Recent Choir Concerts and Reviews
BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship
Clare Chapel
Sunday 22 January 2012, 8.10am
A live broadcast of music and prayers from the Chapel of Clare College, Cambridge.
Music to include:
Ave Maria (plainchant)
Ave Maria - Anton Bruckner
Regina Caeli (plainchant)
Bogoroditse Dyevo - Sergei Rachmaninoff
Ramirez - La Anunciacion
This service is a live broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Please be seated in Chapel by 7.50am.
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Christmas Tour to the Netherlands
Tuesday 20 December to Saturday 24 December
Tuesday 20th December, 7.30pm
Sint Jacobskerk, Vlissingen
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Wednesday 21st December, 8pm
Buitenkerk, Kampen
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Friday 23rd December, 8pm
Stevenskerk, Nijmegen
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The Choir of Clare College Cambridge
Graham Ross Director
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Belshazzar's Feast
Thursday 15th December, 7.30pm
Royal Festival Hall
Walton Balshazzar's Feast
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge
The Choir of Caius College, Cambridge
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
The Choir of Jesus College, Cambridge
The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge
Andrew Nethsingha Conductor
'With the Philarmonia providing an explosive and deft accompaniment under Nethsingha's baton, and the highly trained young voices of Caius, Clare, Jesus, Trinity, and St. John's too, this was a superb performance: drilled to near perfection, with vigorous, detailed attention to dynamics and text.' The Guardian
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Music for Advent
Saturday 3 December, 7.30pm
St John's Smith Square, London
Veni, veni Emmanuel: A concert centred around the Great Advent 'O' Antiphons
Programme to include:
Byrd Vigilate; Ecce virgo concipiet
Roderick Williams O Adonai et Dux Domus Israel
Elizabeth Poston Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
Howells A Spotless Rose
Charles Wood O thou the central orb
Mendelssohn When Jesus our Lord / Say, where is He born
Rutter Hymn to the Creator of Light
Peter Warlock Bethlehem Down
Handel For unto us a child is born
Graham Ross I sing of a maiden
John Gardner Tomorrow shall be my dancing day
Giles Swayne Magnificat I
The Choir of Clare College Cambridge
Graham Ross director | Nicolas Haigh organ | Peter Harrison organ
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Music for Advent
Friday 2 December, 7.30pm
Dingley Hall
The Choir of Clare College Cambridge
Graham Ross Director
'Technically precise and musically brilliant, this was a sublime performance. Twenty-six students, soloists and organist, proved deserving of their worldwide acclaim. Masters of their art, this was magical, in an equally stunning location.' The Leicester Mercury
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Belshazzar's Feast
Friday 18 November, 7.30pm
Royal Festival Hall
Walton Balshazzar's Feast
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge
The Choir of Caius College, Cambridge
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
The Choir of Jesus College, Cambridge
The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge
Andrew Nethsingha Conductor
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Live Broadcast of Choral Evensong on BBC Radio 3
Wednesday 21 September, 3.30pm
St Matthew's Northampton
Leighton: Let all the world
Leighton Preces and Responses
Walton Chichester Service
Britten Rejoice in the Lamb
The Choir of Clare College Cambridge
Graham Ross Director
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Tour to Bordeaux
Friday 24 June - Wednesday 29 June
In association with Orpheus and Bacchus
A series of concerts and recitals across the Bordeaux area:
'Clare Choir were wonderful in Saint Emilion. I took my father (Barry Brown 1956) and some friends, it was a searingly hot evening but soothingly cool inside the old Eglise Collegiale. They put on an ambitious programme effortlessly – just beautiful.' Clare Tooley (1989, nee Brown) former Clare Choral Scholar
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Elgar The Dream of Gerontius
Saturday 21 March 2011
Royal Festival Hall, London
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge (semi-chorus)
London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra
Edward Gardner conductor
'This was one of the occasions when that chemistry was exactly right – as good as any live account of the work I've heard in years. The singing of the London Philharmonic Chorus, with the Choir of Clare College Cambridge forming the semi-chorus, was full-blooded and intense, the playing of the London Philharmonic Orchestra utterly secure.' 5 Stars, The Guardian
'As for the London Philharmonic Choir, reinforced in the centre by the raspberry-robed choir of Clare College, Cambridge, their clear, fervent sounds were always the instruments of bliss.' 4 Stars, The Times
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USA TOUR
7th-27th September 2010
Clare Choir embarked on its eighth tour to the United States. The three-week, seven-State was the last under the baton of Tim Brown after 31 incredible years.
