Guernsey Choral and Orchestral Society performs the vibrant and well known choral work ‘Carmina Burana’. For those old enough to remember, the opening and closing chorus ‘O Fortuna’ will be very familiar as it was used for many years in the well known ‘Old Spice’ aftershave advertisement. The choir will be joined by international soloists as well as the children from the Music Centre Intermediate Choir trained by Christine Anthony. With five kettledrums and an array of percussion and brass, the orchestral and choral forces are huge so space is limited. Get your tickets early to avoid disappointment!

 SOLOISTS FOR CARMINA BURANA

  Helen Parker

Helen Parker is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music where with a scholarship she studied under Patricia Clark. Her subsequent work as a soprano soloist has included Alphise in Rameau's Les Boréades with Sir Simon Rattle at the Salzburg Festival, first lady in Mozart's Magic Flute with Richard Hickox, various performances with Philip Pickett and the New London Consort including Purcell Odes both in Rome and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, Bach's B Minor Mass in London, Spain, Italy and New Zealand, a medieval Carmina Burana at the Deutsche Oper, Berlin and her Queen Elizabeth Hall début as Ingrate in Monteverdi's Combattimento. Furthermore, Helen has appeared with the City of London Sinfonia, the Scholars Baroque Ensemble, the Northern Sinfonia, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and on BBC Radio 3 as Iris in Eccles' Semele with Richard Hickox.

 

 

William Purefoy

 

A graduate of Magdalen College Oxford, William attended the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and studies with David Pollard. He has appeared with the English Concert, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, City of London Sinfonia, New London Consort, Hanover Band, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Musicians of the Globe, Le Concert d'Astrée, BBC Concert Orchestra and the vocal ensembles Cantabile and I Fagiolini.

 

William has made many recordings including Ode for Saint Cecilia's Day and David's Lamentation Over Saul and Jonathan (Boyce, Hanover Band) ASV Gaudeamus, Rosey Blood (Terror and Magnificence John Harle) Decca Argo and was featured in the BBC documentary In Search of Shakespeare.

 

Matthew Brook

Matthew Brook has appeared as a soloist throughout Europe, Australia, South Africa and the Far East. He has worked with Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Richard Hickox, Sir Charles Mackerras, Harry Christophers, Christophe Rousset and Paul McCreesh, and many orchestras and groups including the Philharmonia, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, St Petersburg Philharmonic, Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the English Baroque Soloists, the City of London Sinfonia, Collegium Vocale Gent, the Gabrieli Consort, the Sixteen, and Orchestra Nationale de Lille. As a soloist and former member of I Fagiolini he has performed at many of Europe’s top festivals, including Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Utrecht, the BBC Proms, Ambronay, La Chaise Dieu, Innsbruck and the Bermuda Festival. He has appeared regularly at the Three Choirs Festival, often singing newly commissioned works, most recently by Frances Grier and Anthony Powers.

19th & 20th December 2008 - Christmas Concerts

The ever popular musical highlight of the lead up to Christmas and the final concert of our 60th anniversay year will feature a specially commissioned work by local composer Chris Claxton.