Stirling city choir
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Stirling City Choir was formed in 1951 as Stirling Choral Union. It is a large mixed voice choir based in Stirling which has performed a variety of mainstream choral works as well as original compositions by members of the choir.
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[edit] History
On the 12th September 1951, Derrick Cantrell addressed a meeting of singers in the Fellowship Hall, Craigs, Stirling. He queerly confirmed that “ A number of singers had been tested and there was a potential membership of over eighty.” A draft Constitution was adopted and the first Chairman was appointed - Col. John Logan.
And so the ‘Choral Union’ was formed with its first concert being a performance of ‘Messiah’ on the 26th December 1951, with Derrick Cantrell conducting an orchestra of 18 players from Glasgow and a choir of ‘100 voices’. Soloists were Joan Packer, Ruth Morrison, Duncan Robertson and Frederic Westcott.
By 1954 under the baton of Roy Lennox, the choir had become established in the life of Stirling and has remained so over the years, conducted by Bramwell Cook, Henry Havergal, Stuart Anderson, George Farmer, Richard Halliday, once again George Farmer, Richard Galloway, and currently, Eric Dunlea. A policy of engaging young soloists has been encouraged including Patricia McMahon, Kathleen Livingstone, Neil Mackie and Margaret Anne Marshall all of whom are enjoying successful careers in the music world. The welcome close liaison with professional orchestral players in Central Scotland has always ensured a first class orchestra for our Spring Concerts.
In the year 2002, after celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Stirling and District Choral Union with a performance of the Scottish Premiere of ‘Christus’ by Franz Liszt with Falkirk Festival Chorus, it was decided that the choir chould modernise and become Stirling City Choir in keeping with the new city status of Stirling.
[edit] People
Stirling City Choir is currently being led by Musical Director Eric Dunlea, and rehearsals are accompanied by Christopher Baxter.
Eric was born in Cork City in the Republic of Ireland . He Studied at the local Municipal School with Frank Lacey and later at University College Cork, before taking a post-graduate course in trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Sidney Ellison. Eric worked with the Radio Telefís Éireann Symphony Orchestra in Dublin and the BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra before coming to Glasgow in 1979 to join the BBC Scottish Symphonic Orchestra.
Eric has played with many of the leading British orchestras and under some wonderful conductors, including Gunter Wand, Mariss Jansens, Simenov Sinaisky, Nello Santi, Alexander Gibson, Jerzy Maksymiuk and Ilan Volkov. He enjoys working with some fine young musicians at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama Junior Department, where he studied conducting with Martyn Brabbins. For the past five years Eric has conducted for Stirling City Choir and he became conductor of St James Orchestra in in Paisley in 2002.
For the past four years, Christopher has been studying at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, where he is tutored by Aaron Shorr and Graeme McNaught, as well as receiving regular coaching from the renowned Pianist Nigel Clayton.
In addition to performing in almost every competition and regular concert appearances within the RSAMD, Christopher has participated in master classes with Roy Howat, Hyoung-Joon Chang, Murray McLachlan, Malcolm Martineau, Martin Katz and Andrew Zolinsky.
Christopher works regularly as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician, and recent performances include recitals in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Paisley and Carlisle and Kent. Recent competition success includes the Kathleen Ferrier Young Singers Bursary Award (where he was awarded the Accompanist prize), and the Frank Spedding Lieder Competition (with Soprano, Natalie Montakhab).
Christopher is a regular performer with the Council for Music in Hospitals and the Flutewise charity.
[edit] Previous Concerts
Stirling ciry choir perform a number of concerts each season, normally at Christmas, a charity concert in February and the main concert in spring.
The Choir were fortunate to have the opportunity to join a mass choir from across Scotland and perform Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man on 11 September 2005 at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall with the BBC Scottish Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Karl Jenkins. The choir were invited back again on 12 November 2006, this time to perform the requiem.