Repertoire included works written for the choir by Giles Swayne, Christopher Brown and Robin Holloway. Other highlights included Vaughan Williams Mass in G minor, Christopher Tye Missa Euge bone, Howells Take him, earth, for cherishing and Volker Wangenheim Surge, illuminare, Ierusalem.
"Lovers of choral music were given a treasurable lesson in sublime ensemble singing by the visiting Choir of Clare College, Cambridge." The Daily Page
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A concert of French music, with Clare College Choir and the acclaimed Schubert Ensemble.
Saturday 12th June, 19:30
Kings Place, London
Lekeu Piano Quartet
Fauré Cantique de Jean Racine Op.11
Franck Panis Angelicus
Saint-Saëns Deux Choeurs Op.68
Debussy Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orléans
Fauré Madrigal Op.35
Franck Piano Quintet (1878-79)
A review of this fabulous concert is available here.
"If you ever needed confirmation of the fantastically high stand of choral singing that exists in the UK, look, or rather hear, no further than the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge." Classical Source
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ISRAEL TOUR
Tuesday 22nd - Thursday 31st December 2009
JS Bach Christmas Oratorio
Ye'ela Avital soprano
David Feldman countertenor
Simon Wall tenor
Jonathan Sells baritone
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
The Israel Camerata
Timothy Brown director
Tel Aviv Museum of Art - 25th-27th December
Rappaport Auditorium, Haifa - 28th December
Henry Crown Symphony Hall, Jerusalem - 29th December
Peforming Arts Center, Karmiel - 30th December
Clare Choir performed 6 sold-out concerts of Christmas Oratorio across Israel, with the Israel Camerata and Tim Brown.
"[The choir's] singing of the choruses was fresh, exacting, fired with energy, well punctuated and articulate; Brown’s attention to text, dynamics, diction, language pronunciation and phrase-endings is reflected in the enthralling performance of this choir." The Jerusalem Post
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The Christmas Story
Wednesday 16th December, 19:30
St John's, Smith Square Christmas Festival
Under the baton of Clare alumnus and noted interpreter of Heinrich Schütz, Sir Roger Norrington, Clare College Choir performed the luscious double-choir Magnificat and evocative Christmas Story. This was complemented by performances of newly-commissioned carols by Giles Swayne (Clare composer-in-residence), Tarik O'Regan and John Rutter, directed by Tim Brown. The concert was well-received by a packed audience at St John', Smith Square.
Schütz Deutsches Magnificat *
Buxtehude Jesu meine Freude
Jennifer Ashworth, Maud Millar soprano
Christopher Webb bass
Swayne O Mysteria (new commission)
arr. C. Brown Stille Nacht
Rutter The King of Blis (new commission)
arr. T. Brown King Jesus hath a garden
O'Regan The Great Silence (new commission)
Cressida Sharp soprano
Schütz Weihnachtshistorie (The Christmas Story) *
Eleanor Caine Angel
Mark Dobell Evangelist
Nicholas Mogg Herod
The Schütz Ensemble (Margaret Faultless leader)
Ashok Gupta organ
The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Timothy Brown director
* Sir Roger Norrington director
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USA TOUR: Friday 4th - Thursday 10th December 2009
5th December - Cambridge 800 Gala
The Choir of Clare College was fortunate enough to perform at the exclusive Cambridge 800 Gala in Gotham Hall, Broadway, New York, in the presence of the Vice-Chancellor and many famous and notable alumni.
Further information and images of this extraordinary evening can be found here. Videos of the choir's performance, plus other highlights of the night, can be found here.
7th December - Christ Church, Greenwich, CT
A concert of Advent music
The choir performed an concert of Advent music at Christ Church, Greenwich, now home to former Clare organ scholar, Simon Thomas Jacobs.
