11:38am Monday 25th January 2010
SOUTHAMPTON Philharmonic Choir has its 150th anniversary in 2010 and is celebrating with a year-long programme of special concerts. The choir was founded in 1860, making it Southampton's longest-established music society, and it has been a constant part of the city’s cultural life ever since.
Members now sing with the Southampton University Phil student choir and performing with top-class soloists and a professional orchestra – the New London Sinfonia – led by musical director David Gibson. The choir’s 150th anniversary concert is on April 24 at Southampton Guildhall, its main venue since 1937. The main work will be Mozart’s ever-popular Requiem. The concert will also include Dominic Muldowney’s oratorio The Fall of Jerusalem, with words by poet and writer James Fenton.
Muldowney was born and educated in Southampton, and has composed songs for David Bowie and Sting, and themes for film and TV, as well as concert works.
On July 3, the choir are off to The Anvil in Basingstoke for a joint concert with Basingstoke Choral Society. The programme includes Ravel’s Bolero and Daphnis et Chloe, and Villa-Lobos’ Choros 10, a stunningly rhythmic piece featured in the 2009 Last Night of the Proms.
The celebrations continue on November 27 with a concert that includes Grieg’s complete incidental music for Peer Gynt.
This concert is at Southampton Guildhall and will mark David Gibson’s 20th anniversary as musical director of the choir.
Tickets: 023 8063 2601.
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