Mike Forbester
The Home of the Rudgate Singers
www.rudgatesingers.co.uk

Mike Forbester
The Home of the Rudgate Singers
www.rudgatesingers.co.uk

Just back from Norfolk and checking messages. This may be of interest to
some!

Mike

Mike Forbester
The Home of the Rudgate Singers
www.rudgatesingers.co.uk


-----Original Message-----
From: Bernie Henderson [mailto:bernard.henderson@...]
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 8:26 PM
To: mike.4b@...
Subject: Concerts in Leeds and Ripon


Concerts in Leeds and Ripon

Dear Fellow Chorister,

Our choir, Cor Afanedd (pronounced Core Avan- naith), we will be visiting
Yorkshire in October and performing two concerts.  There will be no charge
at either venue, but we are obviously keen to attract a good audience for
each performance.  If you have any choristers or friends that would like to
attend, would you be kind enough to let them have the information below.

Monday 24th October
Ripon Cathedral, evening concert at 7pm
Collection after the concert with all proceeds going to the Yorkshire Air
Ambulance

Tuesday 25th October
St. John's the Evangelist, Mark Lane, Leeds afternoon concert at 2pm
Collection after the concert with all proceeds going to the Church
Conservation Trust

Regards
Bernie Henderson
Musical Director: Arleen Price
Guest Accompanist: Alan Fewster

Côr Afanedd has developed an outstanding reputation in the ten years since
its creation in 1996.  It was initially formed for only one concert, to
celebrate the centenary of Glan Afan School, Port Talbot.  However, the
success of this concert encouraged the choristers to form Côr Afanedd and we
have since performed many concerts in venues across South Wales, England,
Belgium and France.  Today the four part mixed choir is going from strength
to strength, has 70 members and continues to sing sacred music to large
audiences, frequently for charitable causes.

In October 2000, we were invited to perform Schubert's Mass in G in a
commemorative service at the National Basilica, Brussels, televised by the
BBC.  The following year the choir toured France, performing at Rouen
Cathedral and accepted an invitation to perform a concert in the historic
Shrewsbury Abbey, made famous by the Cadfael television series.  In 2003, we
returned to Belgium and, following a service at Ypres Cathedral, we were the
guest choir at the evening commemorative service at the Menin Gate.  In the
last six months we have appeared twice on  the BBC's 'Songs of Praise'.

We are directed by the highly talented Arleen Price and honoured to have
Ingrid Surgenor MBE, the internationally acclaimed accompanist, as our
President.

Guest Soloist - Annwen Williams

The delightful Annwen Williams will once again accompany the choir on tour
this year.  She studied at the Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff
and the Royal Academy of Music in London. A highly accomplished artist, she
has won numerous prizes, toured widely in Europe and the US and has an
extensive concert and oratorio repertoire.

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Dear all, Singers, Non-Singers or just friends!

Now that we've recovered from Brinkburn, can I draw your attention to the
next invitation which we've received, which isn't that far away!

The Greek Orthodox Church in Leeds, have asked if we can take part in a
Divine Liturgy on Saturday 22nd October @ 1100am. We haven't the people to
sing a fully choral Liturgy this time as we did in Sheffield as it's
Half-Term and clashes with at least one concert, but I'm still looking for
people willing to sing Byzantine Chant [in English!]

Any volunteers will be fed by the Greek Community, and having eaten there on
several occasions in the past, I can guarantee that the food is superb, as
indeed will be the welcome. I'd be grateful for quick replies so I can liase
with Costas regarding rehearsals.

We've also received an invitation from Scunthorpe on 8th December.
Personally I'm not sure about this, as it's a Thursday evening, but I'm
willing if enough people fancy going! The other date is Sunday 20th
November, which would be at 3pm.

Also later this year we shall be returning to the Church of St John the
Evangelist, Allerton Bywater for a Traditional Carol Service. I'd be
grateful if people wishing to take part could let me know NOW when they're
free in the run -up towards Christmas as diaries are filling up
already!.......

Looking further ahead into next year, we've pencilled in 25th March to sing
Haydn's Missa 'Sancti Nicolai' up in the North-East. 10th June looks likely
to be the date of the 10th Anniversary Service when we shall be singing
Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli, as this is the first piece we ever did
back in June 1996. This will be followed by a party. The venue is yet to be
chosen! Also in November next year, we aim to sing Duarte Lobo's Requiem a
8.

