Keele Bach Choir

Keele Bach Choir Auditioned chamber choir singing Byrd to Britten & beyond. Posts by Sarah 🎵

Thanks to our spectacular soloists; to our amazing orchestra; to our no less spectacular and amazing Neil and Ian, and t...
14/03/2026

Thanks to our spectacular soloists; to our amazing orchestra; to our no less spectacular and amazing Neil and Ian, and to you, our wonderful audience, for filling Keele Chapel this evening and sharing such fantastic music with us.

As we get into the groove before what promises to be a fine concert tomorrow evening, it just remains to thank the wonde...
13/03/2026

As we get into the groove before what promises to be a fine concert tomorrow evening, it just remains to thank the wonderful Neil Taylor, our Musical Director, and Ian Riddle, our also wonderful accompanist, for all they have done for this concert and throughout the year. Thank you both so much.
Neil, Ian and the choir will be thrilled to see you tomorrow evening at 7.30pm at Keele University Chapel at 7.30pm for our performance of Handel Messiah (Part 2) and Mozart Coronation Mass. Tickets available here:

https://keelebachchoir.sumupstore.com

Neil’s photo credit: Paul Husband

Tonight was our final rehearsal before the concert on Saturday, and we think we’ve hit something very special coming up ...
12/03/2026

Tonight was our final rehearsal before the concert on Saturday, and we think we’ve hit something very special coming up for you!
We can’t wait to add in The 18th Century Sinfonia to the mix…..
The 18th Century Sinfonia is a versatile ensemble of specialist period instrumentalists who, since their foundation, have accompanied numerous choral societies throughout the UK.
As a result of choral societies across the country discovering the clarity and joy of singing accompanied by period instruments, so the skills of the 18th Century Sinfonia are very much in demand.
Over the last two decades Baroque masterpieces such as Bach's B minor mass, Passions, and Magnificat: Handel's ‘Messiah', Chandos and Coronation anthems have become standard repertoire for the ensemble.
Whilst these works form the core of the Sinfonia’s accompanying repertoire, the group also looks forward in music history to classical works such as Haydn (Creation) and Mozart (Requiem and Coronation Mass); as well as backward, to high renaissance works such as Monteverdi Vespers of 1610.
The principal players of the 18th Century Sinfonia also comprise the 18th Century Concert Orchestra, whose performances combine period instruments, readings, candlelight, and sumptuous 18th century costume, in uniquely atmospheric recreations of 18th century musical life.
www.18thcentury.co.uk

Don’t be disappointed - secure your tickets now and see you on Keele Chapel at 7.30pm on Saturday to hear Mozart Coronation Mass and Handel Messiah (Part 2) with this lovely crew, our professional soloists and our Musical Director, Neil Taylor.

https://keelebachchoir.sumupstore.com

We’re really looking forward to welcoming back Terence Ayebare as Baritone soloist.Terence Ayebare stepped aside from a ...
11/03/2026

We’re really looking forward to welcoming back Terence Ayebare as Baritone soloist.

Terence Ayebare stepped aside from a career in electrical engineering to study voice and
piano at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow and the Royal Northern
College of Music in Manchester.
The opera roles in his repertoire include Count Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro), Guglielmo (Cosi
fan tutte), Dr Falke (Die Fledermaus), Pangloss (Candide), Belcore (L’Elisir d’Amore), Zurga
(Pearl Fishers), Marullo (Rigoletto) and Silvio (I Pagliacci).

Among the works he has sung as a soloist with orchestra and choral societies stand Mahler’s
Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen and Rückert Lieder, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and R. V.
Williams’ Songs of Travel, Sea Symphony, Serenade to Music and a wide range of the Oratorio repertoire.

Alongside his music-making, Terence teaches mathematics at the Manchester Grammar School.

Secure your tickets and programmes here: https://keelebachchoir.sumupstore.com

We look forward to seeing Terence and the other soloists on Saturday 14th March at Keele University Chapel at 7.30pm.

Next up, please meet our tenor soloist for Saturday night’s concert.Alexander Grainger is a Yorkshire based tenor. He gr...
10/03/2026

Next up, please meet our tenor soloist for Saturday night’s concert.

Alexander Grainger is a Yorkshire based tenor. He graduated from the RNCM with Postgraduate Diploma in performance.
He has played many operatic roles such as Rodolfo (La Boheme) with manx opera festival, Ferrando (Cosi Fan Tutte) Devon Opera, Alfredo (La Traviata) with the West Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra and Tamino (Magic Flute), Sam (Street Scene), Camile (A Merry Widow) whilst studying at the RNCM. He has also worked many times with Opera North, Clonter Opera, Hull Urban Opera and Glyndebourne.
Alexander is also highly sought after on the concert platform, he has appeared as a soloist in many concert halls and cathedrals across Britain singing works including, Handel’s Messiah, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Rossini Stabart Mater, Haydn Paukenmesse, Hayden Theresienmesse, Mozart Credo, Mozart Mass in C. He has sang as a soloist on BBC Radio 4 (Mozart Missa Brevis).
He was a founding member of the RNCM chamber choir, a member of The National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and started his singing Career with the Beverley Minster Choir as Chorister.

When not singing, Alex is a keen amateur cricketer (Bowling all rounder), plays in a touring Ten pin bowling team and is a proud father to two young daughters.

We look forward to meeting him on Saturday evening. If you haven’t bought tickets yet, this is your sign from the universe to do so sooner rather than later! https://keelebachchoir.sumupstore.com

Keele University Chapel, Saturday 14th March, 7.30pm. Be there or be somewhere less wonderful.

