Buxton Musical Society — 76th Season
After a very successful 75th Anniversary Season last year, the Society was looking forward to the next quarter century with a mixture of choral classics and an innovative project. We commenced the season with Haydn's last oratorio — The Seasons, and at Christmas were joined by Donald Maxwell and the choir of Fairfield Endowed C of E Junior School to perform Christmas favourites including Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.
In March, in common with arts organsations throughout the world, our schedule was thrown into disarray by the arrival of the Covid19 pandemic. We ceased our preparations for Mendelssohn's Elijah and planned for a performance in 2021 instead. The remainder of the 2019-20 Season was also abandoned.
The planned Singing Day event of this season will be postponed until the recommencement of the Buxton International Festival in 2021 where we hope to invite festival goers and other keen singers to prepare and perform Haydn's Creation in a day. The evening performance will be accompanied by full orchestra and soloists from the Festival company.
We are keeping the situation under review and are making tentative plans for a resumption of music-making at the beginning of 2021.
We hope all our performers and audiences can stay safe through this episode and we look forward to sharing musical performance with you before too long.
Sunday 24 November 2019 – 7.30pm
Haydn
The Seasons
Written towards the end of his life and after a two-year gestation, Haydn’s third oratorio is replete with the mastery that he developed during his long composing career. The Society last performed the work in 2007 and is delighted to be joined by three outstanding soloists who are no strangers to Buxton
Robyn Allegra Parton – soprano
Bradley Smith – tenor
Benjamin Bevan – bass
Sunday 15 December 2019 – 7.00pm
A Celebration of Christmas Music
Prokofiev — Peter and the Wolf
Once again, we explore the rich seam of Christmas music in many different forms and styles. The audience will be asked to contribute to well-known Christmas carols whilst sitting back and enjoying the contributions of the orchestra and choirs in many Christmas favourites, featuring a performance of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf
Choir of Fairfield Endowed
C of E Junior School
Donald Maxwell – narrator
Sunday 5 April 2020 – 7.30pm
Postponed
Mendelssohn — Elijah
This milestone in the choral repertoire has never fallen in popularity since its first performance at the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival in 1846. Although it pays homage to the works of Bach and Handel in its form, the dramatic inclusion of a contest of the Gods, the resurrection of a dead youth and the invocation of rain to a parched Israel ensures a gripping performance throughout.
Philip Smith – baritone (Elijah)
Susanna Spicer – mezzo-soprano
Andrew Mackenzie Wicks – tenor
Thursday 7 May 2020 – 7.30pm
Postponed
Society Annual Dinner
Members and friends of the Society are invited to join us for a semi-formal meal followed by speeches and entertainment to celebrate another year in the history of our Society.
Sunday 14 June 2020 – 7.30pm
Cancelled
Concerto!
Once again, we will be joined by a soloist from Chetham's School of Music to perform a concerto showing the best of young musical talent, with full supporting choral and orchestral programme. Details will be posted here when the School’s concert schedule is finalised.
Sunday 12 July 2020 – 11.00am
Cancelled
Festival Mass
Beethoven — Mass in C
In the 250th anniversary of his birth, we perform Beethoven’s first mass as part of the Buxton International Festival. Chorus and Orchestra join the congregation at St John’s Church as they celebrate Eucharist with soloists from the Buxton International Festival company.
(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.)
Saturday 18 July 2020 – 9.30 onwards
Postponed
Sing it in a day
Haydn — Creation
Singers are invited to take part in Buxton International Festival by joining Buxton Musical Society and Orchestra in a performance of Haydn’s Creation. The work will be rehearsed during the day for an evening performance in St John’s Church with full orchestra and soloists. Applications will be prioritised to ensure a balanced choir.
All performances take place in St John’s Church, Buxton
Apart from the Sing it in a Day, Tickets: £15.00 available from:
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)