Finally, a quick note to our regular singers - though I can't see why this
couldn't be extended to all of you! -  if you know of anyone who would like
to sing wonderful music like this in its correct liturgical setting, please
let me know as we're always looking out for people to join us from time to
time. Those of us who have survived the past 10 years know there's no
regular commitment, or pressure to be involved in absolutely every service
that we get invited to do, and it's usually a lot of fun as well as a *VERY*
different experience from singing the same music in  a concert performance
or recital.

Many thanks
Mike Forbester
The Home of the Rudgate Singers
www.rudgatesingers.co.uk

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----- Original Message -----

From: Mike Forbester

To: Mike Forbester [home]

Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 1:34 AM

Subject: [Rudgate] BRINKBURN

Dear Friends, but especially singers!

 

If you possibly can, please keep 3rd September free in your diaries! This is the provisional date for the Annual Brinkburn High Mass where we intend to sing Byrd 4 + Chant Propers. There is a possibility that the date may be changed to the 17th, but the 3rd is the day the organisers are going for.
If you've never been to [let alone sung in] Brinkburn before, all I can say is that it's in a most spectacular location, with an acoustic to die for...

If you've not sung with us for a while, or at all, then this is the one to (re)join us for!

 

Mike

The Home of the Rudgate Singers

 

www.rudgatesingers.co.uk

 

My apologies! I should have included the actual message, which follows.....

----- Original Message -----
From: <bforbester@...>
To: <mike.4b@...>
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 8:51 AM
Subject: Outdoor Mass - Kirkham Priory, Sunday 10 July, 3pm


> Is the following OK?  If so, I'll circulate it when I hear back from you.
>
> Dear All
>
> The parishioners of St Paulinus' church in York are going to Kirkham
Priory
> on 10 July and their parish priest, Fr David Grant, has asked if the
> Rudgate Singers could get up a quorum to help with the singing.  The mass
> will be Missa De Angelis because the parishioners know this; and Fr Grant
> requested that if sufficient people say 'yes', could we sing something
> polyphonic at communion.  The suggestion for this is Bone Pastor by
Tallis.
> If you know 'If Ye Love Me' by Tallis, it's that music with different
> words.
>
> Could you let me know as soon as possible if you are able to come; that
> will tell Mike how many copies of the music to make.  There won't be any
> rehearsal time, except a short run-through on the day and there will be no
> conductor, neither Steve nor myself will be there, so unless there are any
> volunteers ......!
>
> If you are not able to sing on this occasion, please could you also let me
> know?  There's nothing more frustrating than trying to put together a
choir
> when people don't reply and you don't know who's coming/not coming!!
>
> I look forward to hearing from you either with your Yes or No answer!
>
> Regards
>
> Bernadette
> This message has been scanned by Symantec Mail Security.
>

Mike

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Sent on behalf of Bernadette

----- Original Message -----
From: <bforbester@...>
To: <Michael.Forbester@...>; <mike.4b@...>
Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 7:24 AM
Subject: Circular for Kirkham Priory


> Sorry about this but as you know our e-mail system is rubbish (Lotus
> Notes).  I can't copy into the 'To' field the names of all the people to
> whom I want to send the message.  I copied the Rudgate groups address line
> (the one in blue) but when I tried to paste it I got a message saying I
> could only input text into the 'To' field.  Very annoying as it means I
> can't send the e-mail.  Could you send it on my behalf, get everyone to
> reply to me and I'll then pass on the names to you?  Thanks.
>
> If this is a problem, let me know, but I'll probably be leaving the office
> by 3.45/4pm.  I'll maybe see you later at home.
>
> B
> This message has been scanned by Symantec Mail Security.
>

The Home of the Rudgate Singers

www.rudgatesingers.co.uk

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Dear All, Singers, Non-Singers, friends, and anyone else loosely associated with us!

 

First of all, many apologies if you've been trying to get in touch via email as my computer crashed completely last week, and the very friendly (& expensive!) engineer who I got to try and rescue it suggested the only thing to do was reformat the Hard Drive and start again.....

 

So, nearly a week later after many hours slaving away at this computer, having managed to recover almost everything  apart from some important email messages I'm back.