The programme included new works by Giles Swayne, Tarik O'Regan and John Rutter, as well as first-year music undergraduate Thomas Neal's submission to the Clare Advent carol competition, Veni redemptor gentium.
8th December - Grace Church, Newark, NJ
A service of words and music for Advent
The choir sang a beautiful service for Advent, with music including Weelkes Hosanna to the Son of David and Britten A Hymn of St Columba.
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Cambridge Music Festival - 800th Anniversary concert
Friday 13th November 2009, 20:00
Trinity College Chapel
The Choirs of Clare and Trinity Colleges combined with the instrumentalists of Collegium Musicum, the University's period instrument orchestra, to perform a one-off concert for the Cambridge Music Festival. The concert was part of a series of events in celebration of the 800th anniversary of Cambridge University.
As well as works by Purcell and Handel, the choirs performed A Five-Gated Well, a newly-commissioned work by Christopher Brown, setting poems by former Dean of Clare, Archbishop of Canterbury Revd Dr Rowan Williams. Both composer and librettist were present.
Purcell Jehova quam multi sunt hostes mei
Stefan Kennedy tenor
Christopher Webb bass
Tippett Lament from Divertimento on 'Sellinger's Round'
C. Brown A Five-Gated Well (world première)
Handel Ode on St Cecilia's Day
Maud Millar, Christina Sampson, Cressida Sharp
Margaret Walker soprano
Samuel Furness tenor
The Choirs of Clare and Trinity Colleges, Cambridge
Collegium Musicum (Margaret Faultless leader)
Timothy Brown director
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BBC Radio 3 'In Tune' "Purcell Special", live with a studio audience
Thursday 10th September 2009, 17:00
BBC Radio Theatre
Motets and verse anthems; 'Lament' and final chorus from Dido and Aeneas
Members of The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Instrumentalists from The Academy of Ancient Music
(director: Richard Egarr, Cl. Organ Scholar 1980s)
Sarah Connolly mezzo-soprano
Timothy Brown director
Interviews with Tim Brown and Richard Egarr
Further information on 'In Tune' can be found here.
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Cambridge Summer Music Festival
Sunday 2 August 2009, 20:00
In the presence of Sir John Tavener and a full house, the Choir of Clare College Cambridge performed Ex Maria Virgine by Sir John Tavener and Faure's Requiem.
Timothy Brown conductor
Eleanor Cramer soprano
Stefan Berkieta baritone
Simon Thomas Jacobs organ
Church of Our Lady and English Martyrs, Cambridge
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Northern Germany Tour 24th July - 1st August 2009
Friday 24 July 2009, 20:00
St Nikolai, Kiel
Sunday 26 July 2009, 10:00
Morning Service,
Hauptkirche St Trinitatis, Altona, Hamburg
Monday 27 July 2009, 12:00
Lunchtime Recital
St. Marien, Rostock
Tuesday 28 July 2009, 19:30
St. Georgeskirche, Waren (Müritz)
Wednesday 29 July 2009, 19:30
Neubrandenburg
Thursday 30 July 2009, 13:00
Service and Concert
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedachtnis-Kirche, Berlin
Thursday 30 July 2009, 20:00
Concert
St Matthias, Schoneberg, Berlin
Friday 31 July 2009, 20:00
Concert
St Matthaus, Stiftung, Berlin
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BBC Proms Concert: Prom 8: 800th Anniversary of Cambridge University
Wednesday 22 July 2009, 20:00
The Choir of Clare College Cambridge performed alongside King's, Johns' Trinity, Caius and combined choirs from the Cambridge Colleges, under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis and with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, in the fastest-selling Prom concert of the season.
Vaughan Williams The Wasps - Overture
Ryan Wigglesworth The Genesis of Secrecy
BBC commission: world premiere
Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs
Stanford Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in A major
Jonathan Harvey Come, Holy Ghost*
Judith Weir Ascending into Heaven†
Saint-Saëns Symphony No.3, 'Organ'
Simon Keenlyside baritone
Thomas Trotter organ
Choirs of King's and St John's colleges
Choirs of Clare, Gonville and Caius, and Trinity colleges
Choirs from combined Cambridge colleges
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Sir Andrew Davis conductor
Stephen Cleobury† conductor
Andrew Nethsingha* conductor
Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2009
" ...exemplary choral clarity made even Stanford’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in A sound thrilling.... starred firsts all round for the performers..."
