Latest news

Our magnificent, uplifting performance of Handel’s Messiah is this Friday, 6th December at 7 pm in Symphony Hall, Birmingham.  Wonderful soloists will sing Handel’s many excellent recitatives and songs, retelling the story of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus.  The City of Birmingham Choir fills in the drama with the whole host of brilliant choruses, not least ‘Hallelujah!‘

Adrian Lucas conducts and our friends the renowned City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra play.

Buy your tickets and take your friends to this marvellous evening of music.

The City of Birmingham Choir is polishing it’s performance of Mozart’s marvellous Great Mass in C Minor (1783) and Cecilia McDowall’s recently written – and also marvellous – Da Vinci Requiem (2019).  With a fine orchestra and soloists, under the baton of Adrian Lucas, this concert is at Bradshaw Hall on 17th November at 4 pm.

Next up is eternal favourite, Handel’s masterpiece, Messiah. The City of Birmingham Choir is an expert at stylish and enjoyable performances of this work, having sung it most of the past 100 years.  Fine soloists and the incomparable CBSO for accompaniment. Friday 6th December at 7 pm, Symphony Hall.

Finally in 2024, we present City Centre Carols, an enjoyable afternoon of festive singing at St Martin-in-the-Bullring Church on Saturday 14th December at 2 pm.  For tickets, go to our concerts page. We look forward to seeing you there!

We love to welcome new members of the choir at any time of year. September is a particularly great time to come along and find out all about the City of Birmingham Choir.  It is the start of our 2024-25 season, and, this autumn, we will be performing fabulous music in Bradshaw Hall at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and in Symphony Hall.  We pride ourselves on being a friendly choir and you are assured of a warm welcome.

Find out more HERE.

We continue rehearsing for our French Romantics concert in Tewkesbury Abbey on 15th June.  Read more and BOOK TICKETS.

We are delighted to welcome renowned New York-based British organist and composer David Briggs to our concert of French music at Tewkesbury Abbey in June. The acoustics of this historical and beautiful building are well-known and to have the opportunity to hear the fine organ of the abbey played by David, a world-class performer, is not to be missed! Join us for this memorable evening of music with our especially curated programme of French composers.

“One of my most early ‘organ memories’ was coming down by train from Birmingham and visiting the instrument as a 12 year old.

The Milton organ is quite the musical Ferrari – a wonderful blend of mellow, historic pipework and more contemporary additions. I know it will fit this incredible French music perfectly, blending subtle poetry and high-voltage pizzaz, in equal measure.”

  

We had a brilliant concert on Saturday, our first ever at Lichfield Cathedral. Whilst the day was cold, the reception of the full audience was very warm and appreciative. The rarely performed Haydn – Stabat Mater was preceded by the moving cantata Weines, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen by J S Bach and the famous Adagio in G minor vaguely thanks to Albinoni, though largely composed by a musicologist!  The Musical and Amicable Society orchestra and our soloists were on fine form, all under the direction of Adrian Lucas.

We continue rehearsing for our French Romantics concert in Tewkesbury Abbey on 15th June.  Read more HERE and BOOK TICKETS.

Our new term of rehearsals sees us learning works new to members of the choir, bringing a programme of choral music for Lent, the period of preparation for the festival of Easter.

Haydn’s Stabat Mater, a musical gem, is set to the familiar medieval poem reflecting on the Virgin Mary, as she stands witnessing the Crucifixion. The choir and orchestra will be joined for this powerful and emotive piece by the four soloists.

JS Bach’s Cantata no. 12 is another 18th century choral setting of Lenten text – ‘weeping, lamenting, worrying, fearing’. This cantata features alto, tenor and bass soloists who will perform this wonderful work alongside the choir and orchestra.

Tickets are already available for our concert in Lichfield Cathedral on Saturday 2nd March – see the QR code.

After a splendid concert of English music balanced with Beethoven’s marvellous Mass in C, our thoughts go forward to our annual performance of Handel’s Messiah.

Please join us in Symphony Hall for the work at which we are experts and have been so for 100 years.  Our friends in the CBSO play the music with great sensitivity.  Our wonderful team of soloists retell Charles Jennens’ libretto with distinction.  Adrian Lucas conducts and directs the fine vocal forces of the City of Birmingham Choir in Handel’s most famous work.

The concert is at 7pm on Friday 8th December.  Buy tickets HERE.  We look forward to seeing you.

Don’t hesitate to get your tickets for our superb upcoming concert on Sunday afternoon 12th November at 2.30pm.

Beethoven’s Mass in C is paired with the less well known Shepherd’s Calendar by British 20th century composer, author and authority on British music, Michael Hurd, as well as delightful orchestral music: Banks of Green Willow by George Butterworth and Serenade for a Small Orchestra by Malcolm Arnold.

We have really enjoyed rehearsing both of these choral works and know that you will enjoy hearing our performance. Great choral singing, fine orchestral playing, superb soloists – all under the expert baton of our Conductor and Music Director, Adrian Lucas.

Click on the red BUY TICKETS button to go to the ticket link.

We are looking forward to our first visit to the splendid Ruddock Performing Arts Centre at King Edward’s School.

Have you considered becoming a member of our wonderful choir?  On Tuesday 5th September at 6.30pm in central Birmingham, our first rehearsal of the season will be open to those who would like to explore singing with us.  Our ‘Welcome Rehearsal’ is at our regular venue, the Priory Rooms in Bull Street B4 6AF.  Come early to have a cuppa and meet choir members, borrow music and join in the rehearsal.  This term we will be learning Beethoven’s Mass in C and Michael Hurd’s A Shepherd’s Calendar and brushing up on Handel’s Messiah later in the autumn.

Read the leaflet for more details: Welcome Sept 2023

You can email [email protected] if you wish, or just turn up on the day.