The choir is in recess
19 March 2020As you know we have had to cancel the Spring and Summer concerts. If the pandemic situation improves, we will next meet on 8th September to begin rehearsals for the Monteverdi Vespers. Meanwhile please keep singing at home! There is a wealth of material online for you to enjoy. For example there is a wonderful rendition of the Vespers on YouTube, with scrolling score so you can learn the whole thing.
Change to rehearsal venue on 10 March 2020
7 March 2020On 10th March we will rehearse in the Big Song Room (BSR) at Salisbury Cathedral School, 1 The Close, Salisbury SP1 2EQ.
You may park in the school car park.
What should you prepare for the next rehearsal?
7 March 2020For the rehearsal on 10th March please prepare:
Elgar: The Apostles
P146-152
P55-67
P75-81
P88-93
P98
P100-101
P105-106
P129-145
P154-156
P159-163
P165-166
P169-170
P172-175
P176-178
This rehearsal will be held in the Big Song Room at Salisbury Cathedral School.
Elgar Seating Plan – Salisbury
2 March 2020This coming Tuesday, 3rd March, there will be a seating plan for you to put your names on.
This is the plan for our Salisbury Concert on Saturday 28th March 2020.
Please be sure to write your name IN PENCIL in case anything needs to be changed in the future.
Guildford and Salisbury Concert Instructions
2 March 2020Here are two important documents for your information.
- One is the instruction for those going to Guildford on 21 March, giving in particular the schedule of the day and the nominal roll of those going to Guildford:
Guildford concert instructions
- The other is the instruction for those singing in Salisbury on 28 March, again giving the schedule for the day and the nominal roll of those singing in Salisbury:
What was rehearsed at the last rehearsal?
18 February 2020At the rehearsal on 3rd March we rehearsed:
Elgar: The Apostles – pages 109-125, 182-214, 29-52, 2-11 and 144-145
SMS Standard Concert Arrangements and Etiquette
16 February 2020Please click the link below to access a document which contains important information for all members:
Elgar: The Apostles – Stands and Sits (revised)
15 February 2020Elgar – The Apostles (Novello vocal score)
Cut: p.13, fig 14 to p.25, fig 32
Stands and Sits Stand at the beginning when soloists and conductor come on Sit at end of p.11 Stand p.28 fig 38 Remain standing at end of p.52 Sit at end of p.67 Stand on p.74 at Allegro 2 bars before fig 85 Sit at end of p.81 Tenors/Basses stand on p.87 at fig 98 (Sops/Altos remain seated) Tenors/Basses sit on p.93, 2 bars after fig 106 All stand p. 97 at fig 111 Sit at end of p.101 Stand p.104 at fig 122
Interval at end of p.125
Stand for 2nd half when soloists and conductor come on, then sit when indicated. Stand at end of p.127 Sops/altos sit at end of p.129 (tenors/basses remain standing) Sops/Altos stand p.140 at fig 160 All sit p.178 at fig 211 Stand p.181 at fig 216
Rehearsal (Guildford March 21st) Chorus to be seated at 2.15pm, ready for warm-up and then full rehearsal at 2.30pm
Note: With the chorus constantly involved (never just soloists/orchestra for more than a few pages at a time) on March 21st at Guildford the choir will be required for the full rehearsal 2.30 – 5.30pm. There will be a break c. 4.00 – 4.15pm.
Elgar: Seating Plan
3 February 2020Change of SMS rehearsal seating from 4th February 2020
As from 4th February David would like the Sopranos and Altos to switch to First Soprano and First Alto in the front with seconds behind. See plan.
The plan for rehearsing doesn’t bear any relationship to the seating we will be in for the actual performances. We will eventually have a plan for you to sign when we know the final count of singers.
Many thanks.
Mandy
Elgar: The Apostles – Study Guide
3 February 2020For your interest, here is a link to a study guide for the work we are rehearsing. I usually find that knowing more about the work adds to the enjoyment of singing it.
Best wishes
Les Rose
IT Lead
2019-2020 Rehearsal Schedule
13 June 2019Please note that the new rehearsal schedule is now available to download here
The download link can also be found on the Rehearsal Schedule tab together with the SMS calendar and instructions on how to link this to your own digital calendar should you wish to.
Photographs of War Requiem Concert
30 November 2018Ash Mills took some super photographs of the Saturday afternoon rehearsal and the concert itself. Some of you may have seen a few on our Facebook page so you know how good they are. You can view the complete set of photographs by clicking here.
If you would like to buy copies of any of the photographs please follow the instructions Ash’s website.
War Requiem Audience Figure
13 November 2018Audience Figure for last Saturday’s War Requiem was circa 830. This figure is +/- 10 or so as it was extremely difficult to reconcile unreserved tickets sales on the door on the night, and indeed in advance, as these tickets were not numbered. All reserved seats had been sold in advance.
This is the highest audience figure for an SMS concert since May 2008 (Elgar’s ‘Dream of Gerontius’ – 1013 audience) and May 2009 (Chilcott’s ‘Salisbury Vespers -1400 audience) since my records began in 1997.
Last time SMS performed the War Requiem in April 2006 attracted 585 audience.
John
John Powell
SMS Ticket Manager
War Requiem Ticket Sales
4 November 2018Please note that only unreserved seat tickets at £10 are now available for the War Requiem concert which can be obtained from Salisbury Playhouse all other tickets having been sold.
John Powell
SMS Ticket Manager
Outcome of the EGM regarding the name change on 23 October 2018
23 October 2018After much discussion and debate over the last few months, a vote was taken as to whether we remain as Salisbury Musical Society, or change to Salisbury Choral Society. Under the terms of the Constitution a 2/3 majority of those voting was required for a change to be carried.
The vote was close, but the results were:-
Remain Salisbury Musical Society – 58 votes
Change to Salisbury Choral Society – 55 votes
This means we will not be changing our name. Thank you to everyone for participating in this important vote.
Responses from name change survey
1 June 2018You can see the responses to the name change survey by clicking the following link:
Music for future concerts
27 November 2017The music for the next concert is:
Britten: War Requiem (Boosey & Hawkes edition)
Tickets
17 November 2017It’s important that all members help sell tickets to ensure our concerts are well attended. Follow the links to buy tickets online or, for the best tickets, these will continue to be offered first to patrons, and at rehearsals to members.
Ordering and returning music
17 July 2017Your Librarian is Lindsay Devine. She is responsible for arranging for the purchase and hire of all music copies for the choir. She will tell you when music is to be ordered. If you do not meet her deadline you will have to obtain your own music.