Archive for March, 2021

Tonight, we webcast the Haydn@Home recordings of Haydn’s Nelson Mass which we recorded remotely in the autumn, preceded by a discussion between Conductor Adrian Lucas and Accompanist Colin Baines, and followed by a group of members talking about their experiences of being in the choir (ranging from 1 year to 50 years).

After this, members joined a Zoom Social to raise a glass or two to the choir.

Today (21st March) marks the 100th Anniversary of the first rehearsal of the then brand new City of Birmingham Choir on 21st March 1921.

On the 21st of March 1921, the newly formed City of Birmingham Choir gathered for the first time under the watchful eye of Director of Music Appleby Matthews to begin rehearsals of Rutland Boughton’s nativity opera ‘Bethlehem’. 100 years on, we cannot be together in person, but we will be marking the  occasion with a stream of our Haydn@Home performance. Please join us Sunday evening 21st March just before 7pm on Facebook.
https://fb.me/e/1lpZh9dNy

The start of the 1920’s was a milestone in Birmingham’s musical history when, in 1920 the City of Birmingham Orchestra (later the CBSO) gave their very first concert conducted by Sir Edward Elgar. Then, in 1921 the City of Birmingham Choir was formed to perform choral concerts with the orchestra as well as pursuing their own programme. 100 years later, both organisations are still going strong, despite having their relative centenaries disrupted by a global pandemic! How history repeats itself….