Richard Wilberforce – Leeds Philharmonic Chorus

Farewell Richard

Martin Pinder — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 18:45:07 +0000

It was a beautiful sunny day at Bolton Abbey, The Priory Church, and we gathered to rehearse and perform our last concert of the season featuring Parry’s – Songs of Farewell. Little did we know at the time of planning it that the title would be particularly poignant. Due to the excellent new lighting system we could see ours scores this time and sang with only a couple of wobbly bits. But the audience did not notice and seemed very happy.

It was Richards last concert with us. We have trained him well over the last 5 years and he was successful in his application to Cambridge University Symphony Chorus as Music Director. A fantastic opportunity for him.

We sang the last piece with great sadness that we are losing him but also with good wished for his future. There were quite a few tears around.

Choir Master News

Martin Pinder — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 11:37:20 +0000

The new season is underway and already we have some exciting news. Richard Wilberforce – our current choir master, has been offered an important career opportunity by the Cambridge University. The Cambridge University Music Society (CUMS) Symphony Chorus has invited him to conduct a performance of Handel’s Israel in Egypt on Saturday 25th November. He will take over from Stephen Cleobury in October as choir master for two months, as well as conducting the full-scale concert in Cambridge with this excellent and famous choir. We wish him all the best in this venture.

So what about the Phil this term ? Well we are extremely fortunate in this regard as Stephen Jackson, for 26 years Chorus Director of the BBC Symphony Chorus, is available and willing to take over from Richard. Stephen has chorus mastered hundreds of Proms, and has worked with practically all of the greatest conductors of the past two decades, including David Hill (our music director) on numerous occasions.

Sun, Rain and Midges

Martin Pinder — Sun, 26 Jun 2016 11:12:39 +0000

Our penultimate concert of the 2015-16 season was a great success despite the attempts by the weather to put a dampner on things. We chose to think the rumbles of thunder during the afternoons rehearsal were good omens and it did remain largely dry at Bolton Abbey for the evening concert and was nice in the morning for the early picnickers. The only thing louder that day was Alan’s splendid organ recital which really rumbled the rafters of the old priory church.

I think we all had fun and laughs in the much less formal setting – well Richard looks relaxed

We were warned to bring a brolly, but nobody mentioned the hungry swarms of midges that descended as we sang our entry part in the porch. Nor the need for a head torch. Maybe we will be invited back next year when the new lights will be working. Till then we can remember the fabulous tea enjoyed by all.

Creative spirits in Leeds – Mahler 8th

Martin Pinder — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 10:59:43 +0000

Absolutely stunning and exhausting. I think we all experienced the highs and lows of the Mahler concert. Wondering if we were ever going to tie all the parts together with the other choirs, and then marvelling at the sound when they did.

David was very patient with us and I think produced a fantastic performance. The reviewers seemed to agree:

https://bachtrack.com/review-mahler-orchestra-opera-north-leeds-june-2016

and

http://www.thereviewshub.com/mahler-symphony-no-8-symphony-of-a-thousand-town-hall-leeds/

To have a full venue was also a major boost to our morale and the view from the stage as the hall filled was stunning.