Oldham Choral Society is going from strength to strength

If you love choral singing, whether as a singer or audience member, have a look at what Oldham Choral Society has to offer.

OCS is one of the leading amateur choirs in North West England, with over 80 members.

The repertoire includes most of the major choral works, including Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Verdi and Elgar.

Most concerts are performed with an orchestra or brass band.

In January this year the choir welcomed its new Musical Director, Dr David Cane.

David has a Ph.D. in Musicology from the Royal Northern College of Music, and previously was a boy chorister at Leicester Cathedral and a choral scholar at King’s College Cambridge.

After achieving a Cambridge degree in Theology and Religious Studies, he undertook three years of postgraduate vocal studies at the RNCM.

He has experience as a solo performer (he has a fine baritone voice), teacher of singing, piano and music theory and as a choral director.

David’s first concert with the choir was at the end of April, in the Stoller Hall in Manchester.

It was an electrifying performance of Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah, with a great line-up of professional soloists Terence Ayebare, Rita Wood, Emma Stannard and Brian McNamee and the National Festival Orchestra.

Particularly notable was the contribution of treble Liam Brophy (above), who sang the part of the youth who spots the approaching storm clouds.

Liam is a pupil at Hulme Grammar School, where he is taught by Head of Music and OCS accompanist Duncan Robertson.

Liam is also a pupil of Brian McNamee, the tenor soloist in Elijah.

The choir’s summer concert with the excellent Ashton Band will take place at 7.30pm on June 23 in Oldham Parish Church, Rock Street, Oldham OL1 3UH.

It will be a celebration of summer and the Coronation with a varied programme of shorter pieces.

Tickets will cost £12, and £1 for children.

In November 2023 the choir will perform a concert of 20th century French religious music: Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem and Francis Poulenc’s Gloria.

On December 22 at 7.30 pm there will be a Family Christmas concert in Oldham Parish Church, again with Ashton Band.

Tickets will be available from the OCS Ticket Secretary on 0161 797 3583.

New members are always welcome (no audition required).

Rehearsals take place on Monday evenings from 7.20 till 9.35, with a 15-minute interval, at Chadderton Town Hall, Garforth Street, Oldham OL9 6PY.

For further details, visit: www.oldhamchoral.org.uk, find the Society on Facebook and Instagram or contact Gerard Marsden on 01706 558342.

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