EX CATHEDRA 2019-20 excathedra.co.uk 50 YEARS OF INSPIRING SINGING scintillatingly sung … pure enchantment The Church Times Choir | Consort | Orchestra | Education Artistic Director & Conductor Jeffrey Skidmore At Ex Cathedra (registered charity no. 1004086) John Feeney Charitable Trust we believe in the power of singing to change Leche Trust lives. We would like to thank the supporters Leverhulme Trust Oak Foundation who make our concerts, schools, hospital and Patrick Trust community projects possible. The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation The Radcliffe Trust PUBLIC FUNDERS Richard Cadbury Charitable Trust Roger & Douglas Turner Charitable Trust Roughley Trust S & D Lloyd Charity Saintbury Trust Schroder Charity Trust CORPORATE PARTNERS Sheldon Trust Sir Jules Thorne Charitable Trust Principal Education Sponsor Souter Charitable Trust www.sandvik.com Steel Charitable Trust WED Charitable Trust Westfield Health Charitable Trust Handelsbanken William A Cadbury Charitable Trust AFH Group HOST OF ANGELS Bromsgrove School Thank you to all the individuals who have made and Kings High Warwick continue to make donations for their generous support. Lloyds TSB Erdington Branch NFU Mutual Quintessa OTHER PARTNERS Plough and Harrow Hotel TRUSTS & FOUNDATIONS Ex Cathedra is an Associate Alfred Haines Charitable Trust Artist at Town Hall Austin & Hope Pilkington Trust Barnard Chapter Rose Croix, No. 190 Baron Davenport’s Charity Bernard Piggott Charitable Trust BHSF Medical Charity & Welfare Trust Birmingham Bodenham Trust Birmingham District Nursing Charitable Trust Birmingham Women’s & Children’s Hospital Charity CB & HH Taylor 1984 Trust Cook & Wolstenholme Charitable Trust DMF Ellis Charitable Trust D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Dumbreck Charity Edward Cadbury Trust Edward & Dorothy Cadbury Trust Edward Gostling Foundation Ex Cathedra Ltd, Elmley Foundation CBSO Centre, Berkley Street, Eranda Rothschild Foundation Birmingham B1 2LF Eveson Charitable Trust T: 0121 616 3410 Fenton Arts Trust E: [email protected] Fidelio Charitable Trust www.excathedra.co.uk Froebel Trust www.facebook.com/excathedra Garrick Charitable Trust @excathedrachoir George Fentham Birmingham Charity George Perkins Charitable Trust Ex Cathedra is a company limited by guarantee (no. 2396173) and GJW Turner Trust a registered charity (no. 1004086). GMC Trust Brochure design by Astwood. Brochure printed by Warwick Printing Grantham Yorke Trust on Forest Stewardship Council approved paper using vegetable Grimmitt Trust based inks. Helen Rachael Mackaness Charitable Trust The information in this brochure was correct at the time of going Idlewild Trust to press. Ex Cathedra reserves the right to change programmes and artists if necessary; in this eventuality tickets cannot be exchanged Jessie’s Fund nor money refunded. Ticket prices may vary; customers will have to John Ellerman Foundation pay the prevailing price at the time of booking. From the heart ... Beethoven’s powerfully poignant message Research is an important part of at the head of his most monumental and Ex Cathedra’s success and continuing work challenging work - Missa Solemnis - is an with PhD students will come to fruition at the ideal starting point to announce 19th Biennial International Conference on Ex Cathedra’s 50th anniversary season. Baroque Music which will be hosted by Royal It is one of four choral masterpieces - All Birmingham Conservatoire in July 2020. night vigil (Rachmaninoff), Mass in B Minor Ex Cathedra’s Academy and Scholars will work (JS Bach), Missa Solemnis (Beethoven) and with Fretwork on Verse Anthems edited by Bill the St John Passion (JS Bach) - which serve Hunt. I am returning to Bolivia in April to seek as a backbone to this golden year. They are out more treasures of the New World! treasures of the repertoire with universal The Ex Cathedra legacy of new music is also a appeal which we have performed many crucial part of our work and our commissions times to great acclaim. The essential qualities and recordings have made a substantial of Ex Cathedra - passion, precision, technical contribution to the development of the skill, stylistic awareness, love for what we do art form. As ever, new works will feature - will ensure special performances. To inspire prominently in our two popular solstice singing beyond concerts, each programme programmes - Christmas Music by Candlelight will be linked to participatory workshops and Summer Music by Candlelight - whilst and talks for schools, universities, community maintaining a successful mixture of tradition choirs and our Academy of Vocal Music. We and much loved favourites. want to share our love for this extraordinary music and expand yet further our growing From Ex Cathedra with love audiences. We welcome back three internationally- renowned singers who sang with us at the beginning of their careers - Roderick Williams, Carolyn Sampson and Andrew Tortoise. They will be joined by our highly regarded team of regular singers and our graduate and student scholars - an effective scheme for young singers with a rapidly growing reputation. The scheme for Associate Conductors is also gathering momentum. 