Ad Solem
Recent performances:
06/01/2013 - Songs of Praise - BBC 1
10/02/2012 - Die Meistersinger with the Hallé - Bridgewater Hall
23/02/2013 - Concert - Christchurch Didsbury
15/03/2013 - St John's Passion - Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall
Coming Up:
04/05/2013 - Concert - Bury Parish, 7.30pm
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Choir:
Ad Solem, the University of Manchester Chamber Choir, has been in existence for over 20 years, and is made up of the best singers from in and around the University of Manchester. Consisting of between 22-26 members, we re-audition every year, and while we are primarily an a capella choir, we also offer the opportunity to perform with a number of other student and professional ensembles. Being one of the only student-run, university-based choirs in Manchester, the choir showcases some of the best young singers in Manchester. We put on numerous concerts and perform at functions throughout the year, both within MUMS and also independently. Past conductors include founder Greg Beardsell, Marcus Farnsworth, and Matthew Hamilton.
The choir is equally at home performing new works or renaissance polyphony. In recent years the choir has performed a world premiere in the Bridgewater Hall with the Halle Orchestra, as well as Beethoven’s 9th symphony in Liverpool with the Liverpool Mozart Orchestra and Mozart’s Requiem with the University of Manchester Chamber Orchestra. These are in addition to the a cappella music which forms the basis of not only our termly concerts in the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, but also other concerts around the North West. Recently these have included Victoria’s Requiem, excerpts from Rachmaninov’s Vespers, and works by Britten, Lauridsen, Ligeti, Tallis, Part, Augustinas, Sisask and Vaughan-Williams.
Repertoire for the coming year will include an all-German programme for the first semester, exploring the trends in this great choral tradition and showcasing composers including Heinrich Schutz, J.S. Bach, Brahms and Schoenberg. Later this year, the choir will be tackling Frank Martin's 'Mass for Double Choir', and hopefully J.S. Bach's 'St John Passion', as well as music by James MacMillan, a former lecturer at the University of Manchester.
The choir also tours regularly, having recently visited Poland, Amsterdam and Estonia where we performed in venues such as Tallinn Town Hall, St John’s Church, and Tallinn Academy of Music. This choir has also broadcast for BBC radio and television, and has recorded a number of CDs. Our two most recent CDs, Christmas and 20th Century Choral Music from the British Isles, are available from the manager (see below). The choir is looking forward to another tour this year as well as recording a new CD.
The Conductors:
David Young was appointed as musical director of Ad Solem in June 2011, and led a series of successful concerts throughout the following year. Under his direction, the choir performed masses by Francis Poulenc and Ralph Vaughan-Williams, as part of an eclectic mix of repertoire from across the globe, including a rare performance of Ligeti's phenomenal 'Lux Aeterna'. The choir also embarked on a thoroughly successful tour to Tallinn, Estonia. As well as leading the Chamber Choir, David was assistant conductor of both the Cosmo Singers and the University of Manchester Chorus, conducting the former in a performance of Britten's 'Ceremony of Carols', as well as works by Whitacre, MacMillan and Howells, and assisting with Tippett's 'A Child of Our Time' and Bach's 'Mass in B Minor' with the Chorus. He also conducts the Holy Name Church Choir, and has been invited to work with ensembles including Salford Choral Society and Dorking Camerata, and was Chorus Master for Silk Opera's performance of Puccini's 'Tosca' in late 2011.
This year, he hopes to lead Ad Solem to even greater success, and is particularly looking forward to Howell's intimate 'Requiem' and Schoenberg's exuberant 'Friede auf Erden', both on the schedule for the first semester. He will also be conducting John Blow's 'Venus and Adonis' at the University, as well as maintaining his links with the Cosmo Singers and the University Chorus. David is also delighted to be sharing the conducting of Ad Solem this year with two exceptional colleagues, the first time that this has been possible at the University. This new programme of choral conducting at the University has enabled him to be the first student to take Choral Conducting as his primary study, although he also intends to keep up his singing. Upon graduation in July (fingers crossed), he hopes to continue to study conducting on a postgraduate course. Currently he studies with Justin Doyle, Matthew Hamilton and Neil Ferris.
