Aberdeen Bach Choir
Encyclopedia
Aberdeen Bach Choir is a choir
with members from Aberdeen
. Membership is open to anyone, aged 15 or over, who is able to fulfil the Choir's reason for existence, i.e. to perform Choral works. All members must be able to sing accurately and in tune, with a secure sense of rhythm.
and direction of Warren T Clemens in 1913 as the Aberdeen Bach Society , it was reconstituted as Aberdeen Bach Choir in 1956. With an initial 12 members it has grown to now having between 90 and 100.
Aberdeen Bach Choir (Scottish Registered Charity SC008609), based in the city of Aberdeen
, Scotland
performs the music of not only Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685–1750), but also a wide variety of choral music from the 17th to the 21st Century.
The choir currently performs two main recitals a year in St Machar's Cathedral in Old Aberdeen
. It has also performed in recent years at Brechin Arts Festival, Greyfriars Kirk
in Edinburgh
and in London
.
Aberdeen Bach Choir is affiliated to Making Music Scotland.
John B. Dalby 1957 - 1960
Graham R. Wiseman 1960 - 1967
David Murray 1967 - 1969
James G. Lobban 1969 - 2006
Gordon Jack 2006 - 2010
Peter Parfitt 2010 +
s are usually held on Sunday evening in St Machar's Cathedral. They are often accompanied by the Aberdeen Sinfonetta orchestra and professional soloists are brought in for the main concerts.
to commission a new work was accepted. The Chronicle of Saint Machar, a piece for orchestra
and two choirs, which was based on the life of St. Machar, was composed by the renowned Scottish composer, John McLeod (composer)
.
The piece is an evocative work which combines adult and children choirs, along with orchestra and a range of percussion which includes bells and a Saab car spring.
The first performance took place in the cathedral bearing the saint's name, St Machar’s Cathedral, Aberdeen on 25 April 1999, (reviewed by James Allan; The Scotsman
; 26/4/1999), followed by a second performance at the same venue on 6 June 1999. With further 'Awards for All' funding from the Scottish Arts Council
lottery fund, a third performance took place on 28 October 2000 at Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh (reviewed by Conrad Wilson; The Herald (Glasgow)
; 10/2000).
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns
and Homecoming Scotland 2009
, a fourth performance took place on 6 December 2009 in St Machar’s Cathedral, along with the first performance of another specially commissioned work, funded from the James Lobban Bequest, Love is like the Melody by the Scottish composer Ken Johnston.
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
with members from Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. Membership is open to anyone, aged 15 or over, who is able to fulfil the Choir's reason for existence, i.e. to perform Choral works. All members must be able to sing accurately and in tune, with a secure sense of rhythm.
About
Originally founded with the influence of the distinguished Bach scholar Charles Sanford Terry (historian)Charles Sanford Terry (historian)
Charles Sanford Terry was an English historian and musicologist who published extensively on Scottish and European history as well as the life and works of J. S. Bach.-Career:...
and direction of Warren T Clemens in 1913 as the Aberdeen Bach Society , it was reconstituted as Aberdeen Bach Choir in 1956. With an initial 12 members it has grown to now having between 90 and 100.
Aberdeen Bach Choir (Scottish Registered Charity SC008609), based in the city of Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
performs the music of not only Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
(1685–1750), but also a wide variety of choral music from the 17th to the 21st Century.
The choir currently performs two main recitals a year in St Machar's Cathedral in Old Aberdeen
Old Aberdeen
Old Aberdeen is part of the city of Aberdeen in Scotland. Old Aberdeen was originally a separate burgh, which was erected into a burgh of barony on 26 December 1489. It was incorporated into adjacent Aberdeen by Act of Parliament in 1891...
. It has also performed in recent years at Brechin Arts Festival, Greyfriars Kirk
Greyfriars Kirk
Greyfriars Kirk, today Greyfriars Tolbooth & Highland Kirk, is a parish kirk of the Church of Scotland in central Edinburgh, Scotland...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Aberdeen Bach Choir is affiliated to Making Music Scotland.
Conductors
Willian Swainson 1956 - 1957John B. Dalby 1957 - 1960
Graham R. Wiseman 1960 - 1967
David Murray 1967 - 1969
James G. Lobban 1969 - 2006
Gordon Jack 2006 - 2010
Peter Parfitt 2010 +
Concerts
ConcertConcert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s are usually held on Sunday evening in St Machar's Cathedral. They are often accompanied by the Aberdeen Sinfonetta orchestra and professional soloists are brought in for the main concerts.
The Chronicle of St Machar
In January 1998, an application for funding from the National LotteryNational Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
to commission a new work was accepted. The Chronicle of Saint Machar, a piece for orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and two choirs, which was based on the life of St. Machar, was composed by the renowned Scottish composer, John McLeod (composer)
John McLeod (composer)
John McLeod is a contemporary composer based in Edinburgh, who writes music in many media including film and television...
.
The piece is an evocative work which combines adult and children choirs, along with orchestra and a range of percussion which includes bells and a Saab car spring.
The first performance took place in the cathedral bearing the saint's name, St Machar’s Cathedral, Aberdeen on 25 April 1999, (reviewed by James Allan; The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
; 26/4/1999), followed by a second performance at the same venue on 6 June 1999. With further 'Awards for All' funding from the Scottish Arts Council
Scottish Arts Council
The Scottish Arts Council is a Scottish public body that distributes funding from the Scottish Government, and is the leading national organisation for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland...
lottery fund, a third performance took place on 28 October 2000 at Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh (reviewed by Conrad Wilson; The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
; 10/2000).
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
and Homecoming Scotland 2009
Homecoming Scotland 2009
Homecoming Scotland 2009 was a series of events designed to attract people of Scottish ancestry to visit Scotland. The campaign, organised by EventScotland and VisitScotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, and part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, claimed that "for every...
, a fourth performance took place on 6 December 2009 in St Machar’s Cathedral, along with the first performance of another specially commissioned work, funded from the James Lobban Bequest, Love is like the Melody by the Scottish composer Ken Johnston.