Introducing our lovely Alto soloist, Harriet Goodwin.She read English Literature at Balliol College, Oxford before train...
09/03/2026

Introducing our lovely Alto soloist, Harriet Goodwin.

She read English Literature at Balliol College, Oxford before training at the Royal Northern College of Music, where she studied with Nicholas Powell and received a scholarship from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust. She has sung and toured with The Sixteen and The Monteverdi Choir and was nominated for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. She sings regularly with Britten Sinfonia Voices.

As a concert artist, Harriet has performed at numerous venues throughout the country, including Cadogan Hall and St John’s, Smith Square. She has also appeared at the English Haydn Festival.

We look forward to welcoming Harriet back to KBC on Saturday 14th March in Keele Chapel at 7.30pm.
Please get your tickets here: https://keelebachchoir.sumupstore.com

Quick public service announcement ahead of our concert on 14th March at 7:30 pm in Keele Chapel: if you would like refre...
08/03/2026

Quick public service announcement ahead of our concert on 14th March at 7:30 pm in Keele Chapel: if you would like refreshments, we can only handle cash for those, though we do take electronic payment for tickets and programmes.
Do feel free to bring a cushion along, for added comfort!
More to come over the next couple of days, to introduce you to our remaining soloists and orchestra.
As ever, if you have not purchased your tickets already, please secure them while you can: https://keelebachchoir.sumupstore.com

With just a week to go before what promises to be an epic concert, we have great pleasure in introducing our soloists. F...
07/03/2026

With just a week to go before what promises to be an epic concert, we have great pleasure in introducing our soloists. First up is Charlotte Baker, who is is a soprano from Berkshire, a recent graduate of RNCM where she gained her PGDip and MMus with distinction under the tutelage of Mary Plazas, generously supported by the Dame Eva Turner Award, the Riga Heesom Award and the Hargreaves and Ball Scholarship. She was a Young Artist for Buxton International Festival 2024, appearing as chorus in Verdi’s Ernani and Carlos Acosta’s On Before.
Charlotte's most recent engagements include Wexford International Festival 2025, where she sang the role of Ghita in The Dwarf, and chorus in Verdi's Le Trouvère and Delius' The Magic Fountain.
Roles at RNCM included Mrs Julian (Britten’s Owen Wingrave 2025), Princesse Laoula (Chabrier’s L’étoile2024), Lucilla (Rossini’s La Scala di Seta 2024), and Kupava (Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Snow Maiden 2023).
In addition to her affinity with opera, Charlotte loves the concert and oratorio platforms - she was the 2024 winner of The Joyce and Michael Kennedy Award for the singing of Strauss.
Charlotte passionately believes that music should be accessible to all - she currently balances her performances with teaching which she hugely enjoys.

Avoid disappointment and grab your tickets for the forthcoming concert on March 14th at 7.30 in Keele Chapel, which promises to be fab!
https://keelebachchoir.sumupstore.com

Excuse the radio silence, but things have been very much happening behind the scenes! More to come very shortly, but we ...
04/03/2026

Excuse the radio silence, but things have been very much happening behind the scenes! More to come very shortly, but we urge you to obtain tickets for our forthcoming concert on March 14th at 7.30 in Keele Chapel, which promises to be amazing!
https://keelebachchoir.sumupstore.com

We are back tonight for our first rehearsal of 2026, and our spring concert is going to be magnificent!Tickets are alrea...
15/01/2026

We are back tonight for our first rehearsal of 2026, and our spring concert is going to be magnificent!

Tickets are already available for our 14th March 2026 concert – click here and snap them up!
https://keelebachchoir.sumupstore.com/products

Join Keele Bach Choir on Saturday 14th March at 7:30pm in Keele Chapel for our Spring concert featuring two towering works of the 18th century: Handel’s oratorio Messiah (part II) and Mozart’s liturgical Coronation Mass. Each presents a wonderful showcase for the respective composer’s unique sound-world.

In our performance, we sing Part II of Messiah which narrates the events of Christ’s passion, resurrection and eventual triumph. As such, it encompasses a magnificent range of emotions, from sorrow to celebration. Choruses alternate with solos from soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Handel’s signature characteristics are all in place: fugal energy, magisterial solemnity, lilting melody, uplifting joy, meditative lament and muscular athleticism, all culminating in the powerful rejoicing of the Hallelujah chorus.

And as with Messiah, we know from the very first notes of the Coronation Mass from whose pen it flowed. Chorus and soloists alternate here, too, but the Mass features glorious quartets where the bass, tenor, alto and soprano voices interweave in that inimitable and enchanting Mozart style. Throughout, we are aware that we are in the infallibly safe hands of the supreme craftsman who turns on a sixpence between intense and grave spirituality, playful, rhythmic tunes, and utterly enchanting lyrical airs. There’s no overlooking the invigorating operatic mix of quick-moving drama, excitement, and simple melodic beauty that is ever-present in the Mass.

This concert has been made possible by an anonymous donation and we thank our donor for their kind gift. Because of the donation we are, like last year, able to offer an exceptional concert at reduced cost to our audience. It will be an experience to rival our 50th anniversary concert last March. We will be joined by professional soloists, and the whole will be enhanced by the 18th Century Sinfonia, giving the concert a wonderfully authentic sound.

08/01/2026

What a shame… tonight was set to be our first rehearsal of 2026, but because of the impending storm, we’re meeting next week instead. Stay warm, safe & upright, KBC friends! (Video of genuine Keele snow!)

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