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The Mid-Northumberland Chorus was formed in 1981 under the
baton of Audrey Stimpson who, sadly, died in the middle of our 1999 summer
concert season. Since then, Norma
Jewitt has become the Chorus’ regular Conductor.
Since its formation the chorus has regularly presented an
average of five concerts each year. Some of these are in churches around the
mid-Northumberland area, some have been in larger venues such as Cramlington,
Ashington and Hexham Leisure Centres, and also
in Newcastle Cathedral although these have usually been in
collaboration with other choral groups and orchestras. Major works in this category have
included Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast,
Orff’s Carmina Burana; Verdi Requiem and Haydn’s Creation. Other repertoire includes smaller scale cantatas, masses,
anthems, folk songs, spirituals and operatic choruses.
The choir, performing alone has in more recent years
presented Coleridge Taylor’s “Hiawatha’s
Wedding Feast”, Haydn’s St
Nicholas Mass, John Rutter’s Gloria,
and Andrew Carter’s Benedicite,
where we were joined by the Pongo’s Youth Choir. Two Millennium Concerts in May 2000 in
conjunction with Alnwick Choral Society included first performances of “With
The Ebb & The Flow”, a Cantata about the Venerable Bede, by local
Composer Derek Hobbs, and Puccini’s “Messe di Gloria” and were
conducted by Derek Hobbs. By Easter
2001 the Choir had some 90 members on the books and undertook on it’s own a
performance of Haydn’s Creation with organ accompaniment.
In late June/ early July 2001 the Choir went ‘on tour’ giving three
performances of Faure’s Requiem and Cantique de Jean Racine together with first performances of new
settings of Northumbrian Songs by Derek Hobbs.
In December 2001 the Choir will be presenting three
concerts of seasonal music – two ‘on the road’ at Shilbottle & Amble
and then finishing the session with our annual Christmas concert at St Mary’s
in Morpeth.
The Choir is presently planning for a further performance
of “With The Ebb & The Flow” with the Composer again conducting
in May 2002 at the Riverside Leisure Centre.
On this occasion, which is to be a Jubilee Concert, the Cantata will be
linked with Hadyn’s HarmonieMesse and Parry’s Anthem “I was glad
when they said unto me”.
We can go wherever there is an electrical supply!
A Lottery Grant in 1998 enabled the Choir to purchase of a
portable high quality electronic piano that has enabled the choir to go ‘on
the road’ and to perform in venues where no other instrument is available. Concerts have thus been made possible in
churches in Wooler, Rothbury, Felton, Shilbottle, Amble, Chollerton, Cramlington
and at Brinkburn Priory.
Current Status of Chorus
The choir currently numbers about 90 and for the present
only male voices are being accepted as new members. Until we get the balance of the various
voices improved we have regrettably had to stop accepting any new sopranos and
altos. Sight-reading is not a
pre-requisite – enthusiasm and a ‘need to sing’ are the most important
requirements. Rehearsals are on
Wednesday evenings and are normally held at Chantry School at 7.45 pm – please
contact Norma Jewitt Morpeth 514242 for further information.
The Chorus is a founder member of the Morpeth &
District Arts Trust and attracts support from Northumberland County Council,
Castle Morpeth BC, Morpeth Town Council, Northern Arts and Mid-Northumberland
Arts Group. |
