2018/19 S E A S O N. President Ian Partridge CBE. Assistant Music Director Sarah Burston. Music Director Neil Ferris. Accompanist Michael Higgins

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1 2018/19 S E A S O N October Merton Singfest November Bach Mass in B Minor December Carols for Choir and Audience May Cecilia McDowall Da Vinci Requiem June Clouds of Dreams: a hundred years of American choral music Friends of the Choir The Wimbledon Concert Hall Trust needs your support! President Ian Partridge CBE Music Director Neil Ferris Assistant Music Director Sarah Burston Accompanist Michael Higgins

2 13th 17th October Merton Singfest Following its successful launch in 2017, Merton SingFest returns in 2018 to celebrate the glorious diversity of choral singing in the Merton borough. On Saturday 13th October, there is a series of free concerts in St. John s Church, Spencer Hill. Choirs both large and small from all over the borough will be performing throughout the day. Come and join us for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and listen to this fantastic array of music-making. On Sunday 14th October, by popular demand, Pete Churchill and Adam Saunders will be back for another fantastic Gospel and Blues singing workshop. During the following week, schoolchildren from all over the borough will be singing their hearts out and making their parents proud in a series of special concerts. The Merton SingFest is organised by Wimbledon Choral Society and the Merton Music Foundation, with generous financial support from Marcus Beale Architects. For more information go to:

3 Saturday 3rd November Bach Mass in B Minor With Florilegium Soloists: Elin Manahan Thomas Soprano Roderick Morris Countertenor Greg Tassell Tenor Robert Davies Bass Cadogan Hall, London SW1X 9DQ 7.30pm Box Office: Following sell out performances of Monteverdi Vespers in 2017, and Ellington s Sacred Concert in June, we return with one of the greatest works in the choral repertoire, Bach s Mass in B Minor. WCS will be accompanied by Florilegium, magicians who will hypnotise your mind, according to a recent French review, and the concert features a stunning array of soloists, including royal wedding star Elin Manahan Thomas.

4 Saturday 15th December Carols for Choir and Audience St Paul s Church, Southfields SW19 6EW 6pm Box Office: Tickets available via choir members Feel the warmth of Christmas with a mix of traditional and modern carols and join in with all your old favourites, too.

5 Tuesday 7th May Cecilia McDowall Da Vinci Requiem The world premiere of this WCS commission, celebrating the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci s death. Soloists: Kate Royal Soprano Roderick Williams Baritone Martin James Bartlett Piano, BBC Young Musician of the Year, 2014 Ravel Piano Concerto in G Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs With the Philharmonia Orchestra Royal Festival Hall SE1 8XX 7.30pm Box Office: marks the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci. As part of its own centenary celebrations Wimbledon Choral Society invited multi-award-winning composer, Cecilia McDowall to compose a Requiem for the Renaissance polymath and genius. The Da Vinci Requiem will be the largest scale choral work of McDowall s career to date and will interweave the traditional Requiem text with da Vinci s own words. Its premiere will be one of the British choral events of 2019.

6 Saturday 15th June Clouds of Dreams: a hundred years of American choral music Bernstein Clarinet Sonata Einar Johannesson Clarinet St Paul s Church, Southfields SW19 6EW 6pm Box Office: Spanning a century of American choral music, this vibrant programme includes works by Whitacre, Copland, Hogan, Lauridsen, Larsen and Gjeilo.

7 Friends of the Choir Mrs Jennifer Alwen Mr Michael Ashcroft Sassie & Kai Tay-Ashcroft Mr & Mrs J W Beecher Mr & Mrs D Birch Mr & Mrs Hamish Bryce Mr R Campbell Mr I M Campbell-King Mr Roger Chadder Mr Martin Chitty Mr Graham Cocking Mr & Mrs Hugh & Sara Dennis Mrs Caroline Dingwall Mr Kenneth Dix Prof & Mrs M Duff Mrs Marjorie Duff Mr & Mrs R Dunbar Mr Tony Edwards Mr Gareth Evans Mr Victor Finch Ms Barbara Fleming Mr Michael Forgacs Mr & Mrs Neil Gallacher Mr & Mrs J Gilmore Mrs Janis Guthrie Mr Stephen Hammond MP Mr & Mrs P Hannigan Mr & Mrs J & J Hendry Mr & Mrs R Holland Mrs Helen Hughes Mr Norman Isaacs Miss Mary C Kennedy Mr N Learmond Mr & Mrs C MacCarthy Mrs S Mayo Mr & Mrs J Magill Mr John Raymond Mrs Val Raymond Mrs T Richardson Mr & Mrs J Rowcliffe Mrs J M Seakins Mrs Avril Shipton Mr James Shrimpton Mrs E Simon Ms Isla Smith Mrs Colleen Spalding Mrs Ashley Spalding Miss Eve Speare Mrs Laura Stewart Mrs Joan Tagg Ms Ann Thimont Mrs S Williams Thank you Friends We would like to express our appreciation to the Friends of Wimbledon Choral Society. These loyal listeners attend our concerts, leave us in no doubt as to their appreciation of our performances and, through their subscriptions, help us to continue to perform a wide variety of works. It is wonderful to have their support. If you would like to join the Friends of WCS Colleen Spalding would be more than happy to hear from you on friends@wimbledon-choral.org.uk or Tickets for Friends of Wimbledon Choral Society with reserved seating marked (Please mention when booking that you are a Friend of the Society) Please contact friends@wimbledon-choral.org.uk or visit our website if you would like more information on becoming a Friend of the Society. Registered Charity No:

8 The Wimbledon Concert Hall Trust needs your support! The Wimbledon Concert Hall Trust was created by local musicians and music-lovers. OUR VISION IS TO PROVIDE THE BEST OF THE BEST OF MUSICAL EXPERIENCES A 1250 seat state-of-the-art auditorium: The Best size for: the orchestral experience, for recording, for flexibility and intimacy A great Architect: Frank Gehry Acoustics by the world-renowned Yasuhisa Toyota The Best of Music of all Genres: classical, jazz, folk, world, contemporary, opera, dance, digital and multi-media Ambitious Educational and Outreach programme Creating a world-class cultural district in Merton The hall would be a centre of excellence drawing people to, and complementing, other cultural offers along the Broadway and the local area as well as events such as the Wimbledon International Music Festival and the Wimbledon Bookfest. Our proposals involve a mid-size hall of 1,200 seats with world-class acoustics, flexible configuration and state-of-the-art IT and digital networking. It would be a world class music venue that would also offer huge benefits to the local economy. Please go to: and pledge your support now.