Con Anima Chamber Choir

Saturday

09 December 2017

7.30pm, St Andrew’s Cathedral, King Street, Aberdeen

This December Con Anima present a concert of festive music conducted by Dr Roger B Williams (MBE) in St Andrew’s Cathedral, King Street, Aberdeen.

Music performed will focus around Poulenc’s Four Motets for Christmas Time: O Magnum Mysterium (O Great Mystery), Quem Vidistis, Pastores? (What did you see, Shepherds?), Videntes Stellam (See the Star), and Hodie Christus natus est (Christ is Born Today). The rest of the concert will explore settings of these texts and related themes, including works by Lauridsen, Byrd, Sweelinck, and Mathias.

Also featuring will be the world premiere of a piece, commissioned to fit with the theme of the concert, by University of Aberdeen PhD composition student Sarah Rimkus.

The concert will be accompanied on the organ by Prof. Andrew Morrisson.

Tickets: £10 / £5 (student/child) available from Aberdeen Box Office (www.aberdeenperformingarts.com or 01224 641122) or members of the choir.

Saturday, 01 April 2017

7.30pm, St Machar’s Cathedral

Our spring concert for 2017 has a 20th century, Northern focus – choral music by composers from Britain and North-West Europe.

Travel with us on our celestial exploration, through the serene spacious soundscapes of Knut Nystedt, Eriks Esenvalds, and Ola Gjeilo, the jubilant exuberance of  William Mathias and William Walton, the cool heights and lush craggy glens of Herbert Sumsion and Jonathan Dove.

The centre-piece of the concert will be a performance of Kenneth Leighton’s magnificent Mass for Double Choir ; join us for our concert guided by the Seven Stars of The Plough as it swings around the Northern sky.

The concert will be conducted by Aberdeen’s own Sam Paul, with Amy Birse on violin, and organ accompaniment provided by Prof. Andrew Morrisson.

Tickets: £10 / £8 concessions / £5 students, available from Aberdeen Box Office (www.aberdeenperformingarts.com or 01224 641122).

Saturday

10 December 2016

7.30pm, Fyvie Castle

For Christmas 2016, Con Anima present a festive evening of music and readings conducted by Anne Hingston in the historic music gallery of NTS Fyvie Castle.

Music performed will include traditional Christmas favourites such as Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing, Silent Night, and O Come All Ye Faithful, with modern Christmas classic such as John Rutter’s Shepherd’s Pipe Carol, and Bob Chilcott’s arrangement of Jingle Bells – there will be something for every taste!

The concert will be accompanied by Ben Torrie, and include seasonal refreshments in the stylist surrounds of the Fyvie Castle dining room during the interval.

Tickets: £10 / £8 / £5 available from Fyvie Castle (01651 891266 or online) – booking essential.

A shorter version of Con Anima’s 2016 Christmas concert will also be performed earlier on the same day, in Udny Green Church:

Saturday

10 December 2016

2pm, Udny Green Church

Thanks to the support of Udny Community Trust, Con Anima are also presenting a shorter, free concert of festive music and readings also conducted by Anne Hingston at Udny Green Church.

Music performed will include traditional Christmas favourites such as Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing, Silent Night, and O Come All Ye Faithful, with modern Christmas classic such as John Rutter’s Shepherd’s Pipe Carol, and Bob Chilcott’s arrangement of Jingle Bells – there will be something for every taste!

The concert will be accompanied by Ben Torrie, and will be followed by refreshments provided by Udny and Pitmedden Parish Church.

FREE Admission

Sunday

13 November 2016

7pm, St Andrew’s Cathedral, King Street, Aberdeen

This autumn Con Anima present a concert of music and readings focusing on remembrance and peace conducted by internationally renowned composer Prof. Paul Mealor.

Befitting the occasion of remembrance day the music will be reflective and quietly beautiful, honouring those fallen in conflict and reflecting the desire for lasting peace. The repertoire will include Paul Mealor’s own ‘In Flanders Field’, Maurice Durufle’s ‘Ubi caritas’, Sir John Tavener’s ‘Song for Athene’, and works by Parry, Ireland, Stanford, Karl Jenkins.

Con Anima are also proud to present a new choral piece commissioned from Aberdeen University PhD student and composer Mike Merrill.

The concert will be accompanied by organist Prof. Andrew Morrisson, with cellist Gareth John, and include readings for remembrance.

Tickets: £12 / £10 

available from Aberdeen Box Office ( 01224 641122  www.aberdeenperformingarts.com ) or choir members.

This concert will also be performed the day before, in Crathie Parish Church, Ballater:

Saturday

12 November 2016

6.30pm, Crathie Parish Church, Ballater

This autumn Con Anima present a concert of music and readings focusing on remembrance and peace conducted by internationally renowned composer Prof. Paul Mealor.

Befitting the occasion of remembrance day the music will be reflective and quietly beautiful, honouring those fallen in conflict and reflecting the desire for lasting peace. The repertoire will include Paul Mealor’s own ‘In Flanders Field’, Maurice Durufle’s ‘Ubi caritas’, Sir John Tavener’s ‘Song for Athene’, and works by Parry, Ireland, Stanford, Karl Jenkins.

Con Anima are also proud to present a new choral piece commissioned from Aberdeen University PhD student and composer Mike Merrill.

The concert will be accompanied by organist Prof. Andrew Morrisson, with cellist Gareth John, and include readings for remembrance.

Tickets: £12 / £10, available in advance by phoning 01339 742208, or at the door.