2 Rachmaninoff EX CATHEDRA Sunday 27 October, 4pm Jeffrey Skidmore conductor Town Hall, Birmingham £43 / £33 / £23 / £13 Martha McLorinan mezzo soprano (incl. per ticket commission) Jeremy Budd tenor 0121 780 3333 Radiant, reflective and deeply moving, See p12 for ways to save Rachmaninoff’s ‘Vespers’ is a heartfelt up to 30% and the per response to a deep-rooted and personal faith. ticket commission. Rachmaninoff loved the work so much that he requested one movement be sung at his Other dates: funeral. We love it so much that it just has to Monday 29 July be part of our 50th anniversary season! Gloucester Cathedral, Three Choirs Festival the stuff that legends are made of Birmingham Post 3 Book online at www.excathedra.co.uk Bach EX CATHEDRA Choir & Baroque Orchestra Sunday 1 December, 4pm Jeffrey Skidmore conductor Town Hall, Birmingham £43 / £33 / £23 / £13 Elizabeth Adams, Katie Trethewey, (incl. per ticket commission) Amy Wood soprano 0121 780 3333 Martha McLorinan alto Paul Bentley-Angell, James Robinson tenor See p12 for ways to save Greg Skidmore, Lawrence White bass up to 30% and the per ticket commission. Bach’s Mass in B Minor is one of the great masterpieces of all time and his supreme skill is evident from the powerful opening cry for mercy – Kyrie – to the heartrending plea of the concluding Agnus Dei. The awe-inspiring Sanctus, ablaze with trumpets and drums, was first conducted by Bach for his Leipzig Christmas service in 1724. The culmination of a lifetime of work, and completed shortly before his death, Bach never heard his Mass performed as a complete work – you won’t want to miss it! Early booking is recommended. This concert will end at approximate 6.30pm. Book online at www.excathedra.co.uk 4 Christmas Music by EX CATHEDRA Wednesday 4 December, 7.30pm Jeffrey Skidmore conductor Hereford Cathedral 1 £33 / £25 / £13 Rupert Jeffcoat, Alexander Mason organ (incl. per ticket commission) 0121 780 3333 | 01432 340 555 In the deep, still darkness, only candles pierce Saturday 7 December, 7.30pm the winter gloom. And then, upon the silence, St Peter’s Church, Wolverhampton 1 comes the luminous sound of a choir in £33 / £25 / £13 harmony. With a sequence of Christmas music (incl. per ticket commission) old and new, and readings to make you smile 0121 780 3333 and reflect, our popular Christmas concerts Thursday 12 December, 7.30pm are a uniquely magical way to begin your festive season. St John’s Smith Square, London £40 / £32 / £25 / £15 2 Early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. 020 7222 1061 These concerts will end at approximately 10pm. You are welcome to bring a cushion for your comfort. Friday 13 December, 7.30pm St James the Greater, Leicester 1 £30 / £25 / £15 0116 254 2111 Love these concerts? - try Monday 16 December, 7.30pm Summer Music by Coventry Cathedral 1 Candlelight £33 / £25 / £13 (incl. per ticket commission) 0121 780 3333 Wed 18, Thu 19, Fri 20, Sat 21 & Mon 23 December, 7.30pm St Paul’s Church, Birmingham £45 / £35 / £25 / £13 (incl. per ticket commission) 0121 780 3333 See p12 for ways to save up to 30% and the per ticket commission. 1 This concert will be performed, unaccompanied, by our Consort of 10 singers. 2 Plus a booking fee of £2.75 by phone, £1.75 online. Booking opens on 8 July. 5 Book online at www.excathedra.co.uk Christmas Music by Candlelight - family concert EX CATHEDRA Saturday 21 December, 4pm EX CATHEDRA Academy of Vocal Music St Paul’s Church, Birmingham Jeffrey Skidmore conductor £13 (adults) / £5 (under 16s) 0121 780 3333 Alexander Mason organ Particularly recommended for We invite the whole family to share children aged 4-11, but all ages the magic of our Christmas Music by are welcome. Candlelight concerts. With contributions from our youth training choirs, this hour- long concert brings a selection of seasonal favourites and inspiring choral music from our evening concerts, specially curated for younger audiences. Come dressed as an angel, star or king. Book online at www.excathedra.co.uk 6 Beethoven EX CATHEDRA Sunday 26 January, 4pm CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Symphony Hall Jeffrey Skidmore conductor £52 / £42 / £32 / £22 / £13 (incl. per ticket commission) Carolyn Sampson soprano 0121 780 3333 Sophie Rennert mezzo soprano This concert can be booked as part of an Andrew Tortise tenor Ex Cathedra Concert Package and a CBSO Roderick Williams bass Concert Package; discounts may vary. Beethoven devoted four years to his See p12 for ways to save monumental Missa Solemnis. Passionate, up to 30% and the per humble, majestic and intense, nothing he ticket commission. composed surpasses it for scale, sincerity or sheer vision. How wonderful, in our 50th year to join forces with the CBSO as they celebrate their Centenary, and an outstanding team of soloists to mark Beethoven’s 250th birthday and realise his wish – written on the first page of the score – that this music should come ‘from the heart that it may go to the heart’.