For the its last performance of the season, BMS took part in the Festival of Voice at King George’s Hall. This joyous extravaganza, which brought together various choirs in the region and the Blackburn and Darwen Brass Band, was attended by a large and enthusiastic audience.

Each group performed on its own, interspersed with songs sung by all choirs together, including ‘Mambo Italiano’, ‘Let No-one Steal Your Dreams’ (with British Sign Language) and ‘You’re Not Alone’ . The Blackburn People’s Choir’s a cappella rendition of ‘One Day Like This’ and ‘Here comes the Sun’ was impressive, The Renaissance Singers and Cathedral Choristers revealed their talent and precision in ‘Like A Singing Bird’ by Bob Chilcott and the Blackburn and Darwen Brass Band’s superb and lively performances of ‘Breezing down Broadway’ and ‘Helter-Skelter’ had everyone tapping their feet and some singers even joining in! Their outstanding xylophone player held listeners spellbound.

Our contribution, conducted by our own Tom Newall and accompanied, of course, by Joy Fielding, was Verdi’s ‘Va Pensiero’ from Nabucco and Mozart’s ‘Ave Verum’ from memory, which for some of the choir was a very special moment.

The ten Sing Together Schools choirs were amazing, the youngsters’ excitement palpable and infectious. As well as ‘The Fox’ they performed ‘Light The Candles’, a song that is particularly poignant at this time:

“Light a candle in the dark for those who must flee

Light seven billion candles

For peace.”

The children sang so beautifully that some listeners were moved to tears.

Altogether it was an uplifting and heart-warming event, full of energy. The audience, directed with his usual aplomb by Jeff Borradaille, who asked them to do fairly silly things throughout the evening, spontaneously rose to their feet to join in the final en-masse number ‘You’re not Alone.’

And then came a surprise ‘flash mob’ moment in which BMS joined the Renaissance Singers in a rendition of Handel’s ‘Hallelujah’ Chorus; this stopped quite a few of the audience in their tracks as they were leaving and raised applause.

For members of BMS who took part it was clearly a memorable evening:

‘BMS were placed central stage which, when it came to the signed songs was slightly embarrassing! However, guided faultlessly by Gill Fourie, we were able to perform the songs and even enjoy the experience.’

‘A very jolly evening…’

‘Top moment for me was coming off stage after the ‘Hallelujah’ and some of the children came out of their dressing room and applauded us back-stage.  That’s a moment that will stay with me – a meeting of the generations and they appreciated what we do.’

Huge thanks must go to Gill Fourie who organised this event and to the music outreach team. The evening was a real showcase of the musical talent in our area, showing the diversity of local music making. There was a very special atmosphere of unity and happiness –  more please!

On a showery Sunday afternoon BMS were proud to open a programme of summer events organised by East Lancashire Hospice. The concert took place in a splendid marquee in the grounds of the hospice and despite the drizzle, every seat was occupied.

The choir, conducted by Tom Newall and ably accompanied by Joy Fielding, presented a mixed programme, beginning with a medley of popular songs from musicals, Breezing Down Broadway. This went with a swing – the choir was clearly enjoying themselves and from their smiles, so was the audience.

A change of mood was signalled by ‘Va Pensiero’ from Verdi’s Nabucco, which the choir sang with conviction in impressive Italian accents. After that came the rousing ‘March of the Toreadors’ from Bizet’s Carmen, followed by the more reflective ‘Benedictus’ from Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man. Both in this and ‘Ave Verum’ the sustained long lines were beautiful.

A medley from Alan Meken’s Beauty and the Beast was performed with panache and the first half finished with ‘Over the Rainbow’.

There followed the interval where everyone headed for the table packed with delicious-looking cakes provided by the choir. And fittingly, the sun came out and people were able to enjoy their refreshments in the lovely garden.

The second half began with ‘Laughing Song’ from Strauss’s Die Fledermaus in which BMS member Laura Lenaughan’s performance of Adele’s aria was superbly expressive – she inhabited the role perfectly. Rutter’s ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ came next followed by a spririted rendering of ‘Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat’ from Guys and Dolls, in which the choir’s delivery of the catchy rhythm got the audience’s feet tapping.