 

The Orthodox Liturgy in Sheffield was a huge success and can I add my thanks to those of Fr Edwin & Fr Ian to everyone who was there. 

 

The next major service for us will be the 2nd Founders Day Requiem at St Mary's Church, Barnard Castle on 23rd July. As last year this will be the Gregorian Chant Requiem and also as last year I intend the Schola to be wearing the old choir robes which I 'rescued' from Leeds Cathedral - affectionately known as sackcloth - those of us who have worn them will know what I mean. :-)

 

Before then some of us will be singing at a Mass in Kirkham Priory on 10th July. Bernadette's looking after that one, so if/when the call comes to be asked to sing, you were tipped of here first...

 

There is also the possibility that we could be singing Compline again in Bishophill. This was so good in May that we would like to go back there and sing fairly regularly if Andrew lets us!

 

Plans for the autumn include singing Byrd 4 again, possibly up in the North-East, and another Orthodox Liturgy - this time in Leeds.

 

Next year is our 10th Anniversary! Provisionally we hope to sing Haydn's Missa Sancti Nicolai in Gateshead for the Feast of the Annunciation, Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli as it was the first piece we did, Lobo's Requiem and the small matter of a Party somewhere big enough to accommodate people who have been involved with us over the last decade...

 

If I have any more news or dates to confirm, you'll see it here first.

 

Mike

 

 

The Home of the Rudgate Singers

 

http://www.rudgatesingers.co.uk/

 

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<< Glacier Bkgrd.jpg >>

Received in the post this morning from Fr Ian, the Deacon. I won't copy the
whole letter, but thought I'd share the gist of it with you.

..Do please convey my personal thanks to the choir for a memorable
performance and for all their hard work. I know I pitched too high at one
point - profuse apologies! - but the joy of a congregation is as nothing to
the joy of a Deacon when he has the opportunity to work with a good choir.
The Cathedral Choir is much praised and has made many recordings, but to my
mind they lack fervour, and I found myself comparing them to the Rudgate
Singers, very much to the latters advantage. ..

I do hope that when you next visit Crowle or Holy Souls [Scunthorpe], I
shall be able to come along and renew auld acquaintance..

With very many thanks..

Ian


Mike



The Home of the Rudgate Singers

www.rudgatesingers.co.uk

This Saturday we will be singing our first ever choral Orthodox Liturgy in
the Crypt of Sheffield Cathedral. Our Hosts are the Russian Orthodox
Community of St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne - based in Chesterfield. The Liturgy
commences at 11.00am. If you can come, you would be very welcome and we
would be delighted to see you!



Mike



The Home of the Rudgate Singers

www.rudgatesingers.co.uk

I cannot recommend this choir highly enough! They are a superb group of
singers who specialise in singing wonderful choral music [which I'd love us
to do if we had the singers]. I was talking to Paul Gameson [their Director]
a few days ago, who told me that they are in a bit of a pickle with regard
to finances at the moment - not helped by the fact that their audiences are
sadly not as big as they could be. (If you know him, don't tell him I said
this….!) Bearing this in mind, I wholeheartedly encourage you, if you're in
the area, to come and hear - in my opinion – one of Yorkshire's finest
Chamber Choirs. It's the same day as our Russian Orthodox Liturgy in
Sheffield Cathedral, but I'm certainly going to go.
This season we celebrate our own tenth anniversary and the tercentenary of
the death of Marc-Antoine Charpentier, by exploring French sacred music from
the court of Louis XIV, and also return to the Russian Orthodox repertoire
with Rachmaninov's Liturgy of St John Chrysostom.
Charpentier: Te Deum Saturday, 4th June 2005 7.30pm North Transept, York
Minster
We are joined by past members to perform grands motets by the composers and
works that reflect the pomp and majesty of Louis XIV's court. Tickets: £10
Concession: £5 Students: £3
Mike



The Home of the Rudgate Singers

www.rudgatesingers.co.uk

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com

This message is a little late, as a result of me changing jobs and settling in to my new 'Working Environment'

I'd like to thank everybody who took part in Last Saturday's Wedding. It was a tremendous success and a splendid occasion, and I hope that we will benefit from increased publicity as a result. I hope it's put us well and truly on the map!