Saturday, 20 August 2016

Workshop – 10:30am~5:30pm

Concert – 7pm,

Ruthrieston West Church, Broomhill Road, Aberdeen

Come and sing Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem with Con Anima Chamber Choir, conductor John Hudson, and accompanied by Jeremy Coleman.

Following our concert of the work earlier in the year, join us during the daytime workshops to learn the music, and then for a concert performance in the evening.  Lunch, refreshments, and music hire will be provided for those attending the workshop.

Ranked by some as his greatest work, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem is one of the most beloved of the great choral compositions. The description ‘Deutsches’ refers to the German language, and perhaps Lutheran traditions, but Brahms commented, “I will admit that I could happily omit the ‘German’ and simply say ‘Human’.” Not a liturgical composition, it is Brahms’ setting of his own selection of texts from the Lutheran Bible, “for the comforting of the living, rather than the souls of the dead”.

Join us there to sing this profound and moving masterpiece.

Singers: £15 / 10 (concessions)

Audience: £5 

To register your interest, or for more information, please email info@conanima.org.uk or fill in the application form.

Saturday

19 March 2016

8pm, St Machar’s Cathedral, Old Aberdeen

Ranked by some as his greatest work, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem is one of the most beloved of the great choral compositions. The description ‘Deutsches’ refers to the German language, and perhaps Lutheran traditions, but Brahms commented, “I will admit that I could happily omit the ‘German’ and simply say ‘Human’.” Not a liturgical composition, it is Brahms’ setting of his own selection of texts from the Lutheran Bible, “for the comforting of the living, rather than the souls of the dead”.

Con Anima will be accompanied by its own Chamber Orchestra, led by Guera Maunder, and joined by soloists Judith Howarth and Andrew McTaggart, under the direction of conductor John Frederick Hudson, in the inspiring St. Machar’s Cathedral, Old Aberdeen.

Join us there to hear this profound and moving masterpiece.

Tickets: £12 / 10 / 5
from Aberdeen Box Office ( 01224 641122  www.aberdeenperformingarts.com ) or choir members.

Saturday

12 December 2015

7.30pm, St Andrew’s Cathedral, King Street, Aberdeen

This December the second performance of our Christmas concert will include Christmas favourites like Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing, Deck the Hall, and The Twelve Days of Christmas, alongside modern Christmas music such as John Rutter’s Candlelight Carol, Bob Chilcott’s arrangement of On Christmas Night, and selections from Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols – there will certainly be something for everyone!.

Con Anima are delighted to announce proceeds from this year’s concerts will be donated to Aberdeen Cyrenians. Aberdeen Cyrenians Fundraising Officer Nicky MacBeath said: “We are absolutely delighted Con Anima Chamber Choir have chosen us to receive the proceeds of this year’s Christmas concerts.”

Con Anima will be conducted by Dr Roger B Williams MBE, with accompaniment on piano/organ by Drew Tulloch, at St Andrew’s Cathedral, King Street,  in the heart of Aberdeen.

The concert will be interspersed with readings of poems by poets from the North-East and Dunbar.

Admission: Free, donations welcome

Friday

11 December 2015

7.30pm at Fyvie Castle

This December our first Christmas concert will include Christmas favourites like Hark! The Herald-Angels Sing, Deck the Hall, and The Twelve Days of Christmas, alongside modern Christmas music such as John Rutter’s Candlelight Carol, Bob Chilcott’s arrangement of On Christmas Night, and selections from Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols – there will certainly be something for everyone!.

Con Anima are delighted to announce proceeds from this year’s concerts will be donated to Aberdeen Cyrenians. Aberdeen Cyrenians Fundraising Officer Nicky MacBeath said: “We are absolutely delighted Con Anima Chamber Choir have chosen us to receive the proceeds of this year’s Christmas concerts.”

Con Anima will be conducted by Dr Roger B Williams MBE, with accompaniment on piano/organ by Drew Tulloch, in the historic music gallery of NTS Fyvie Castle.

The concert will be interspersed with seasonal readings.

Tickets £10/8/5

Sunday

08 November 2015

7.45pm, St Andrew’s Cathedral, King Street, Aberdeen

This year, our autumn concert will explore two important and prolific eras of British music: the Tudor period & the early 20th century. Secular and sacred works by Tudor composers such as Thomas Weelkes & William Byrd, and 20^th century composers such as Gerald Finzi and Herbert Howells will be performed, including Howells’ undoubted masterpiece “Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing”.

Con Anima chamber choir will be conducted by Peter Parfitt, and accompanied by Andrew Morrisson on organ, in the historic Cathedral of St. Andrew, Aberdeen.

Tickets £10 (£8 conc.) from Aberdeen Box Office ( 01224 641122 www.aberdeenperformingarts.com ) or from choir members.

Saturday
21 March 2015

7.30pm, St Machar’s Cathedral, Old Aberdeen

This concert moves from the confidence and jubilant resonance of the trumpets and drums of J.S. Bach’s Magnificat through his extrovert third Suite – with its famous Air – to Maurice Duruflé’s more searching and inward-looking Requiem. In this, it mirrors the drama of Holy Week which follows just ten days later.

The outstanding chamber choir Con Anima, will be accompanied by its own Chamber Orchestra, led by Jean Fletcher, in the inspiring Cathedral of St. Machar. Soloists will include Colin Brockie and members of the choir. The concert will be conducted by Roger B. Williams.

Tickets £12 (£10 conc.) from Aberdeen Box Office ( 01224 641122 www.boxofficeaberdeen.com ) or choir members.