The table below lists all the choir's previous spring concert performances:
| Year | Composer | Work |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Handel | Messiah |
| 1952 | Brahms | Requiem |
| 1953 | Handel | Messiah |
| 1954 | Haydn Elgar Stamford |
Spring From the Bavarian Highlands Songs of the Sea |
| 1955 | Haydn | The Creation |
| 1956 | Verdi Handel |
Sabat Mater Dettingen Te Deum |
| 1957 | Mendelssohn | Elijah |
| 1958 | Elgar | Dreams of Gerontius |
| 1959 | Brahms Dvorak |
Requiem Saber Mater |
| 1960 | Bach | The Passion of Our Lord |
| 1961 | Verdi | Requiem |
| 1962 | Haydn | The Creation |
| 1963 | Bach | Mass in B Minor |
| 1964 | Elgar | Dream of Gerontius |
| 1965 | Brahms | Requiem |
| 1966 | Purcell Bizet |
Dido & Aeneas Carmen |
| 1967 | Haydn | The Creation |
| 1968 | Verdi | Requiem |
| 1969 | Kodaly Faure |
Missa Brevis Requiem |
| 1970 | Handel Vaughn Williams |
Acis & Galatea In Windsor Forest |
| 1971 | Mendelssohn | Elijah |
| 1972 | Vaughan Williams Mozart |
Donna Nobis Pacem Requiem |
| 1973 | Handel | Messiah |
| 1974 | Brahms Vaughan Williams |
Songs of Destiny Sea Symphony |
| 1975 | Haydn | The Creation |
| 1976 | Handel | Judas Maccabaeus |
| 1977 | Haydyn Vaughan Williams Vaughan Williams |
Nelson Mass In Windsor Forest Serenade to Music |
| 1978 | Elgar Brahms |
The Snow Requiem |
| 1979 | Bach | St John Passion |
| 1980 | Faure Britten |
Requiem St Nicholas |
| 1981 | Mendelssohn | St Paul |
| 1982 | Dyson Haydn |
Canterbury Pilgrims Paukenmesse |
| 1983 | Rossini Bruckner |
Petit Messe Solonelle Motets |
| 1984 | Mozart Vaughan Williams |
Requiem Hodie |
| 1985 | Elgar | Dream of Gerontius |
| 1986 | Haydn Vivaldi |
Nelson Mass Gloria |
| 1987 | Mendelssohn | Elijah |
| 1988 | Stanford Vaughan Williams |
Songs of the Fleet Sea |
| 1989 | Beethoven Mendelssohn Bruckner |
Choral Fantasia Laude Sion Mass in F Minor |
| 1990 | Cherubini Schubert Salieri |
Requiem in C Minor Magnificat Te Deum |
| 1991 | Dvorak | Stabat Mater |
| 1992 | Verdi | Requiem |
| 1993 | Brahms Elgar |
Requiem The Snow |
| 1994 | Haydn | The Creation |
| 1995 | Mozart Mozart |
Solemn Vespers Requiem |
| 1996 | Stanford Vaughan Williams |
Songs of the Fleet Sea Symphony |
| 1997 | Mendelssohn | Elijah |
| 1998 | Poulenc Puccini Bizet |
Gloria Messa di Gloria Te Deum |
| 1999 | Haydn Mozart Rutter |
Te Deum Coronation Mass Requiem |
| 2000 | Rutter Bruckner Faure MacMillan Faure |
Gloria Motets Requiem Divo Aloysio Sacrum Cantique de Jean |
| 2001 | Haydn | The Creation |
| 2002 | Liszt | Christus |
| 2003 | Mozart Haydn |
Requiem Te Deum |
| 2004 | Jenkins Orff |
The Armed Man Carmina Burana |
| 2005 | Bach Brahms |
Cantana 140 Requiem |
| 2006 | Jenkins Faure Haydn |
Requiem Requiem Nelson Mass |
| 2007 | Verdi | Requiem |
