Yes, just when you thought it was safe to go back to the vestry, the Dorian Singers present a second selection of glorious sacred choral works ranging in date from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. There really is something to meet every taste from Tallis to Taverner, Byrd to Britten. How can you resist?

“Messiah” is on Saturday, December 8th at At Andrew’s Church, Felixstowe.  NOT ONLY this time will we be featuring The Dorian Singers under music director Alan Loader, BUT ALSO the talents of instumental group The Dorian Ensemble, PLUS four renowned soloists, Julie Roberts, Condruzza Oros-Marsh, Paul Bloomfield and Mark Saberton to siong the famous arias such as “The trumpet shall sound” and “I know that my Redeemer Liveth”.  We are incredibly lucky to have also secured the services of Marina Korneva to play keyboard.  At the concert we hope to launch our exciting new Friends scheme – keep watching the website for details.  Tickets £15 (under 18s £5).  It will be amazing – don’t miss!

Come and join us in St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Old Felixstowe, on Saturday 20th October as we work on a selection of choruses from Handel’s Messiah, plus favourite anthems such as Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus and Mendelssohn’s Hear My Prayer.  Alan Loader, our Music Director, will be taking us on this exciting musical journey, together with our world-class accompanist Marina Korneva. There will be a moderate cost to cover the hiring of music and provision of refreshments throughout the day, though under-18s will be admitted free of charge.  Either bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the beautiful setting of the old church, or why not treat yourself to a pub lunch in The White Horse across the road.  All the details are on the poster;  just click on it to enlarge.  Looking forward to seeing you there!

As part of our exciting programme in the runup to Christmas we are not only performing “Messiah” but will be organising a Singday for YOU to get to know beloved choral masterpieces such as the Hallelujah Chorus.  In order to cover costs, we have started a JustGiving page which can be accessed through our Facebook page.   Please visit it!

It IS Messiah!
We are thrilled to announce that this year’s Christmas concert will be a full performance of Handel’s Messiah with instrumental ensemble and four first-rate soloists. As well as the concert on Saturday December 8th at St Andrew’s Church, Felixstowe, there will be a workshop day  for YOU to have your chance to work through, and perform, choruses from this and other well-loved works. Watch this space!!!

… it’s official – it must be, because rehearsals have started for our summer concerts!

A big shout-out to our friends at Stowmarket Chorale, 15 of whom came to our first rehearsal of the new term last night. We went through the whole of Captain Noah and Songs of the Fleet and are thoroughly enjoying working on them. We are looking forward to a great three months of work culminating in two sensational concerts!

The Dorian Singers and Stowmarket Chorale are excited to announce that they will be holding two joint Summer Concerts, featuring two well-loved and widely contrasting works on a nautical theme. The choirs will perform together under Alan Loader and Christopher Moore, their musical directors, and the baritone Mark Saberton will feature in the solo parts.

Joseph Horovitz’s cantata in a popular style, “Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo”, with libretto by Michael Flanders (of Flanders and Swann Fame), is a lighthearted, but actually close, retelling of the Biblical Flood as described in Genesis chapters 6 to 9.

Put briefly, God gets very cross. But Noah, the laughing-stock of Fun City because of his strange boat-building enterprise, has two things going for him. A hot-line to God, and a tolerance for wildlife. Which is just as well, really. Because then it starts to rain….

The second featured work could hardly be more of a contrast. Charles Villiers Stanford’s “Songs of the Fleet” was premiered in 1910 and was considered somewhat old-fashioned even then. A cycle of five songs for baritone solo and mixed chorus, the songs are settings of poems by Sir Henry Newbolt, redolent with the feel of the sea and English naval tradition. Deeply Edwardian in feel, they tell of a kind of imperial grandeur and optimism which was all too soon to be overshadowed by the horror of the Great War, and Stanford’s reputation as composer would be likewise eclipsed by that of Sir Edward Elgar.

The first of the two concerts will be given at Trinity Methodist Church, Hamilton Road, Felixstowe, IP11 7AN, on Saturday 23rd June at 7.30 pm.

The second will take place at Stowmarket United Reformed Church, Ipswich Street, Stowmarket, IP14 1AD, on Saturday 7th July at 7.30 pm.

Tickets £12, available soon.   Pictures etc available ASAP.

In a special event to mark the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death,
The Dorian Singers under their musical director Alan Loader will perform
Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle. This is the best known sacred work of a composer
much better known for his operas such as The Barber of Seville and William Tell.

Despite its title, Rossini’s take on the Mass is neither small nor solemn.
Originally scored for singers plus organ and harmonium, this performance
will be accompanied by renowned concert pianist Marina Korneva
and well-known organist Andrew Leach.

Proceeds are in aid of Alzheimers Research UK
www.alzheimersresearchuk.org

Tickets: £12 from The Card Centre, 6 Hamilton Rd, Felixstowe. Tel: 01394 283170
and from choir members or at the door
Saturday 24 March at 7.30 pm.
St Andrew’s Church, St Andrew’s Road, Felixstowe

The Dorian Singers are proud to have the support of the
East of England Co-operative Society
who will be providing light refreshments in the interval.

Join us at Kirton Church Hall for a quiz and a fish and chip supper!

I have acquired quite a lot of photographs of our activities over Christmas, and will be posting some here as soon as the internet allows. Thanks for your patience.