For the first time, singers in the North West will have the opportunity to sing with one of the foremost choral conductors in the country, Stephen Cleobury, who is the director of the world famous choir of King's College, Cambridge.
The Singing Day on Saturday, 12th September, will conclude with a magnificent choral concert in the surroundings of the recently renovated parish church.
For over the quarter of a century that Stephen Cleobury has been associated with one of the world's great choirs, he has led tours all over the world, and is seen every Christmas as the director of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. In a major innovation, he conducted the first ever live simultaneous transmission of a concert (Handel's Messiah) to cinemas across Europe and the USA.
From 1995 to 2007 he was also Chief Conductor of the BBC Singers, much praised for his creation of an integrated choral sound from that group of professional singers.
In addition to travelling with his choirs, Stephen is also an organ recitalist, and has played in venues across the world including Houston, Hong Kong, Minneapolis, Denmark, and the huge conference centre of Salt Lake City. Stephen has also agreed to play the organ in St Bartholomew's Church, as part of the choral concert to be given at the end of the Singing Day.
Stephen Cleobury told wilmslow.co.uk "I am greatly looking forward to working on a range of wonderful pieces with the singers who will be coming on Saturday. To have two of my favourite pieces in the list is even better: Byrd's beautiful 'Ave verum corpus' and Handel's 'Zadok the Priest' are much loved by all choral singers."
This event is part of the ongoing fundraising for the complete restoration of the church organ, at the instigation of the current organist, Philip Underwood.
The programme will cover six centuries of English choral singing, with unaccompanied songs, and anthems accompanied by Philip Underwood and the church organ scholar, George Herbert.
The Singing Day will take place on Saturday, 12th September at St. Bartholomew's Church.
Registration for the Singing Day is at 9.45am and the concert will be performed at 7pm. Tickets for the concert are priced £10.
Click here for further information or call the church office on 01625 520309.