Review in The Times by Richard Morrison, Friday 24th July 2009
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Faure Requiem
Friday 1 May 2009, 19:30
Timothy Brown conductor
Raphaela Papadakis soprano
Jonathan Sells baritone
Simon Thomas Jacobs organ
The Schubert Ensemble
The Schubert Ensemble joined with the choir of Clare College, Cambridge, conducted by Tim Brown, for a performance of Fauré's original chamber version of his Requiem, together with Schubert's extraordinary Gesang der Geister über den Wassern for male voices and lower strings. Also in the programme was Fauré's dark and dramatic Second Violin Sonata.
King's Place Concert Hall, London
"...the Clare College Choir and soloist Raphaela Papadakis sang with great beauty..."
"...Timothy Brown's pacey direction illuminated the Requiem's often neglected dramatic dimensions rather than its more characteristic intimacy..."
Review in The Guardian by Martin Kettle, Wednesday 6 May 2009.
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J.S. Bach - St. Matthew Passion
Tuesday 7 April 2009, 18:30
Manchester Camerata
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
The Choristers of Manchester Cathedral
Nicholas Kraemer conductor
soloists: Elizabeth Weisberg
Clare Wilkinson
Mark Le Broq
James Gilchrist
Stephan Loges
Matthew Hargreaves
Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Sunday 15 March 2009, 19:00
The Choir of Clare College performed an outstanding J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion to a completely sold out audience in Trinity College Chapel - an all round success and highlight of the year.
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Clare Baroque
Timothy Brown conductor
Margaret Faultless leader
Simon Wall Evangelist
Edward Ballard Christus
Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge
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The London Premiere of Ex Maria Virgine
Wednesday 21 January 2009, 19:30
The London Premiere of Ex Maria Virgine, a new comission by John Tavener for the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, in a concert of advent music.
Ex Maria Virgine by Sir John Tavener was commissioned by Clare College Choir, and is a very exciting new work, in which the composer explores many new and stimulating ideas. The choir has responded to the work with great enthusiasm, dazzling spirit and energy, which is summed up in their masterful performance of it. Ex Maria Virgine was warmly received by the BBC's In Tune programme on Friday, 28 November, on which the choir sang live.
Reviews of Naxos recording (8 572168): ‘Tavener remains, with Ex Maria Virgine, the choral composer of note. It is encouraging to realize that music this fine continues to be composed’…. [Ex Maria Virgine] ‘is destined to become part of the Christmas scene.’ ‘Timothy Brown, his soloists and his choir are ever alert and sympathetic to the moods of the music.’ ‘Clare Choir is outstanding throughout with a remarkable security of attack and precise intonation in chord sequences that are sometimes repetitive but never obvious.’
Programme also included:
Howells - Magnificat - Collegium Regale Service
Anon -There is no Rose
Parsons - Ave Maria
Wood - Hail Blessed Virgin Mary
Berkeley - I sing of a maiden
Terry - I saw a fair maiden
Hadley - I sing of a maiden
Swayne - Magnificat II
Tavener - God Is With US
Timothy Brown conductor
Simon Thomas Jacobs organ
The Temple Church, London
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BBC's In Tune
Friday 16 January 2009, 18:10
Members of the Choir of Clare College Cambridge sang live on the BBC's In Tune, with members of Caius College Choir, celebrating the 800th Anniversary of the University of Cambridge and looking forward to an exciting London Concert in the Summer.
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BBC Radio 3 broadcast
Sunday 28 December 2008, 15:00
BBC Radio 3 broadcast of a Christmas service featuring John Tavener's Ex Maria Virgine, a Christmas Sequence.
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World Premiere
Friday 12 December 2008, 19:30
Sir John Tavener - Ex Maria Virgine, a Christmas Sequence.
