This page contains all the information you need for the Autumn term 2019

We started rehearsals for our Autumn 2019 concert (Dvorak – Mass in D and Vaughan Williams – Dona Nobis Pacem) at the start of September. Our rehearsals are held in the Music Lecture Theatre at UCS, Frognal, London NW3 6XH.

Our Autumn 2019 concert will be on Saturday, 30th November in the Great Hall at UCS. We will be conducted by our Musical Director, Simon Walton, and accompanied by professional soloists and orchestra. You will be able to buy concert tickets later in the term.

We will update this page with useful information as it becomes available. Keep checking back here for updated rehearsal schedules, suggested recordings and other useful information.

Tickets

Tickets are now available – either online from Ticketsource (with a small commission) or at rehearsals.  Tickets are £18 for adults or £5 for students under the age of 24 and in full time education.  If you want to buy tickets at rehearsals please bring a cheque or cash.

Autumn 2019 Choral subscription and scores

Individual subscription is £75 which is equivalent to less than £6 per rehearsal.

As term has now started, our stock of scores has been allocated to those who have already signed up.  If you want to join us, we suggest you buy your own music, which is available from Presto Sheet Music.  The details of the pieces we are singing and the relevant editions are as follows:

Dvorak Mass in D Orchestral Version published by Carus Verlag

Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem published by Oxford

The music can also be bought either new or second hand via Amazon, Ebay and Alibris – but please make sure you buy the right editions.

Loan copies are available for the Vaughan Williams piece (with a refundable deposit) but not for the Dvorak.

Autumn 2019 Rehearsal Schedule

The rehearsal schedule is set out in the attached document: Hampstead Chorus Autumn Rehearsal Schedule 28 Aug 2019.  All weekly rehearsals are on Wednesdays other than Monday 7 October 2019 (no rehearsal on Weds 9 October).

Learning aids

There are many learning tools available online and you may have your own favourites.  Here are some suggestions.

  • Cyberbass has learning aids for both works.  This site allows you to loop difficult passages, slow down or speed up bits you want to focus on and to listen to your part or all parts together.  It is free to use, but files cannot be downloaded.
  • John Fletcher’s site – this is a very useful site which allows you to download your part or all parts, but requires you to register first.  You can register for free or take out a paid membership (for which there are various options – one option is £10 for one year).  Out of copyright files (like the Dvorak) can be accessed for free.  Music which is still in copyright (like the Vaughan Williams) can only be accessed if you take out a paid membership
  • Saffron Choral Prompt – you can order CDs at a modest price from saffronchoralprompt.co.uk 01799 586269.  You tell them the name of our choir (for a discount); which piece of music and name of publisher; your voice part.  You will receive a useful (though not beautiful) recording of a voice singing your exact line with a piano accompaniment playing the other parts.  The Dvorak and Vaughan Williams pieces are both available.
  • Youtube – there are various recordings and learning tools which are best found via Google.

Recommended recordings

BBC Record Review discussed Dona Nobis Pacem in 2017 and recommended the Hyperion recording conducted by Matthew Best.  Simon also recommends the EMI recoding conducted by Richard HIckox.