My year in the Chamber Choir

This academic year, I have been extremely privileged to be part of the Durham University Chamber Choir, which is undoubtedly the best choir I have ever sung with. Known for performing technically challenging music, the choir has developed a reputation for its excellence. It comprises twenty-four singers who are re-auditioned annually. The choir attracts many of the finest choral singers in Durham University and around two hundred people audition every year. It comes as no surprise that I could not believe my ears when I received a call from the conductor that I got in. I was absolutely thrilled and could not wait for what promised to be a year full of amazing singing.

Durham University Chamber Choir before the final Cathedral concert. The repertoire of the choir consists of a wide variety of works from both secular and sacred traditions, and ranges from classical choral singing to modern close-harmony arrangements. The choir works toward the performance of three main concerts during the academic year alongside numerous smaller performances. This year, one of the highlights was a performance of Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles in the second term. Written for astonishing seventeen parts, the piece is based on the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage across Europe culminating in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. It describes an arduous journey of spiritual dedication and self-discovery. Prior to the concert, we had a masterclass with Nigel Short, who is the founder and artistic director of Tenebrae, one of the world’s finest vocal ensembles. Working with Nigel was an invaluable experience; he helped us understand various nuances in the music and gave us a lot of tips on singing technique which I will definitely use in the future. We performed the piece in the stunning setting of the Cathedral Chapter House in a sold-out concert, which was a huge success and received a unanimous standing ovation from the audience. Path of Miracles is incredibly powerful and it is definitely one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever sung. Masterclass with Nigel Short in the Tunstall Chapel in Durham Castle Apart from Path of Miracles, we performed two other concerts and at a number of other events with other ensembles throughout the academic year. I particularly enjoyed our small performance at the opening concert of the Durham Festival of the Arts, where we sang a medley of wizard themes arranged by our conductor Josh. I have absolutely loved singing with the people in the choir who are all incredibly talented and very inspiring. I am also delighted to have been appointed the Assistant Manager for next year, which means that I will organise the choir tour which I am very excited about. Performing in the Cathedral at the opening concert of the Durham Festival of the Arts

Můj rok v Chamber Choir
Můj rok v Chamber Choir
Můj rok v Chamber Choir

More blog articles

All news