Choir member Tom Young then gave us Ireland’s ‘Sea Fever’ and German’s rousing ‘Yeomen of England’ in his fine bass voice and the concert finished on another note of hope with the choir singing ‘Climb Every Mountain’ from The Sound of Music.

It is not easy to carry off such a mixed programme with its changes of style and mood, but BMS managed it well for the most part and their enjoyment clearly communicated itself. Some of the audience, who were there to support the Hospice as much as anything, had not heard the choir before, but their comments showed that they had clearly appreciated the music: ‘Lovely’, ‘Beautiful’, ‘I really enjoyed it’.

As well as providing an excellent afternoon’s entertainment, BMS were very glad to be supporting such vital work, donating all proceeds to the East Lancashire Hospice’s  funds.

Although it has to be said that not every member of the audience found the music stimulating!

On Sunday afternoon, April 23^rd, 32 BMS Members led the singing in the annual St. George’s Day Service in Blackburn Cathedral. Under the direction of our conductor Tom Newall and accompanied by Joy Fielding, the choir also sang John Rutter’s ‘For the beauty of the earth’ and Karl Jenkins’ ‘Benedictus’ from The Armed Man. 

The service, which was attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackburn with Darwen, The Blackburn and East Lancashire branch of the Royal Society of St George and Blackburn Scout Groups, was conducted by the new Dean of Blackburn, The Very Reverend Peter Howell-Jones. Samuel Hudson accompanied the congregational singing on the organ and the Salvation Army Band also performed.

BMS are glad to support such an important event in the town’s calendar.

Edward Elgar’s Oratorio The Dream of Gerontius with its near-Wagnerian score places great demands on soloists, choirs and orchestra. First performed in 1900 it remains the most popular of Elgar’s choral works and is among the most frequently performed of all his work.

Set to text from the poem by Cardinal John Henry Newman, the oratorio tells of the journey of a devout man’s soul through death (Gerontius = ‘old man’) to final judgement. It is a work that demands soloists with operatic muscle, coupled with the clearest of diction to enable the meaning of the words to be appreciated by the audience.

For this performance the soloists were Emily Howard Cobley – Mezzo Soprano (Angel); Benjamin Sweeney – Tenor (Gerontius); Thomas D Hopkinson – Bass (Priest & Angel of the Agony). The semi-chorus was drawn from members of the Society with Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra and Organist Samuel Hudson. The work was conducted by the choir’s Musical Director – Tom Newall.

The performance begins with a long orchestral prelude which introduces the recurring themes of Judgement, Fear, Prayer, Sleep and Despair. This scene is set by Gerontius –’Jesu, Maria – I am near to death…’ followed by the mystical sound of the semi-chorus which appeared to float from a distance, despite their location in the centre of the choir. At this early stage, the audience was fully engaged.

The Dream has some especially dramatic moments. Gerontius’ death is marked with some powerful and violent music, rising to a crescendo at the Priest’s words: ‘Go in the name of Angels and Archangels’, as the choir joins in before the end of the first Part.

The soul’s journey in the second part is guided by the Angel. They encounter the demons who sing a loud and mocking fugue intensified by sarcastic laughter (a chance for the choir to depart from their usual balanced sound !). The work reaches its peak when Gerontius enters the House of Judgement. His soul’s impassioned plea to be taken to Purgatory is helped by an ear-shattering burst from the orchestra.

However, what really stays in the memory are the great angelic chorus of praise, the familiar ‘Praise to the holiest’ and the final aria for the Angel and Chorus, ‘Softly and gently’.

If only the soloists had been seated in front of their platform. Their long approach distracted many. Despite that this was a deeply moving performance under the inspirational leadership of Tom Newall, where soloists, choir and orchestra combined to produce an evening that will stay in our memories. I saw several members of the audience who were moved to tears.

