City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus
© Neil Pugh
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The CBSO Chorus was founded in 1973, made its concert debut in 1974 and has since become one of the finest of its kind, performing regularly with the CBSO and appearing regularly with other world-class orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhaus.
Directed by internationally-renowned choral conductor Simon Halsey for over 30 years, the CBSO Chorus is one of the pillars of Birmingham’s musical life. It attracts amateur singers from throughout the West Midlands and beyond, who come together as a body of ‘unpaid professionals’ to perform regularly at Symphony Hall and undertake a huge range of repertoire with the CBSO.
The Chorus always relishes the challenge of the large-scale symphonic repertoire, but it also enjoys showing off its versatility, regularly tackling lesser-known, smaller-scale or more contemporary works. The Chorus is an extremely important cultural ambassador, both for the CBSO and for Birmingham, and its résumé of engagements with other orchestras rivals any other symphony chorus in the world.
CBSO Music Director Andris Nelsons has developed a wonderful understanding with the Chorus. Particular highlights include performances of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 at Symphony Hall and The Sage Gateshead in May 2009 and the CBSO’s widely acclaimed appearance at the 2011 BBC Proms, which was broadcast on BBC television and included the Chorus in Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky. On 30 May 2012 – 50 years to the day since its world premiere in the same building – the Chorus joined the CBSO, under Andris’ baton, in a performance of Britten’s War Requiem at Coventry Cathedral and Andris again got the best out of the Chorus in performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on three consecutive nights in Symphony Hall and Nottingham Royal Concert Hall in June 2013.
The CBSO Chorus is a regular visitor to Manchester to perform and record with the BBC Philharmonic. Invitations from foreign orchestras have also allowed the Chorus to travel extensively over the years. Appearances at the Olympic Arts Festival in Sydney in 2000 and the Hong Kong Festival in 2006 are particular highlights, as are the Chorus’ two trips to Kuala Lumpur, firstly in 2008 and again in July 2010. In summer 2012, the Chorus joined the CBSO on its ten-day tour to Germany & Switzerland, performing at the Rheingau & Lucerne Festivals, as well as the opening concert of Beethovenfest in Bonn and the 10th anniversary concert of the Konzerthaus in Dortmund.
The Chorus toured with the CBSO again in June 2013 to perform Britten’s War Requiem in Hanover, Dresden & Paris and returned to Bonn & Paris with the CBSO in September 2014 to give performances of Beethoven Symphony No. 9.The CBSO Chorus also has over 40 recordings to its credit, including five award-winning releases.
Simon Halsey Chorus Director
David Lawrence & Julian Wilkins Associate Conductors
Alison Chamberlain Vocal Coach