Venue: Beeston Parish Church, Middle Street, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 1GA

Nottingham Festival Chorus

Alex Robinson Conductor

Angela Foan Accompanist

Rachel Parkes Chorus Master

Come and hear Haydn’s greatest work and his last grand scale composition.

Written when Napoleon was at the height of his powers, Haydn’s profound testament to peace signalled the beginning of the end for the invader. Regarded as one of the finest examples of his choral writing, the score is beautiful, lively and terrifying and is sure to provide you with a fabulous evening. Nicknamed ‘Harmonie’ (the german word for wind section) for it’s rich woodwind writing in the orchestra, which the fabulous Peter Siepmann will draw out on Beeston Parish Church’s fine organ. The concert also features little organ ditties by Haydn written originally for musical clock and Rheinberger’s famous Abendlied to bring the concert to a close. Our specially assembled choir is conducted by the dynamic Alex Robinson. Don’t miss out. Get your tickets TODAY!

Soloists:

Elizabeth Green, soprano

Elizabeth is a second-year postgraduate at The Royal Academy of Music studying under Kate Paterson. Here, she holds the position of being a Josephine Baker Trust Scholar. Having started her singing career as a chorister at both Canterbury and Rochester Cathedral, Elizabeth has performed on commercial recordings for Regent Records and Decca Records, the latter of which was both as part of the choir and as a soloist. Elizabeth has performed as a soloist internationally, singing J S Bach’s St John Passion in Aachen, Germany. Some of her other soloist opportunities have included Handel’s Messiah at Canterbury Cathedral, Handel’s Israel in Egypt and Acis and Galatea, Haydn’s Creation and Harmoniemesse, Mozart’s Mass in C and Bach’s B Minor Mass.

Whilst pursuing her undergraduate studies at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and graduating with a first-class honours degree, Elizabeth had the privilege of being nominated for the Kathleen Ferrier Junior Bursary Competition and was awarded third prize in the Molly Robb prize for singing. Here, Elizabeth successfully auditioned for the Associate Artist programme under the tutelage of Karen Cargill. Whilst at RCS, she took part in opera scenes, performing the roles of Papagena and Fiordiligi. Elizabeth also completed year-long contract with the Scottish Opera Young Company as well as a workshop with British Youth Opera. In December 2021, she performed the role of Sandman in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel as a Young Artist for Westminster Opera Company, the performance of which was recently reprised at Château de Panloy, France.

Elizabeth has had many exciting opportunities this past academic year, including; The Royal Academy of Music Opera Scenes, playing the roles of Yum-Yum (The Mikado) and Almirena (Rinaldo). Other operatic opportunities have included performing as Venus in Venus and Adonis with Hampstead Garden Opera and performing Gertrud (Hänsel und Gretel) with Berlin Opera Academy under the Ian Donald Wilson Memorial Scholarship. Oratorio performances have included Haydn’s Creation with Luton Choral Society, Brahms Requiem with Lymington Choral Society, Bach’s B Minor Mass with the Waverley Singers, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas with Dover Choral Society and Haydn Harmoniemesse with the Furness Bach Choir. Elizabeth is also in demand as a recitalist, performing at venues such as Cobham Hall School, Christ Church Kensington and Canterbury Cathedral. Most recently, Elizabeth has performed Songs for Sue by Oliver Knussen under the baton of Barbara Hannigan as part of a project with Julliard school. Other upcoming opportunities include singing Second Lady and covering the role of Pamina in Mozart’s Magic Flute with Manhattan Opera Studio where she will also perform a concert at Carnegie Hall. She is also returning to Château de Panloy, France as a young artist for Westminster Opera Company, performing the role of Marcellina in Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro.

Lorna Day, alto

Philip O’Connor, tenor

Philip O’Connor is a young, Derbyshire Tenor who began his musical training at Wells Cathedral School under Isobel Buchanan. Subsequently, Philip went on to read Music at the University of Manchester, while studying under Andrew Heggie. He then commenced his formal vocal training at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), studying with Nick Powell. Philip was awarded a Distinction in his Masters of Music and has recently graduated the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Studies (PGDip) winning the John Halsall scholarship. During his studies, Philip has been generously supported by The Mario Lanza Foundation The Garner Howard Award, South Square Trust and Sophie’s Silver Lining Fund.

