A New Chapter
The 2026/2027 Season will be the first led by our new musical director Sam Hayes.
Sam is looking forward to building on the huge achievement of Michael Williams MBE after his 58 years in post. We look forward to revisiting some old repertoire and exploring some new during this season.
Sunday 1 November 2026 – 7.30pm
St John`s Church Buxton
Bookends: Mozart and Britten
As we mark fifty years since the death of Britain’s greatest twentieth century composer, we perform one of Benjamin Britten’s earliest works and also one composed by Arvo Pärt after his death.
In similar vein, the chorus will perform Mozart’s earliest known choral work and his incomplete Requiem which was the last work he composed.
Kyrie K.33 – WA Mozart
Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten (1976) – Arvo Pärt
Simple Symphony Op.4 – Benjamin Britten
Ave Verum Corpus K618 – WA Mozart
Requiem K626 – WA Mozart
Soloists to be announced
Chorus of Buxton Musical Society
Orchestra of Buxton Musical Society
Steven Wilkie – leader
Conducted by Sam Hayes
Sunday 6 December 2026 – 7.00pm
St John`s Church Buxton
A Christmas Journey – from Darkness to Light
Join us on our Christmas journey as we explore the season’s music in all shapes and forms. Buxton Musical Society Orchestra are joined by local violinist Ben Giliker to perform Winter from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons in the first half of the concert, as we listen to a variety of beautiful music inspired by the coldest and darkest time of the year.
But don’t worry! In the second half of the concert, as we celebrate Christmas and the lengthening of the days, we look at all the joyful music written for this season. We are joined by Peak District Music Centres’ Junior Choir who will cheer us all up with their jubilant singing and Ben Giliker will be back to play the delightful Spring from The Four Seasons.
Something for everyone to set us up for the celebrations ahead!
Ben Giliker – violin
Peak District Music Centres Junior Choir
Chorus of Buxton Musical Society
Orchestra of Buxton Musical Society
Conducted by SAM HAYES
Sunday 21March 2027 – 7.30pm
St John`s Church Buxton
Buxton Musical Society Concerto Prizewinner Concert
The Society has enjoyed the long and successful partnership with Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, established by former Musical Director Michael Williams, as we have invited their students to join our orchestra to perform a concerto each year. Thanks to the generosity of patron, former Chair and Secretary of long-standing, Ursula Birkett, we have now established a formal prize awarded each year at the Chetham’s Concerto Competition.
The inaugural prize was awarded to the oboist, Nathaniel Law in May 2026 and he will perform his chosen piece with us in this concert.
Chorus, orchestra and soloists will also join to perform Rossini’s Stabat Mater on this Palm Sunday concert.
Stabat Mater (1841) – G Rossini
Nathaniel Law – Oboe
Buxton Musical Society Chorus
Buxton Musical Society Orchestra
Soloists: tba
SAM HAYES – conductor
Saturday 5 June 2027 – 7.30pm
Midsummer Mendelssohn – Hymn of Praise
Mention the phrase Choral Symphony and most people will respond ‘Beethoven!’, particularly in this the bicentenary of his death, but we have instead chosen to perform Mendelssohn’s lesser known one. (I’m sure there will be many other occasions to listen to the Beethoven version this year!)
Mendelssohn’s Choral symphony ‘Hymn of Praise’ (Lobesgesang), was written 16 years after Beethoven’s and has a much enlarged choral component. Don’t miss this opportunity to listen to the romantic beauty of Mendelssohn’s writing in this seldom performed work.
The first half of the concert will comprise companion pieces of this time.
Hymn of Praise (Lobesgesang) – F Mendelssohn
CHORUS AND ORCHESTRA OF BUXTON MUSICAL SOCIETY
SAM HAYES – conductor
Saturday ?? June 2027 – 9.30 – 18.15
Beethoven Singing Workshop
Beethoven – Mass in C – with the option of singing the work in its true liturgical context at an International Festival!
Following last season’s successful Singing Workshop on Haydn’s Harmoniemesse, we offer the opportunity to study its successor piece at the Esterhazy Court – Beethoven’s Mass in C. With Haydn’s failing health, Beethoven saw his opportunity to take the place of his former tutor, Haydn. But Beethoven was never content to merely mimic the music of others. Would Prince Nikolaus approve of this upstart?
Join Musical Director, Sam Hayes, as he takes us through this sometimes revolutionary work, followed by a performance with orchestra and soloists at St John’s Church. There will also be an option to perform the work a few week’s later in its original liturgical setting by joining the chorus in the Buxton International Festival Mass on Sunday 18 July (see below).
Date and full details including application form to be announced shortly
Sunday 18 July 2027 – 11.00am
Festival Mass
Beethoven – Mass in C
The Society’s annual contribution to the Buxton Chorus and Orchestra join the congregation at St John’s Church as they celebrate Eucharist with soloists from the Buxton International Festival company. In the bicentenary of his death, we will perform Beethoven’s Mass in C.
(As this is a church service admission is free. There will be a retiring collection for musical expenses in addition to the normal church offertory.)
All performances take place in St John’s Church, Buxton
Tickets (unreserved) £20. Accompanied children and full-time students are admitted free.
Buxton Opera House Box Office: 0845 127 2190 or 01298 72190 or book online: buxtonoperahouse.org.uk
Tickets are also available from Society members and on the door before each concert in St John’s Church (limited availability)