Programme also included:
Howells - Magnificat - Collegium Regale Service
Anon -There is no Rose
Parsons - Ave Maria
Wood - Hail Blessed Virgin Mary
Berkeley - I sing of a maiden
Terry - I saw a fair maiden
Hadley - I sing of a maiden
Swayne - Magnificat II
Tavener - God Is With Us
Timothy Brown conductor
Simon Thomas Jacobs organ
St. John's College Chapel, Cambridge
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BBC's In Tune
Friday 28 November 2008, 17:00
Members of the Choir of Clare College Cambridge sang live on the BBC's In Tune in advance of the World Premiere of Sir John Tavener's Ex Maria Virgine, which they performed on Friday 12 December 2008.
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Triangle d'Orgue de Champagne & Festival Musique Sacrée
Saturday 27 September 2008, 20:30
Handel - Messiah
Académie Sainte-Cécile
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Philippe Couvert director
Catherine Greuillet soprano
Christophe Laporte counter-tenor
Bruno Boterf tenor
Bernard Arrieta bass
Notre-Dame de L'Épine
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Mozart - La clemenza di Tito
Saturday 26 July 2008, 19:00
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
Edward Gardner conductor
Barbican Hall, London
'The Clare College Cambridge Choir were enthusiastic and crisply drilled - a textbook rendition...'-Intermezzo (http://intermezzo.typepad.com)
' thrillingly fresh and feisty singing of the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge' -Hillary Finch, The Times
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Tour to Munich and Austria
Sunday 13 July 2008, 20:00
Munich Opera Festival
La Contenance Anglais
Highlighting the relationships between French and English composers from Dufay and Dunstable to Vaughan Williams, Messiaen, and Giles Swayne.
Ivor Bolton conductor
Herz-Jesu Kirche, Munich
Tuesday 15 July 2008, 19:30,
Concert in Berwang Church,
Berwang, Austria
Simon Thomas Jacobs, Ashok Gupta, and Graham Ross conductors
Wednesday 16 July 2008, 20:00,
English Choral Music a cappella in partnership with the Institut für Tiroler Musikforschung Innsbruck and the Universitätschor Innsbruck (Leitung Georg Weiß)
Simon Thomas Jacobs, Ashok Gupta, and Graham Ross conductors
Basilika des Stiftes Stams
Stams, Austria
Saturday 19 July 2008, 20:00
Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik
A programme of French and English choral music from the 15th to the 21st century.
Timothy Brown conductor
Hofkirche, Innsbruck, Austria
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London Bach Society - Diamond Jubilee Concert
14 November 2007
Joh. Michael Bach - Sei lieber Tag willkommen
Joh. Christoph Bach - Der Gerechte, ob er gleich
Joh. Ludwig Bach - Das ist meine Freude
Tavener - The Lamb
Timothy Brown conductor
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Evensong Broadcast for Remembrance Sunday - BBC Radio 3
11 November 2007
Bryan Kelly - For the Fallen
Tim Brown - Responses
W Denis Browne - Evening Service in A
Giles Swayne - The Dug-out
Graham Ross - Secret Music (premiere)
Schütz - Selig sind die Toten
Bach – Von Gott will ich nicht lassen
Timothy Brown conductor
Simon Thomas Jacob organ
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Encounters Early Music Weekend
16 September 2007
When Bach met Buxtehude
Choir of Clare College & Fretwork
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Buxtehude's Membra jesu nostri was 'so ravishingly sensuous... espescially in the throats of the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge under Timothy Brown... that most other composers would blush to be seen, let alone heard, in their company.-The Observer
'The aura of impressive technical training was evident in the choir’s solid performance of these works, and the soloists demonstrated a delicate tonal blend, some sensitive phrasing and a certain poise.' -Edward Lewis, www.classicalsource.com
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For further details on future performances or to enquire about booking the Choir of Clare College Cambridge, please contact Nicholas Mogg
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 333 206
Fax: +44 (0) 1223 333 219
Picture Caption: Clare College Choir on stage at the '800 Gala' in Gotham Hall, Broadway, New York City - Saturday 5th December 2009