Saturday 29 February 2020
Choral Workshop: Elijah – Selected Choruses
Newport Pagnell Singers are delighted to welcome musical director Ian Smith to lead a stimulating and enjoyable Choral Workshop exploring choruses from Mendelssohn’s magnificent Elijah.
The day is to be held at Lovat Hall, Silver Street, Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, MK16 0EJ, which is located very near to J14 of the M1. The venue has plenty of parking.
Registration: 9.30am – for 10am start; Depart: 4.30pm
Tea and coffee will be provided during the day but please bring a packed lunch with you.
Ian Smith is one of the leading conductors in the Bedford and Milton Keynes area and is currently musical director and principal conductor of Bedford Choral Society and
Danesborough Chorus. His wide-ranging repertoire of choral work performances has included Rachmaninov Vespers, Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony, Bach Mass in B minor, Elgar Dream of Gerontius, Vivaldi Gloria, Jenkins Requiem and more too numerous to list.
Elijah’s first performance conducted by Mendelssohn himself, took place on 26 August 1846 before an audience of two thousand who had packed into Birmingham Town Hall for the eagerly awaited event. It was an unprecedented success with the audience
demanding encores for no less than four choruses and four arias, and the applause
evidently bordering on the hysterical. In recounting the experience to his brother
Mendelssohn wrote, ‘No work of mine went so admirably for the first time of execution, or was received so well by both the musicians and audience.’ It was without doubt the crowning glory of his career.
If you would like a printable copy of the application please do get in touch with Mel pmel21@aol.com or message me on the website.