The Really Big Chorus
Encyclopedia
The Really Big Chorus is Britain’s largest choral society, made up of singers from hundreds of different choirs all over the UK as well as thousands of individuals. It was founded by Don Monro.
The Really Big Chorus gathers three times a year at the Royal Albert Hall
. The flagship event is Messiah from Scratch that attracts over 3,000 singers, and there are also weekends in European cities and leisurely cruises. Any singer can take part and there are no auditions, but singers are expected to learn the music in advance.
The first concert was Messiah from Scratch, performed at the Royal Albert Hall in 1974. The conductor was Gavin Park. In 1979, the fifth anniversary of Messiah from Scratch, Park’s research took him on sabbatical to the USA. David Willcocks was approached and agreed to conduct.
Park gracefully deferred and played cello in the orchestra until his early death from cancer. From this point Messiah from Scratch became an event organised primarily for the benefit of choral singers, and the roster of works performed at the Royal Albert Hall grew. By the end of the 1990s, Requiem
s by Brahms, Mozart, Fauré
and Verdi were taking their place alongside performances of Orff
’s Carmina Burana
, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and Vivaldi’s Gloria
.
In 1993, following David Willcocks’ advice, Don Monro decided to lift the standard of performances even further by employing a professional orchestra. The English Festival Orchestra (founded by Trevor Ford) was already known to Sir David through its work with the Leith Hill Musical Festival of which Sir David was the president.
At a summer event in 1999, The Really Big Chorus gave the first performances of Sing!, a new composition by Sir David, a choral setting of his own words to Widor’s Toccata, which was played on the Royal Albert Hall organ by Jane Watts, with additional material for the orchestra. The concert marked Sir David’s 50th performance with TRBC.
In May 2010, a Scratch Celebration Concert for Sir David Willcocks was held as he conducted his final concert for The Really Big Chorus. Guest speaker was Brian Kay
and special guests were the Choir of Kings’ College Cambridge, conducted by Stephen Cleobury
.
The Really Big Chorus first worked with Brian Kay in July 2005, in a performance of Carmina Burana. In November 2010, he conducted his first Messiah from Scratch. Kay has now been appointed principal conductor.
In July 2010 TRBC singers performed the world premiere of Karl Jenkins
’ Gloria, a work commissioned by The Really Big Chorus. His work The Armed Man had been performed at the Royal Albert Hall by TRBC in July 2008. On 11 September 2011, Karl will conduct TRBC singers in a memorial concert of The Armed Man at the Avery Fisher Hall
(part of the Lincoln Center), New York.
http://trbc.co.uk
The Really Big Chorus gathers three times a year at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
. The flagship event is Messiah from Scratch that attracts over 3,000 singers, and there are also weekends in European cities and leisurely cruises. Any singer can take part and there are no auditions, but singers are expected to learn the music in advance.
The first concert was Messiah from Scratch, performed at the Royal Albert Hall in 1974. The conductor was Gavin Park. In 1979, the fifth anniversary of Messiah from Scratch, Park’s research took him on sabbatical to the USA. David Willcocks was approached and agreed to conduct.
Park gracefully deferred and played cello in the orchestra until his early death from cancer. From this point Messiah from Scratch became an event organised primarily for the benefit of choral singers, and the roster of works performed at the Royal Albert Hall grew. By the end of the 1990s, Requiem
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
s by Brahms, Mozart, Fauré
Faure
Faure or Fauré is a French family name and may refer to:People:* Edgar Faure, French politician* Élie Faure, French art historian and essayist* Émile Alphonse Faure, lead battery pioneer* Cédric Fauré, French football striker...
and Verdi were taking their place alongside performances of Orff
Orff
Orff can refer to:*Carl Orff, a German composer, known for his teaching method, the Orff Schulwerk.**Orff Schulwerk encompasses the Orff instruments and teaching methods for children....
’s Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana , Latin for "Songs from Beuern" , is the name given to a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century. The pieces were written principally in Medieval Latin; a few in Middle High German, and some with traces...
, Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius and Vivaldi’s Gloria
Gloria
-In Christian liturgy and music:*Gloria in Excelsis Deo, the main doxology or hymn of the Roman Catholic and Anglican Mass, and also known as the Great Doxology in the Eastern Orthodox Church...
.
In 1993, following David Willcocks’ advice, Don Monro decided to lift the standard of performances even further by employing a professional orchestra. The English Festival Orchestra (founded by Trevor Ford) was already known to Sir David through its work with the Leith Hill Musical Festival of which Sir David was the president.
At a summer event in 1999, The Really Big Chorus gave the first performances of Sing!, a new composition by Sir David, a choral setting of his own words to Widor’s Toccata, which was played on the Royal Albert Hall organ by Jane Watts, with additional material for the orchestra. The concert marked Sir David’s 50th performance with TRBC.
In May 2010, a Scratch Celebration Concert for Sir David Willcocks was held as he conducted his final concert for The Really Big Chorus. Guest speaker was Brian Kay
Brian Kay
Brian Kay is an English radio presenter, conductor and singer. He is well known as the bass in the King's Singers during the group's formative years from 1968 until 1982, and as such is to be heard on many of their 1970s LP recordings...
and special guests were the Choir of Kings’ College Cambridge, conducted by Stephen Cleobury
Stephen Cleobury
Stephen Cleobury CBE is an English organist and conductor. He was organ scholar at St John's College, Cambridge and sub-organist of Westminster Abbey before becoming Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral in 1979...
.
The Really Big Chorus first worked with Brian Kay in July 2005, in a performance of Carmina Burana. In November 2010, he conducted his first Messiah from Scratch. Kay has now been appointed principal conductor.
In July 2010 TRBC singers performed the world premiere of Karl Jenkins
Karl Jenkins
-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
’ Gloria, a work commissioned by The Really Big Chorus. His work The Armed Man had been performed at the Royal Albert Hall by TRBC in July 2008. On 11 September 2011, Karl will conduct TRBC singers in a memorial concert of The Armed Man at the Avery Fisher Hall
Avery Fisher Hall
Avery Fisher Hall is a concert hall, in New York City and is part of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex. It is the home of the New York Philharmonic, with a capacity of 2,738 seats.-History:...
(part of the Lincoln Center), New York.
http://trbc.co.uk