The other two conductors who will be conducting Ad Solem, whilst also conducting The Cosmo Singers are Sam Mitchell and Rob Brooks:
Sam’s musical career began as a chorister at Lincoln Cathedral during his studies at Lincoln Minster School. Sam was awarded a music scholarship to Oundle School where Sam was a member the School’s Chapel Choir, the Schola Cantorum, and also co-founded an acapella group which focused on Renaissance polyphony, an area of music for which he holds a strong passion. During his time at Oundle School, Sam was able to tour as a singer and as a pianist across the UK, Europe and Far East. Sam then took a year out to sing in the choir of Truro Cathedral, where he sang for the six weekly services during school term times whilst also partaking in various recordings and working as an accompanist at Truro School. Sam is currently studying his third and final year of a Music degree at Manchester University where he has been involved with projects as a soloist in the University Music Society, the Manchester Consort and the University’s new music foundation, Vaganza. Sam has continued his work with choirs: he has sung with Ad Solem, the University’s Chamber Choir, for the past two years and has more recently been appointed as a Lay Clerk at Manchester Cathedral. Additionally he has just completed his first course as part of the Genesis Sixteen scheme alongside Harry Christophers and other members of The Sixteen. After graduating Sam plans to apply for a post-graduate course in singing at a conservatoire.
Robert Brooks began his choral education as a treble, and later head chorister, in New College Choir under Edward Higginbottom. In those five years he performed in venues across the world, from Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre to the Suntory Hall, Japan, and participated in several CD recordings and radio broadcasts. Robert then attended Abingdon Boy’s School where he sang with the Chapel Choir and Abingdon Academicals, as well as performing with other local choirs such as the Oxford Bach Ensemble. Rob is currently approaching the second year of a music degree at Manchester University, having achieved an ABRSM singing performance diploma in the summer of 2011. He has been involved in projects in the Music Society such as a performance of Semele by Handel and Opera Scenes in lunchtime concerts. He is looking forward to acting as an assistant student conductor of Chorus, The Cosmo singers and Ad Solem this year.
Contact Details:
For any enquiries about singing with us, booking the choir, purchasing CDs or anything else, please contact Chiara Beebe or Lucy Geddes - at concertmanagers@mumusicsociety.co.uk
06/01/2013 - Songs of Praise - BBC 1
10/02/2012 - Die Meistersinger with the Hallé - Bridgewater Hall
23/02/2013 - Concert - Christchurch Didsbury
15/03/2013 - St John's Passion - Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall
Coming Up:
04/05/2013 - Concert - Bury Parish, 7.30pm
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Choir:
Ad Solem, the University of Manchester Chamber Choir, has been in existence for over 20 years, and is made up of the best singers from in and around the University of Manchester. Consisting of between 22-26 members, we re-audition every year, and while we are primarily an a capella choir, we also offer the opportunity to perform with a number of other student and professional ensembles. Being one of the only student-run, university-based choirs in Manchester, the choir showcases some of the best young singers in Manchester. We put on numerous concerts and perform at functions throughout the year, both within MUMS and also independently. Past conductors include founder Greg Beardsell, Marcus Farnsworth, and Matthew Hamilton.
The choir is equally at home performing new works or renaissance polyphony. In recent years the choir has performed a world premiere in the Bridgewater Hall with the Halle Orchestra, as well as Beethoven’s 9th symphony in Liverpool with the Liverpool Mozart Orchestra and Mozart’s Requiem with the University of Manchester Chamber Orchestra. These are in addition to the a cappella music which forms the basis of not only our termly concerts in the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, but also other concerts around the North West. Recently these have included Victoria’s Requiem, excerpts from Rachmaninov’s Vespers, and works by Britten, Lauridsen, Ligeti, Tallis, Part, Augustinas, Sisask and Vaughan-Williams.
Repertoire for the coming year will include an all-German programme for the first semester, exploring the trends in this great choral tradition and showcasing composers including Heinrich Schutz, J.S. Bach, Brahms and Schoenberg. Later this year, the choir will be tackling Frank Martin's 'Mass for Double Choir', and hopefully J.S. Bach's 'St John Passion', as well as music by James MacMillan, a former lecturer at the University of Manchester.
