City of Birmingham Choir
Encyclopedia
The City of Birmingham Choir is a large, well-established, choral society based in Birmingham
, UK. It promotes five or more concerts each season, mostly in Symphony Hall
or Town Hall
Birmingham. Many of its concerts are accompanied by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
. Occasional concerts take place elsewhere, such as in Tewkesbury Abbey
or Worcester Cathedral
. The choir also participates in other organisations' concerts, e.g. centenary performances of Edward Elgar's great oratorios Dream of Gerontius, The Apostles
, and The Kingdom
with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
and the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus
under previous conductor Sakari Oramo
.
Rehearsals take place at the Friends' Meeting House, Bull Street in central Birmingham on Tuesday evenings from 6.30 - 8.30 pm.
The choir's conductor and music director (since 2002) is Adrian Lucas
.
The City of Birmingham Choir was founded in March 1921 and its first president was no less a figure than Sir Granville Bantock
, who was Principal of what was then called the Birmingham and Midland Institute School of Music, and who was a recognised composer in his own right. The new Choir presented its first concert at the Town Hall on the 28th of November, conducted by Joseph Lewis.
Later conductors included G D Cunningham, David Willcocks (1950-57) and Meredith Davies (1957-64), and then Christopher Robinson
(1964-2002).
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, UK. It promotes five or more concerts each season, mostly in Symphony Hall
Symphony Hall
Symphony Hall usually refers to:* Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, USAIt may also refer to:Concert Halls* Allentown Symphony Hall in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA* Phoenix Symphony Hall in Phoenix, Arizona, USA...
or Town Hall
Birmingham Town Hall
Birmingham Town Hall is a Grade I listed concert and meeting venue in Victoria Square, Birmingham, England. It was created as a home for the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival established in 1784, the purpose of which was to raise funds for the General Hospital, after St Philip's Church became...
Birmingham. Many of its concerts are accompanied by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
. Occasional concerts take place elsewhere, such as in Tewkesbury Abbey
Tewkesbury Abbey
The Abbey of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Tewkesbury in the English county of Gloucestershire is the second largest parish church in the country and a former Benedictine monastery.-History:...
or Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
. The choir also participates in other organisations' concerts, e.g. centenary performances of Edward Elgar's great oratorios Dream of Gerontius, The Apostles
The Apostles
The Apostles are an experimental punk rock band who developed within the confines of the 1980s Anarcho Punk scene in the UK, but did not necessarily adhere to the aesthetics of that movement.-History:...
, and The Kingdom
The Kingdom (Elgar)
The Kingdom, Op. 51, is an oratorio for soloists, chorus and orchestra composed by Edward Elgar.It was first performed at the Birmingham Music Festival on 3 October 1906, with the orchestra conducted by the composer, and soloists Agnes Nicholls, Muriel Foster, John Coates and William Higley. The...
with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra is a British orchestra based in Birmingham, England. The Orchestra's current chief executive, appointed in 1999, is Stephen Maddock...
and the City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus
City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus
The CBSO Chorus is a chorus based in Birmingham, England. It is regarded as one of the finest symphony choruses in Europe.It was founded in 1974 as the CBSO Chorus, but between 1995 and 2009 was known officially as The City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus...
under previous conductor Sakari Oramo
Sakari Oramo
Sakari Markus Oramo OBE is a Finnish conductor.Oramo started his career as a violinist and concertmaster of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In 1989, he enrolled in Jorma Panula's conducting class at the Sibelius Academy...
.
Rehearsals take place at the Friends' Meeting House, Bull Street in central Birmingham on Tuesday evenings from 6.30 - 8.30 pm.
The choir's conductor and music director (since 2002) is Adrian Lucas
Adrian Lucas
Adrian Lucas is an English conductor and organist. He is artistic director of the Worcester Three Choirs Festival.He became organist and director of music at Worcester Cathedral in 1996. He is also conductor of the Worcester Festival Choral Society and musical director of the City of Birmingham Choir...
.
The City of Birmingham Choir was founded in March 1921 and its first president was no less a figure than Sir Granville Bantock
Granville Bantock
Sir Granville Bantock was a British composer of classical music.-Biography:Granville Ransome Bantock was born in London. His father was a Scottish doctor. He was intended by his parents for the Indian Civil Service but was drawn into the musical world. His first teacher was Dr Gordon Saunders at...
, who was Principal of what was then called the Birmingham and Midland Institute School of Music, and who was a recognised composer in his own right. The new Choir presented its first concert at the Town Hall on the 28th of November, conducted by Joseph Lewis.
Later conductors included G D Cunningham, David Willcocks (1950-57) and Meredith Davies (1957-64), and then Christopher Robinson
Christopher Robinson (musician)
Christopher John Robinson CVO CBE is a British conductor and organist. After being organ scholar at Christ Church, Oxford he worked as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Worcester Cathedral. In 1974 he became Organist and Choirmaster at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle a position he held...
(1964-2002).