Beckenham Chorale
Becekenham's Prinicpal Choral Society
Forthcoming Events (1)
Saturday 15th June 2024, 7:00 pm: Beckenham Chorale Summer Concert
Saturday 23rd November 2024, 7:00 pm: Beckenham Chorale Winter Concert
Biography
Beckenham Chorale is a friendly and welcoming mixed voice choir of about 70 voices. We sing a varied repertoire under our Musical Director Mark Griffiths, who joined us in 2016, and perform three concerts a year at St. George’s Church, Beckenham.
Beckenham Chorale was founded as the Manor Choir in 1960 by Keninmore Straker, London manager of the music publisher Ricordi and Co. He was succeeded in 1964 by Lionel Sawkins as conductor, with John Nightingale as accompanist. During this period the repertoire included much French baroque music, a particular specialism of Sawkins.
In 1967, to reflect the choir’s local identity, the name was changed to Beckenham Chorale. As well as concerts at St George’s Church, the Chorale also performed in Central London, the Queen Elizabeth Hall and at the English Bach Festival in Oxford. In the late 60s the Beckenham (later Bromley) Summer Choral Festival evolved with several local choirs joining forces to promote large-scale concerts. The Chorale remained an integral part of the Festival which continued until 2004, presenting great works such as Elgar The Dream of Gerontius, Walton Belshazzar’s Feast and Mahler Symphony No 8 at the Fairfield Hall in Croydon.
James Blair was appointed conductor of Beckenham Chorale in 1977, bringing with him an established reputation as the conductor of the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra. During 38 years, in more than 100 concerts, he conducted many highly acclaimed performances of the great choral works, including Bach B minor Mass, Rossini Stabat Mater, Tippett A Child of our Time and Verdi Requiem, supported by the Albemarle Orchestra, many of whom had YMSO connections. To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Chorale commissioned Ronald Corp’s Magnificat setting Mary’s Song.
Beckenham Chorale James Blair 100th Concert 25th February 1984
From 2013 to 2016 Adam Treadaway, as Assistant Conductor and then Musical Director, broadened the repertoire, introducing more unaccompanied works and contemporary pieces. He conducted a memorable performance of Britten’s cantata Saint Nicolas and a lively programme of Italian music with the period instrument orchestra Sinfonia Britannica, led by Simon Standage.
Since 2016 the choir has been led by Musical Director Mark Griffiths.
The Chorale celebrated its Diamond Jubilee in November 2019 with an outstanding performance of Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, together with Coro London Chamber Choir and St Paul’s Sinfonia. In March 2020 our O Radiant Dawn concert featured work by Jonathan Dove, Thomas Tallis, Judith Weir and four of James MacMillan’s Strathclyde Motets; little did we know that within days of the concert Covid would change all our lives…
Over the last 60 years the Chorale has sung music from all periods, from Monteverdi and Bach via Handel, Haydn and Mozart to Brahms, Dvorak, Elgar and Vaughan Williams, as well as present-day composers John Rutter, Howard Goodall, Sir James MacMillan, Morten Lauridsen and Sir Karl Jenkins. In 2011 John Rutter led a very successful choral workshop at St George’s Church for over 300 singers and in 2015 this was followed by another singing day with the former King’s Singer Brian Kay.
The Chorale has worked with distinguished soloists, including Emma Kirkby, Harry Christophers, Felicity Lott, David Wilson-Johnson, Elin Manahan Thomas, Mary Bevan, cellist Robert Cohen, and clarinettist Emma Johnson. John Nightingale has been closely associated with the Chorale since 1963, as accompanist, playing piano or harpsichord in numerous concerts, Chorus-Master for almost 20 years and conductor of the Chorale’s popular Christmas Carol concerts. John and fellow accompanist Janet Bishop, who was with the Chorale for 25 years, both retired in 2020. John Nightingale and Lionel Sawkins have both been appointed Honorary Life Vice-Presidents in recognition of their contributions to the Chorale.
Musical Director
Mark Griffiths - Muscial Director
Mark started his musical training as a chorister at St John’s College, Cambridge and returned to the university as a Choral Scholar at Trinity College. While at Trinity he started conducting the college orchestra. He also studied at the Royal College of Music from where he began a career as a professional singer.
Mark has a wealth of experience with younger singers. During his postgraduate studies at the College he began to conduct singers and, soon afterwards, began a long association with the multi-award-winning Berkshire Youth Choirs, initially as Associate Conductor and latterly as Acting Musical Director.
A music mentor for the National Festival of Music for Youth, he has also directed the Young Conductors’ Course for the Association of British Choral Directors.He has been Musical Director of the highly acclaimed London-based chamber choir since 2003, conducting them to international competitive success, in regular concerts throughout Britain and Europe, and on radio and 3 CDs. The choir has also sung backing vocals for a number of classical crossover artists. With Coro, he was a Founder of the London International Choral Conducting Competition and is a member of its National Jury.
He spent 13 years as Choral Director and Lead Tutor in Voice for the Junior Department of Trinity College of Music.
Mark has worked with the Philharmonia Chorus, preparing them for concerts at the Royal Festival Hall and on tour, and for small professional groups including Trinity Voices. He also coached choral conductors for the Association of British Choral Directors at whose National Convention of Music for Youth he has been a presenter. He is an adjudicator for the National Festival of Music for Youth and a former recipient of a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship.
Links
Website: https://www.beckenhamchorale.org.uk