The choir also tours regularly, having recently visited Poland, Amsterdam and Estonia where we performed in venues such as Tallinn Town Hall, St John’s Church, and Tallinn Academy of Music. This choir has also broadcast for BBC radio and television, and has recorded a number of CDs. Our two most recent CDs, Christmas and 20th Century Choral Music from the British Isles, are available from the manager (see below). The choir is looking forward to another tour this year as well as recording a new CD.
The Conductors:
David Young was appointed as musical director of Ad Solem in June 2011, and led a series of successful concerts throughout the following year. Under his direction, the choir performed masses by Francis Poulenc and Ralph Vaughan-Williams, as part of an eclectic mix of repertoire from across the globe, including a rare performance of Ligeti's phenomenal 'Lux Aeterna'. The choir also embarked on a thoroughly successful tour to Tallinn, Estonia. As well as leading the Chamber Choir, David was assistant conductor of both the Cosmo Singers and the University of Manchester Chorus, conducting the former in a performance of Britten's 'Ceremony of Carols', as well as works by Whitacre, MacMillan and Howells, and assisting with Tippett's 'A Child of Our Time' and Bach's 'Mass in B Minor' with the Chorus. He also conducts the Holy Name Church Choir, and has been invited to work with ensembles including Salford Choral Society and Dorking Camerata, and was Chorus Master for Silk Opera's performance of Puccini's 'Tosca' in late 2011.
This year, he hopes to lead Ad Solem to even greater success, and is particularly looking forward to Howell's intimate 'Requiem' and Schoenberg's exuberant 'Friede auf Erden', both on the schedule for the first semester. He will also be conducting John Blow's 'Venus and Adonis' at the University, as well as maintaining his links with the Cosmo Singers and the University Chorus. David is also delighted to be sharing the conducting of Ad Solem this year with two exceptional colleagues, the first time that this has been possible at the University. This new programme of choral conducting at the University has enabled him to be the first student to take Choral Conducting as his primary study, although he also intends to keep up his singing. Upon graduation in July (fingers crossed), he hopes to continue to study conducting on a postgraduate course. Currently he studies with Justin Doyle, Matthew Hamilton and Neil Ferris.
The other two conductors who will be conducting Ad Solem, whilst also conducting The Cosmo Singers are Sam Mitchell and Rob Brooks:
Sam’s musical career began as a chorister at Lincoln Cathedral during his studies at Lincoln Minster School. Sam was awarded a music scholarship to Oundle School where Sam was a member the School’s Chapel Choir, the Schola Cantorum, and also co-founded an acapella group which focused on Renaissance polyphony, an area of music for which he holds a strong passion. During his time at Oundle School, Sam was able to tour as a singer and as a pianist across the UK, Europe and Far East. Sam then took a year out to sing in the choir of Truro Cathedral, where he sang for the six weekly services during school term times whilst also partaking in various recordings and working as an accompanist at Truro School. Sam is currently studying his third and final year of a Music degree at Manchester University where he has been involved with projects as a soloist in the University Music Society, the Manchester Consort and the University’s new music foundation, Vaganza. Sam has continued his work with choirs: he has sung with Ad Solem, the University’s Chamber Choir, for the past two years and has more recently been appointed as a Lay Clerk at Manchester Cathedral. Additionally he has just completed his first course as part of the Genesis Sixteen scheme alongside Harry Christophers and other members of The Sixteen. After graduating Sam plans to apply for a post-graduate course in singing at a conservatoire.
Robert Brooks began his choral education as a treble, and later head chorister, in New College Choir under Edward Higginbottom. In those five years he performed in venues across the world, from Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre to the Suntory Hall, Japan, and participated in several CD recordings and radio broadcasts. Robert then attended Abingdon Boy’s School where he sang with the Chapel Choir and Abingdon Academicals, as well as performing with other local choirs such as the Oxford Bach Ensemble. Rob is currently approaching the second year of a music degree at Manchester University, having achieved an ABRSM singing performance diploma in the summer of 2011. He has been involved in projects in the Music Society such as a performance of Semele by Handel and Opera Scenes in lunchtime concerts. He is looking forward to acting as an assistant student conductor of Chorus, The Cosmo singers and Ad Solem this year.
Contact Details:
For any enquiries about singing with us, booking the choir, purchasing CDs or anything else, please contact Chiara Beebe or Lucy Geddes - at concertmanagers@mumusicsociety.co.uk
