Choral Season supported by

www.leedsphil.org

Welcome to our 2015/16 choral season programme.

Until we look at it from every angle.

Our season of choral concerts starts with an invitation from the 22nd International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival in Harrogate to participate in a performance of Sullivan’s masterpiece The Golden Legend, written originally for the Leeds Musical Festival of 1886. ‘The Phil’ presented the centenary performance of this work to great acclaim under the baton of Sir Charles Mackerras as part of the 1986 LICS Season. This 2015 performance will take place in Ripon Cathedral.

Bringing a vision to life takes time. It needs to be nurtured.

For our November concert we join with the Manchester Camerata to present an all-Mozart programme pairing the Requiem with the Symphony No 40 and the little-known Splendente te, Deus. 2015 ends with the traditional seasonal fun of The Lord Mayor’s Carols.

At UBS, it’s our vision to create strong, open and long-lasting relationships. Yes, we offer tailor-made investment solutions. And we can put the expertise and resources of a truly integrated, global firm at your disposal. But what really matters is our connection with our client. Our relationship with you.

The value of an investment and the income from it can fall as well as rise as a result of market and currency fluctuations and you may not get back the amount originally invested. UBS AG is authorised and regulated by Financial Market Supervisory Authority in Switzerland. In the United Kingdom, UBS AG is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and is subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority are available from us on request. Andrew Aitken UBS Wealth Management 8th Floor, Minerva 29 East Parade Leeds, LS1 2ES Tel: 0113 301 8008

In June the Leeds International Concert Season comes to a majestic conclusion with a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No 8. We are delighted to be taking part in this, only the second performance of the work in Leeds Town Hall, with the Orchestra of Opera North, Leeds Festival Chorus and Bradford Catholic Youth Choir. Our final concert for the Season is Simple Gifts – Songs of Old America given in the Priory Church at Bolton Abbey. Our season of choral concerts is being supported by UBS. The Leeds Phil is very grateful for the support they and other sponsors are providing.

To you, our audience, thank you for your past support... we look forward to welcoming you again this season. We also look forward to welcoming new audience members as we present this season of varied choral works. In association with

We will not rest www.ubs.com

© UBS 2015. All rights reserved.

In February 2016 we present a complete performance of Rachmaninov’s All Night Vigil (often called the Vespers) in the splendid acoustic of St Anne’s Cathedral. We pair this profound choral work with Britten’s Third Suite for solo cello. Also in February, the Phil will be singing at the opening of the Leeds Lion Annual Conference.

w w w. l e e d s p h i l . o r g

3

Saturday 15 August 2015, 7.30pm

About us

RIPON CATHEDRAL Director of Music: David Hill Chorus Master: Richard Wilberforce

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus

Established in 1870, the Leeds Philharmonic Chorus – affectionately known as the Phil – has been a continuous and integral part of the local music scene, performing with world-class orchestras, conductors and soloists, both for the people of Leeds and beyond. Its repertoire covers everything from traditional and well-known large-scale choral works to modern and lesser-known works, including specially-commissioned new compositions. A highlight was the 2007 world première, in Leeds Town Hall, of The Brontë Mass by distinguished Yorkshire-born composer Philip Wilby. In addition to its Town Hall appearances, the Phil regularly performs in other major UK concert venues: the Symphony Hall, Birmingham, the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and the Sage Centre at Gateshead, while its biennial overseas tours have taken it to important musical cities throughout northern Europe, including Prague, Krakow, Budapest and Vienna. Its distinguished past musical directors have included Sir Charles Stanford,

Sir Edward Bairstow, Sir Malcolm Sargent, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Charles Groves and Richard Hickox. The Chorus was delighted when David Hill became its Music Director in May 2005, thus continuing the tradition of leadership by the most eminent British choral conductors of the day. The Chorus has recorded CDs of Stanford’s Stabat Mater and Te Deum (Chandos), Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast (Naxos) and Handel’s Messiah (CMI Records). Many of its concerts have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in conjunction with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

Piccadilly Symphony Orchestra

Presented by The Sullivan Society as part of the 22nd International Gilbert and Sulivan Festival

Sullivan

James Hendry

The Golden Legend

Sylvia Clarke mezzo soprano

Bruce Graham baritone

Sullivan The Golden Legend

The Phil’s President is Dr Ingrid Roscoe, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for West Yorkshire.