The next service will also be at Barnard Castle on 24th July. It's a Gregorian Chant Requiem for the Founders of the Bowes Museum, so we just need Schola [Sorry, for this occasion Blokes only] for this. The next service for which we will need the full choir - unless something comes up in between! - is a Trad Mass for the Feast of the Guardian Angels on 2nd October. This will take place at Holy Souls, Church, Scunthorpe, where we sang the Monteverdi Missa a Quatro Voci back in 2002. Suggestions will be welcomed for suitable music please [!], but the Motet at Communion is already spoken for. It'll be a setting of either Panis Angelicus, or Ecce Panis Angelorum - surprise, surprise - and definitely NOT the Portuguese Melody, if we choose the latter!

If people could let me know whether they're interested for October, I'd be grateful - the more numbers we have [so long as the voices are balanced] the juicier the Mass setting will be!

Mike

Dear Mike

After reading the previous email, does this mean the wedding at B Castle is
definitely on?

David

[Yes. But we still don't know for sure what we're singing! One plus is that the
organ is pretty good, so it would be nice to use it, but until Francis comes
back to me with a mass that both he & Julie can agree on, we remain in the
dark....]

Mike

Dear all,

I just thought I'd update you with info about what's happening after
Pickering. We have received definite invitations for specific dates/times,
as well as casual enquiries as to our availability from various churches in
the North of England. I realise we won't be able to do everything, and also
that several people will be involved in events which clash, or will not be
able to sing for other reasons, but over the last 8 years [yes, we have been
going that long!] I've noticed that's always been the case. We do what we
can, when we can, with whoever's available. This isn't a great problem so
long as we don't deviate from our original goal of singing quality sacred
music in it's proper liturgical context (or as close to it as possible). It
seems to have worked so far!

Anyway, the invitations are:

30th May 6pm SS Mary & Joseph's Church, Hedon Solemn Vespers & Benediction
for Pentecost

26th June 12pm St Mary's Church, Barnard Castle Traditional Rite wedding

24th July 12pm? St Mary's Church, Barnard Castle Solemn Requiem [Memorial]
for John & Josephine Bowes

15th August St Margaret's Church Ilkley  Mass for the Feast of the
Assumption

November St John the Evangelist, Allerton Bywater Solemn Requiem [Victoria a
6]

There may be things I've forgotten too [I hope not!] I'd be grateful to hear
from anyone wishing to sing, whether available for these dates or not, as
there are bound to be other events coming up!

Many thanks,

Mike

PS. I'm copying this to people who have never sung with us yet, because
there's always a first time.... :-)

Many thanks to everybody involved in last night's TLM in Allerton Bywater. A
huge success!

Now on to Pickering...

Mike

Dear Mike

I've not heard of Oberhoeffer but will accept your judgement. Have you
completely decided against the Palestrina?

David

Not at all! I've got no problem with Palestrina, Victoria, or anyone from that
time. Most of have sung Palestrina's Missa Brevis & Victoria's Missa 'O Quam
Gloriosum' with Rudgate, so I'd guess that they would be favourites with me for
Barnard Castle, unless someone can come up with an alternative. I'm a big fan of
Hadyn & Mozart too, and a shorter Mass by one of them could fit the bill, but I
don't know what the organ is like at the church. Also, very importantly, we're
not the only ones with any input into the music!

Mike

--- In Rudgate@yahoogroups.com, DOn8390723@a... wrote:
I'm not overly keen on the 'mix-&-match' idea of bits from several
> masses although your Dad will remember that being regularly done in
the glory
> days of St Michael's choir.

Personally, I not really keen either. I'm only flirting with the idea
because it's a wedding, and can easily be swayed by other people's
opinions if they're convincing enough! This practice must have been
fairly widespread, because it's referred to in a book I have about
music making in York [including churches] over the last 200+ years.
There's a chapter on catholic church music, particularly the set-up
at St Wilfrid's Church, where professional singers and orchestras
even, were hired to sing during High Mass each week!

I have a Mass by Oberhoeffer, who despite the name was at one time
the Choir-Master/Organist at St Wilf's sometime in the 19th Century.
I'd need other more musical opinions about its merits before
inflicting it upon Rudgate, although he was highly regarded at the
time.

Mike