Sunday

October 22, 2023
  • 09:30
    Session 5a: Voices and instruments, the period-performance dilemma. With Martin Ashley and Bill Hunt

    We're all used to historical instruments in performance, but what about the voices that performed the music when it was written? Editor of abcd's Choral Research Journal Professor Martin Ashley is joined by William Hunt (founder member of Fretwork), who discusses his Orlando Gibbons Project, which has brought together leading performers in the field of early seventeenth century music, including a group of leading 'period' singers with the historically ideal voice types to perform verse anthems with viols. What voices did he use? How might this influence conductors leading amateur choirs - and what are the implications for singers? There will be time for discussion, and for practical singing at modern and historical pitches.

  • 09:30
    Session 5b: Repertoire discovery III - music by self-published member & exhibitor composers

    In the third of our repertoire discovery sessions, discover new music written and self-published by our member and exhibitor composers for youth and adult choirs of all kinds. In most cases the composers will introduce the pieces themselves, so this is a lovely way to explore new music directly with its composer.

  • 09:30
    Session 5c: The teacher as musical leader. With Sue Hollingworth

    A practical session showing how teaching and leading music can be realised through a variety of different skills. abcd's Vice-President Sue Hollingworth covers strategies ranging from pitch scaffolding and solfa hand signs, to kinaesthetic gestures, movement and simple beat patterns in order to equip teachers with a broad range of useful singing leadership skills. Sue has a lifetime of experience in music education, as Musical Director of Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir and as leader of numerous education projects, so there is no one better to give a helping hand to teachers who may feel out of their depth! Come and be inspired and enlightened by the potential of your musical making in classrooms, school assemblies, performances and playgrounds.

  • 10:30
    Coffee, networking and exhibition

  • 11:00
    Session 6a: A lost repertoire: multi-choir music from seventeenth century Rome (and elsewhere). With Robert Hollingworth

    We're delighted to welcome Robert back to Convention, to talk about some very different seventeenth century music. Robert takes us through the various types of multi-choir music from the 16th and 17th centuries, introducing sumptuous 4-choir masses from 17th century Rome, which should be manageable with a medium-sized UK choir. With an introduction to I Fagiolini's world premiere recording of Orazio Benevoli's Missa 'Tu es Petrus' for four choirs, and other works from Venice, Catalunia and South America (including pdf scores to take away for participants). Listen to a snippet of the recording here. Aside from his award-winning work with I Fagiolini, Robert is a conductor, broadcaster, educator, editor, Monteverdi specialist and festival director. He has written and presented programmes on BBC Radio 3 and more recently created over 30 episodes of the YouTube choral series SingTheScore as well as founding and co-presenting the UK's top choral podcast series, Choral Chihuahua, with Eamonn Dougan and Nicholas Mulroy. He is also Reader in Music at the University of York where he directs 'The 24' and runs an MA in Solo-Voice Ensemble Singing.

  • 11:00
    Session 6b: Repertoire discovery IV - secular music for adult voices. With Tom Leech

    In the last of our repertoire discovery sessions, discover new secular music for adult choirs of all kinds. You'll be able to sing highlights with Tom, and you can explore the full range on our website. Tom is the Director of the Diocese of Leeds’ internationally acclaimed Schools Singing Programme as well as Musical Director of Bradford Festival Choral Society.

  • 11:00
    Session 6c: including all. With Diane Paterson, Yorkshire Association for Music & Special Educational Needs

    This session will look at strategies for including young people and adults with additional needs invarious types of choirs, from the choir exclusively for those with learning difficulties and autism to community choirs and more advanced groups. This will be an interactive session with opportunities to share ideas and exploreways forward.
     
    YAMSEN is the Yorkshire Association for Music and Special Educational Needs, dedicated to and expert in creating inclusive opportunities around music, with members comprising teachers, volunteers, artists, musicians, and other participants with and without additional needs.

  • 12:15
    Final plenary: Feel the Spirit! With John Rutter and Melanie Marshall

    Finish your weekend in rousing style with a sing led by our President of Feel the Spirit, a cycle of seven familiar spirituals expertly arranged by John. We'll be joined by mezzo soprano Melanie Marshall, for whom the set was written - not to be missed!

  • 13:15
    Lunch and farewells