Geoff Oldham

The last time BMS performed Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius was in 1998 under the baton of James Eastham, who conducted the choir from 1977 to 2007.

Saturday night’s performance of this much-loved piece has been long in the planning and the choir was very grateful to receive donations towards it from Geoffrey Taylor, in memory of James Eastham and from Valerie Eastham, in memory of Geoffrey himself, who sadly did not live to hear it.

The concert was further supported by our conductor, Tom Newall, who raised over £1000 towards it by running the Blackpool Half Marathon two years ago and it was dedicated to the memory of Kath Cross, 1945-2014, who left the choir a generous bequest.

For those of us taking part, it was an unforgettable experience and a privilege to sing with such accomplished soloists, contralto Emily Howard Cobley, tenor Benjamin Sweeney and bass Thomas D. Hopkinson, the magnificent Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra and not forgetting our friend on the organ, Sam Hudson.

‘Even though it was the fifth time I’ve sung it, it was wonderful.’ Jean

‘The hardest thing I’ve sung with the choir so far, but it was very rewarding, absolutely brilliant!’ Pete

‘It was wonderful, magnificent and a great credit to Tom.’ Madeline

‘It was magic.’ Chris

‘One had known fear…but it was all triumphantly dispelled on the night.’ Mike

‘The Dream was my dream. I haven’t stopped smiling.’ Madeline

‘It was absolutely out of this world…extraordinary…beyond words….’ Margaret

Last words from our amazing conductor Tom:

‘Gerontius is a piece that I grew up with as a singer, and having performed it numerous times have always wanted to conduct it. I hope I’ll be lucky enough to do it many more times, but I will never forget this very first one….tonight was special.’

On Saturday morning 66 BMS Members and 20 visitors assembled in the Croston Theatre at Westholme School eager to participate in a day’s workshop with the renowned Paul Spicer. We were hoping that Paul’s expertise and knowledge of British choral music would improve our up-coming performance of Elgar’s Gerontius and we were not disappointed.

Paul provided many tips to develop our singing technique including the importance of relaxing the jaw to create space in the voice – particularly useful when singing high notes. He encouraged us to sing through vowels to create ‘a river of sound’ and he pointed out that a crescendo was not just an increase in volume, but also in tone. He stressed that, since the words were crucial to the impact of a choral work, clarity of diction was vital. This is especially true in Gerontius with its marvellous words by Cardinal John Henry Newman and Paul exhorted us to sing out: ‘Sing as if you are singing a solo.’

In taking us through Gerontius, Paul focused on parts of the work, going for a close look at specific sections rather than aiming to cover the whole piece. He kept us on our toes, trying to get us to observe all the detailed markings in the score; it was demanding, but at times exhilarating, as we strove to express the drama of Elgar’s great masterpiece. His approach – focussing ‘on the nitty-gritty’ as one singer put it – went down well with many of the participants. ‘Paul is excellent – he knows what he’s doing and he makes you feel secure.’

Our sense of security was enhanced by Joy’s accompaniment; her command of the keyboard as she performed the fiendishly difficult piano score was brilliant and she deserves our thanks. As do Caroline Scholey, who organised the workshop, the Committee and other helpers who contributed to the smooth running of the day. Finally mention must be made of the extensive array of cakes provided by Members and much appreciated by all participants!

All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend a wet Saturday and by the end of it many people felt that it had been thoroughly worthwhile. I’m sure no one would disagree with the singer who said: ‘It’s taken us to a new level.

We were very sad to hear that Derek Hartley has died of cancer. A loyal and committed member of the bass section, Derek will be remembered for his cheeriness and his outgoing, friendly manner – newcomers to BMS were always made to feel welcome, and he will be missed by all who knew him and sang with him.

This week the choir were treated to a change of routine.

First we had an illuminating session with Joyce Tindsley. Joyce, a professional singer who was a soloist in our 2014 Messiah, is also an experienced vocal coach and she led us through a series of exercises to help us develop our voices. She showed us how to breathe and stand properly – in what is known as ‘noble posture’ – and how to project our voices forward. We also practised our diction.