“In a venue that is usually the graveyard of clear diction, every word was so immaculately clear”

conductor and musical co-ordinator for the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival

For more concert information see www.gsfestivals.org

JAMES HENDRY

SYLVIA CLARKE

Yorkshire Evening Post

“This performance contained power and introspection... a meaningful performance, full of integrity.” The Guardian

4

LEEDS PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

BRUCE GRAHAM

Tickets: £20, from www.gsfestivals.org w w w. l e e d s p h i l . o r g

5

Saturday 21 November 2015, 7.30pm

Thursday 17 December 2015, 6.30pm and 8.30pm

LEEDS TOWN HALL

LEEDS TOWN HALL

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus

Manchester Camerata

Rothwell Temperance Band

Presented by

Mozart

Grant Llewellyn conductor

Requiem

Rebecca Evans soprano

Lord Mayor’s Carol Concerts

Catherine Wyn Rogers

Introduced and conducted by

Simon Lindley Richard Wilberforce chorus master

Alan Horsey

mezzo soprano

organ

John Daszak

Celebrate Christmas at Leeds Town Hall’s annual family carol concerts.

tenor

Stephan Loges

After the concert there will be a collection for the Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal. The Lord Mayor’s chosen charity for 2015/16 is Specialist Autism Services.

bass

Mozart Splendente te, Deus Mozart Symphony No 40 GRANT LLEWELLYN

REBECCA EVANS

JOHN DASZAK

STEPHAN LOGES

Mozart Requiem

SIMON LINDLEY

Free pre-concert talk by Catherine Tackley at 6.45pm

6

LEEDS PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

Tickets: £16.50 – £33.50

ALAN HORSEY

Tickets: £5, available from Box Office ROTHWELL TEMPERANCE BAND

Concessions £2.50 w w w. l e e d s p h i l . o r g

7

Saturday 20 February 2016, 8pm

Saturday 4 June 2016, 7.30pm

ST ANNE’S CATHEDRAL

LEEDS TOWN HALL

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus Orchestra of Opera North Leeds Festival Chorus Bradford Catholic Youth Choir Presented by

Presented by Leeds Phil

Rachmaninov All Night Vigil (Vespers)

Richard Wilberforce conductor

Nicholas Trygstad

Principal Cellist with the Hallé Rachmaninov All-Night Vigil (aka Vespers) Op 37

Mahler

David Hill

Symphony No 8 (Symphony of a Thousand)

conductor

Lee Bisset soprano

Katherine Broderick soprano

Kate Valentine

Britten Third Suite for Solo Cello

soprano

Sarah Castle mezzo soprano

Madeleine Shaw mezzo soprano

Peter Wedd tenor DAVID HILL

RICHARD WILBERFORCE

LEE BISSET

Michael Druiett bass

Andrew Foster Williams baritone

Mahler Symphony No 8 (Symphony of a Thousand) Free pre-concert talk by Dan Holden at 6.45pm NICHOLAS TRYGSTAD

8

ST ANNE’S CATHEDRAL

LEEDS PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

Tickets: £15, available on the door

MADELEINE SHAW

MICHAEL DRUIETT

Tickets: £18 – £45 w w w. l e e d s p h i l . o r g

9

Saturday 25 June 2016, 7.30pm

Friends of the Phil

Sponsorship and Legacies

Leeds Philharmonic Society, like many other cultural organisations, has at its heart a loyal band of Friends who act as a conduit for encouraging support, for keeping interested people informed about the Chorus and who help to raise much needed funds. The Friends help the Chorus to promote its performances and to bring new audiences to support its objective of promoting choral music to the public.

As a registered charity, Leeds Philharmonic Chorus does not receive government funding or any other endowments other than members’ subscriptions (which generally only cover music hire and the fees of its professional music team). The cost of performing great music continues to rise, and therefore, particularly in the case of its ownpromotion concerts where it must meet all the costs of publicity, venue/orchestra hire and soloists, the Chorus relies on outside funding to help it continue to perform on a regular basis with the highest-quality orchestras, conductors and soloists.

BOLTON PRIORY CHURCH

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus

Presented by Leeds Phil

Simple Gifts

Songs of Old America

Richard Wilberforce conductor

Alan Horsey piano and organ

Including Shaker Songs and Tippet Spirituals See our website for further details of the concert nearer to the date. The performance will be part of the Bolton Priory Summer Concert Series 2016.

