The 2024/25 season began with a concert at St Matthew’s,
Northampton, with the theme of Remembrance. The choir was delighted
to be joined by local NMPAT alumnus and student at the Guildhall
School of Music, Rowan Dymott on solo violin, providing a stand out
performance of the nation’s favourite The Lark Ascending.
The programme also included Tarik O’Regan’s Triptych, an exciting
piece new to the choir, providing movements with great energy and
contrasting sections of tranquility, and finally, an vibrant
performance of Mozart’s Requiem.
NBC were joined in this concert by the wonderful Bach Camarata led
by Richard Smith, and professional soloists Kathleen Nic Dharmada,
Bethany Horak-Hallett, Ashley Catling and Ben McKee.
16th November 2024
The season continued with a collaboration with Northampton
Symphony Orchestra in their performance of The Planets at Christ
Church, Northampton. A small choir of altos and sopranos added the
mysterious, ethereal vocal part to the final movement, Neptune.
Performing off-stage conducted by NBC’s MD, Simon Toyne, the
response from the audience was extremely positive:
It's really rare for people to come out of a performance of The Planets talking about how good the choir was - and we certainly achieved this: really fantastic.
You can watch the whole performance here, starting at Neptune
14th December 2024
A Choral Christmas at the Cripps Theatre included favourites such Holst’s
Christmas Day, Finzi’s In terra pax, Vaughan Williams’
Fantasia on Christmas Carols and Todd’s My Lord has come with the
audience invited to join in audience carols including Joy to the
World. The choir were joined by a chamber ensemble from the Bach Camarata and professional soloists Anna Gould and Dan D’Souza. In
the second half the choir donned increasingly outrageous Christmas
hats, sweaters and much tinsel and finished with Jingle Bells,
including many jingling bells and clip-clopping coconut shells!
2025 Northampton Bach Choir celebrates its 90th birthday!
22nd March 2025
The St Matthew Passion
This concert marked the start of a year of 90th birthday
celebrations. Performing to an audience of over 300 in the Choir’s
‘home’ venue, St Matthew’s Church, Northampton, the choir was joined
by choristers from All Saints’, Northampton under the direction of
Jem Lowther, baroque orchestra Charivari Agreable, and young
soloists from the Royal Academy of Music Hannah Dienes-Williams,
Helena Paish, Joseph Hancock and Allyn Wu. They were joined by
experienced professionals Gareth Brymor John as Christ and NBC was
delighted to welcome James Oxley singing the part of the Evangelist.
Both choir and audience were completely ‘wowed’ by the outstanding
performances from all these soloists and with powerful choruses and
chorales (invoking a torrential downpour in the second half), this
proved quite an evening!
The music was truly magical, rich, emotional and so perfectly executed.
Very well done on Saturday. Thought it was a stellar performance. Absolute privilege to listen to such an amazing concert.
Thanks for including us in the wonderful concert yesterday. It was a
truly special evening. Congratulations.
Committee changes:
Very sadly, the Choir’s Treasurer David Leathley passed away over
Christmas; he will be much missed. Members of the choir had the
privilege of singing at his funeral on a chilly, but sunny day in
January. Choir member Geoff Gill has now been elected to this post.
The St Matthew Passion also marked the end of Jonny Alms’s tenure as
Chair of Northampton Bach Choir. The Choir would like to thank Jonny
for all his efforts over the past 5 years including the challenges
presented by Covid and successes including the Jubilee Proms at Derngate. Sarah Wise has been duly elected as the new Chair.
Coming up!
All keen singers are invited to join us for a
Come and Sing day
on Saturday 17th May. The Choir are delighted to be hosting composer
Will Todd in a day working on his Mass in Blue.
The final concert of the 2024/25 season will be at Christ Church,
Northampton on Saturday 21st June. NBC will be performing 2 choral
works with a jazz flavour, Will Todd’s Mass in Blue and Ian
Farrington’s Then Sing we All.