Joyce’s tuition was very clear and easy to follow and she came out with some delightful turns of phrase: in showing us how a singer can produce subtle differences in sound, she said, ‘Your voice is like a paint-box’ and later, explaining how it was easier to sing vowel sounds if one rests the tips of the tongue against one’s teeth, she said: ‘Your tongue is a wriggle-monkey.’

After a very enjoyable training session, not only had our vocal muscles had a good work-out, but we were all standing much taller!

This stood us in good stead as our next guest, Helen Harrison, arrived to take the rehearsal for Tom who had another engagement. Helen had not met the choir before but, as a former student at St Mary’s College, for her it was a return to a familiar place  which, she said, made the evening extra special.

Helen established an immediate rapport with the choir and took us through an exacting, but stimulating, rehearsal of Gerontius. It was  fun, particularly when Helen encouraged us to express our inner demons!

Our thanks to Joyce and Helen, not just for helping us to make progress in our singing, but also for making it such an enjoyable evening.

Once again a large number of our members took part in the annual East Lancashire Hospice Light up a Life Service at Blackburn Cathedral.

Conducted by Tom Newall and accompanied by Sam Hudson, we supported the congregational carols and, during the moving lighting of candles and the Christmas trees, we sang Morten Lauridsen’s uplifting O Magnum Mysterium.

A charming choir from Salesbury CE Primary School, directed by Gill Fourie and accompanied by Stephen Bird and Andrew Kellington on percussion, received a well-deserved round of applause for their contribution – a musical rendering of two carols from memory.

We always feel privileged to be able to support the Hospice which offers such amazing palliative care and it is a joy to participate in such a poignant service which expresses so much of the true spirit of Christmas.

Suffice to say that by the end of this sparkling performance, in the highly atmospheric setting of Blackburn Cathedral, I could easily have believed myself to be in the Festival Hall on the South Bank. What a splendid evening!

Messiah is a work known to almost anyone with an interest in choral music and it can be a challenge to bring to a performance of this mammoth score something new. A pool of genuine Northern talent, under the baton of BMS conductor Tom Newall, offered the large audience not only a fresh and invigorating journey through the familiar narrative but engaged them in the drama.

Compared to many performances I have attended (and even performed in) several of the tempi set by Newall were fairly brisk but, despite some apprehension, I ended up being wholly persuaded by them and found the energetic pace offered a refreshing perspective on well-known choruses. These were mirrored by equally bright arias from the four outstanding soloists. The ornamentation in the da capo arias, delivered with absolute crispness by Blackburn’s own soprano Jennie Marsden, was perfectly enchanting. Emma Stannard, from the Royal Academy Opera, delivered the contralto arias with incredible power and energy as to be wholly convincing and compelling.

From the very first notes of the tenor’s opening aria, ‘Ev’ry valley’, it was apparent that Alexander Grainger (from RNCM) brought with him the clarity of a young voice with its freshness and agility. Grainger faced some stiff competition in claiming his place on stage from the very colourful Louis Hurst whose bass arias communicated every last drop of theatre available. Hurst’s resonant tones in ‘Darkness shall cover the earth’ were both haunting and deeply moving and left the audience willing the drama and the return of light.

The BMS chorus had high expectations placed on them by both conductor and orchestra and needed to match the vivacity of the soloists to hold their own, which they did with complete confidence. Diction was crisp and precise throughout and it seemed that every quaver and semi-quaver run was executed in complete consonance. Chorus members looked as though they were enjoying the sing and this certainly added to the success of the evening’s performance.

The Lancashire Chamber Orchestra, once again, worked hard to achieve the impression that the whole ensemble, chorus, soloists and instrumentalists were one complete unit. The continuo was suitably subtle to allow recitative to move the narrative forward and the ensemble bold enough to add compelling punctuation to both arias and choruses.

This was a triumph of performance which left me buzzing with excitement and exhausted by emotion.

David Stephenson

This performance was dedicated to Shirley Parker.