The Friends’ membership consists of many loyal spouses, partners, friends and former members who regularly come to the Phil’s performances, and who welcome the chance to lend their support. In return they are kept informed of our activities by means of letters from the Friends’ Secretary and Chorus Newsletters. Joining the Friends of the Phil is a way of expressing a belief in the value of maintaining high standards of live choral music in Leeds. For further information about joining the Friends of the Phil please email Rosemary O’Dea via [email protected]. Or visit www.leedsphil.org.

The Chorus is therefore very grateful for the generosity of its commercial and other sponsors, as well as to the people who leave it a legacy. Your association with the Phil may be as a singer past or present, or as an audience member who has enjoyed our concerts. Becoming a sponsor or leaving a legacy is a chance to show how much you have valued this association and what the Chorus has given to you, perhaps over many years. For over 145 years Leeds Philharmonic Chorus has been at the heart of choral music in Leeds. Your support, either as a sponsor or benefactor through legacy, will help to sustain the future of the Chorus for forthcoming generations of singers and concert-goers. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or in leaving a legacy, please email [email protected] – or visit www.leedphil.org/support-us

BOLTON PRIORY

RICHARD WILBERFORCE

10

Recently the Phil has partnered with the ‘give as you live’ website. By means of a simple sign-up you can help support the Phil every time you buy goods online from many retailers. To sign up visit www.giveasyoulive.com/ join/leedsphilharmonicsociety.

ALAN HORSEY

LEEDS PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

Tickets: £10, available on the door w w w. l e e d s p h i l . o r g

11

Come and join us

Open rehearsals Come along to a St George’s evening session on one of the dates below... Thursday 1 October 2015 Open rehearsal for Mozart Requiem Thursday 7 January 2016 Open rehearsal for Rachmaninov Vespers Thursday 10 March 2016 Open rehearsal for Mahler Symphony No 8 If you have your own music scores please bring them.

Do you love singing? Would you like a chance to 1 Sing with professional conductors and orchestras? 1 Perform as part of the Leeds International Concert Season? 1 Receive musical development and training? 1 Perform large-scale choral works from a varied repertoire? 1 Sing on European tours?

12

LEEDS PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

If you are interested in joining the Chorus, come and meet us at one of our rehearsals, held every Thursday evening, starting this season on 10 September 2015. ST GEORGE’S CHURCH Great George Street, Leeds LS1 3BR (adjacent to Leeds General Infirmary)

Saturday 5 December 2015 Come and Sing Christmas Music Open to anyone who would like to have a sing with us, and receive musical development and training. Fee for the day £10 to non-members to cover music hire and refreshments.

Free parking for rehearsals is currently available at Josephs Well. Across the footbridge over the Inner Ring Road.

For more information visit www.leedsphil.org/join

w w w. l e e d s p h i l . o r g

Come and sing day

Please contact Jill via [email protected] or 01274 607832 for further details. 12

w w w. l e e d s p h i l . o r g

13

Booking Information

Access

For concerts at Leeds Town Hall By Telephone

0113 224 3801

The Booking Line is open from 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Online

www.leedsconcertseason.com

Patrons with disabilities and their essential carers may obtain two tickets for the price of one. There is full wheelchair access to Leeds Town Hall and wheelchair-accessible toilet facilities on all floors. A number of spaces in the seating area are reserved for wheelchair use. Please let the Box Office know when booking of any special access requirement.

In Person

City Centre Box Office The Carriageworks, The Electric Press, 3 Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 3AD E-mail: [email protected] The Box Office is open to personal callers from 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Concessions Over 60s: £1.50 reduction on all tickets. Under 18s, unwaged, full-time students: 50% reduction on all tickets.

Leeds Town Hall is equipped with a closed loop system for the hard of hearing.

A number of free parking spaces are reserved at the front of the Town Hall for blue badge-holders. Support dogs are welcome.

Group Bookings Discounts are available for groups of ten or more. Please contact the Box Office for details.

£5 Standby Tickets for Under 26s If you’re under 26 you can buy tickets in rows 1 – 7 for £5 in the seven days before a concert (subject to availability).

For Phil promotion concerts From Members of the Chorus Tickets can be bought through individual members of the chorus for our own-promotion concert. Speak to Phil members you know directly or contact [email protected]. The Phil honours all the offers under concessions as listed above. 14

LEEDS PHILHARMONIC CHORUS

w w w. l e e d s p h i l . o r g

15

LeedsPhil @leedsphil

www.leedsphil.org 16

LEEDS PHILHARMONIC CHORUS