During his time at the RNCM, Philip has been fortunate to work and take part in Masterclasses with Iain Burnside, James Baillieu, Christopher Purves, David Owen Norris, Patricia McMahon, Paul Wynne Griffiths, Eiddwen Harrhy, Nicholas Kok, Andrew Greenwood and Julius Drake. He has also performed the roles of L’Aumônier in Poulenc’s Dialogue des Carmelites, Mr Rushworth in Dove’s Mansfield Park, and Tancredi in Monteverdi’s Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, The Schoolmaster and Mosquito in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen and Bill in Dove’s Flight.

David Cane, bass

David is a former choral scholar of King’s College, Cambridge, where he studied for a degree in Theology and Religious studies.  More recently, David completed three years of postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he gratefully received the support of the D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust.  Whilst at the RNCM, David won the ‘Bessie Cronshaw / Frost Brownson Song Cycle Competition’.

Recent appearances as a soloist include performances of Fauré’s Requiem and Haydn’s Creation.  On the operatic stage, David has played roles including ‘Starveling’ in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ‘Bob’ in a production of The Old Maid and the Thief by Menotti, and ‘Don Alfonso’ in the RNCM’s 2016 production of Cosi fan Tutte by Mozart.  More recently, David created the roles of ‘Hans’ and ‘Cobbler’ in a new opera by Adam Gorb at the RNCM, Path to Heaven, directed by Stefan Janski, and has performed the roles of ‘Marcello’ in Puccini’s La Boheme, ‘Taddeo’ in Rossini’s Italian Girl in Algiers, and Doctor Malatesta in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale for the Mananan Opera Festival on the Isle of Man.  For Flat Pack Music, David has appeared as ‘Schaunard’ in Puccini’s La Boheme, and as ‘Papageno’ and ‘The Count’ in Mozart’s operas The Magic Flute and The Marriage of Figaro.  Last summer, David performed the roles of Tonio in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci and Alfio in Cavelleria Rusticana by Mascagni in Huddersfield Town Hall in a performance with Slaithwaite Symphony Orchestra.

Alongside his singing career, David is currently Organist and Director of Music of St Paul’s Church in Withington and is the musical director of Urmston and Flixton Women’s Institute Choir and Sale Male Voice Choir.  In January 2023, David took up the position of Director of Music of Oldham Choral Society.

David has also recently completed a PhD in musicology, researching the intersections of queerness and disability in the operas of Benjamin Britten, at the RNCM, where he was supported by an Arts and Humanities Research Council studentship.

Peter Siepmann, organ

Peter Siepmann is a conductor, organist, teacher and examiner based in the East Midlands of the UK. He is well-known in the region for his encouraging, enthusiastic and informed approach to rehearsal and performance. 

He was educated at St Edward’s School in Oxford and the University of Nottingham, where he was awarded a doctorate in 2010. As an accompanist and continuo player (a particular passion), Peter has performed with many of the UK’s leading soloists, with recent highlights including the Bach Passions with evangelists Ruairi Bowen (2018) and Rogers Covey-Crump (2019), and all six of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos (2012). 

Since September 2007, Peter has been Organist & Director of Music at St Peter’s Church in the heart of the city of Nottingham, where the church choir produces what the Nottingham Post has described “an outstanding standard of music-making”; the choir’s singing is also regularly praised at regular visits to cathedrals and abbeys both around the UK and abroad.  In 2010, Peter oversaw the design, fundraising and installation of a new church organ. 

Peter is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, and a number of his organ pupils have gone on to cathedral and university scholarships.  He lives in the Nottinghamshire village of Ruddington with his wife Adele and young son Alexander. 

Tickets: Full £13, Concessions £12, Child/Student £5. To include a pre-concert drink

Tickets are available to buy online, or by calling the office on 01159589312. Tickets will also be available to buy on the door.