Musical Medley: Concerts and what's on in the Doncaster music scene this June

Doncaster Minster Coffee and Company

Hosted by The Friends of Doncaster Minster

Entertainment provided by The Minster Community Choir

Tea, coffee and other hot and cold drinks, homemade cakes and scones, all at very reasonable prices

Friday 2nd June 2023

10.30am - 12.30 pm

Everyone is welcome

Doncaster Minster, DN1 1RD

All proceeds to Doncaster Minster

The Minster Community Choir is open to anyone who wants to sing with other people for fun and relaxation. The choir meets every Monday, mostly during term time, between 12.30 and 1.15pm. No previous experience of singing in a choir is necessary, everyone is welcome to come along and join in.

The music includes popular songs e.g. Beatles, Abba, film and theatre and you can be sure of a warm and friendly welcome.

There is a voluntary contribution of £2 per week, to cover costs for music and staff.

For more information contact: Musical Director Darren Williams on 07921 868366 or via email: [email protected]

Also at the Minster this month we are in for a treat with two organ recitals!

Doncaster is fortunate to have such a fine instrument in the ‘mighty Schultze organ’ and everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy these lunchtime recitals by gifted musicians.

A truly wonderful way to pass an hour in the beautiful setting of Doncaster Minster.

This month the recitalists are:

 Friday 9 June – Richard Brocklehurst, Manchester

Richard has been accompanist to The Lindow Singers since 2000. He was born in Stretford, Manchester and educated at King’s School Macclesfield. He is a graduate of Sheffield University where he studied music and he has a postgraduate qualification from Portsmouth Polytechnic.

Richard has studied organ under Michael English, Graham Matthews (Sheffield Cathedral), Simon Lindley (Leeds Parish Church) and Gordon Stewart (Manchester Cathedral). He became an Associate of the Royal College of Organists in 1997. He is currently Assistant Organist at St. Michael’s Church, Macclesfield, and has also accompanied The Northern England Chorale on overseas tours.

 Friday 23 June - Joshua Stephens, Winchester

Joshua is Sub Organist at Winchester Cathedral and studied at the Royal Northern College of Music.

He has worked with many high-profile groups such as The Sixteen, English Touring Opera and the City of London Sinfonia. Joshua has also given concerts in many of Britain’s great cathedrals. Whilst at Wells Cathedral he was involved in many world premieres, including works by Judith Bingham and Michael Berkeley. Central to much of his work is education and outreach.

After Joshua’s time at Sheffield Cathedral, where he was Acting Director of Music, Joshua directed the Steel City Choristers.

Doncaster Minster, DN1 1RD

1.10pm, free entry with retiring collection

Barnby Dun Concert In The Park

Join us for a relaxed evening of live music at the Barnby Dun Concert In the Park. A varied mix of music for all. Doncaster Concert Band are delighted to be part of this summer concert and fundraising efforts for Barnby Dun Church roof.

Saturday 3 June, 7:00pm

The Old School Field, Top Road, Barnby Dun

Tickets available from Barnby Dun Church, or on the night. £8

Sprotbrough Music Society

Gould Piano Trio and Robert Plane

Making his third visit to Sprotbrough, Robert Plane (clarinet) is joined by the Gould Piano Trio one member of which, Benjamin Frith (piano) is also a regular visitor. They have been performing together for 30 years, initially in performances of Messiaen’s monumental Quartet for the End of Time. For this performance they will perform trios by Brahms and Schumann plus a work commissioned for this combination of instruments from composer Huw Watkins: Four Fables, which was premiered at the 2018 Three Choirs Festival in Hereford and is an inspired, poetic and exhilarating piece.

Thursday 15 June, 7pm

St. Mary’s Church Hall, Sprotbrough, DN5 7RH

Tickets available on the door - £15

Cathleen McGowan in Concert

St Helena’s Church, Austerfield was graced by critically acclaimed soprano, Cathleen McGowan, who instantly captivated the audience and took them on a soaring vocal journey through history (22 April). There was an eclectic mix of compositions, in a variety of styles, by Bellini, Debussy, Donizetti, Flotow, Shakespeare and world premiere works by Scott Mohnkern.

St Helena’s is close to Cathleen’s heart and she gave her time freely to raise funds for the up-keep of this medieval, much loved building. The captivated audience were able to follow each lilting, rousing lyric in the comprehensive and carefully crafted programme.

The cheese and wine afterwards gave everyone an opportunity to chat with Cathleen and discuss how William Bradford, Pilgrim Father, may have viewed such an evening. This fabulous concert raised a total of almost £500 towards improvement of the church facilities. Many thanks to Cathleen, her husband Richard and everyone who so kindly supported the evening.

Doncaster Minster Organ Recital

On 28 April Keith Dale, visiting organist from Hexham, performed a varied programme of music and styles at Doncaster Minster, as part of the organ recital series. The audience was instantly captivated by the short Fanfare by American composer Gerald Near which contrasted nicely with Byrd’s Fantasia in C, a jolly improvisation piece showing the performer’s skills.

Kodaly’s Four Epigrams were included, from a total of nine which are short studies transcribed for organ, and the four chosen showed contrast in mood from the quiet and thoughtful first piece through the uplifting and jolly melodic second piece to a sombre third and ending the set of four with a lilting and snappy movement.

Two movements from Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 65 by Mendelssohn showcased a grand opening in the Con moto maestoso which was smooth and sustained, building to a dramatic climax and the Andante tranquillo was tranquil, as the title suggests.

An interesting 20 th century piece was Dom Paul Benoit’s Le Bon Pasteur. Benoit himself was a Benedictine priest and took his main inspiration from Gregorian chant, heard daily as part of monastic liturgy.

The piece heard in this recital depicted a shepherd playing his pipes which was beautifully portrayed with its hauntingly lyrical melody using flutes on Doncaster’s Schultze organ.

The stirring finale to the recital followed on wonderfully: Choral-Improvisation sur le “Victimae paschal” by Charles Touremiere, five improvisations on Gregorian chants, transcribed by Derufle after Charles death (being improvisations and not previously written down) which was dramatic from the rousing opening and crunchy chords through to a quiet and reflective section, leading the listened towards a majestic ending. A thoroughly enjoyable recital!

Lollipops: Sweet singing from Doncaster Choral Society

Doncaster Choral Society’s May concert was well attended at Alder Grove Methodist Church (20 May) and entitled Summer Lollipops.

The term ‘lollipop’, in the sense of a short, tuneful miniature, is often accredited to the late Sir Thomas Beecham who applied it usually to short orchestral pieces but here was applied to short choral items; many folk songs familiar to choir (and audience) from school or perhaps since.

The songs ranged widely, starting with Martin Lauridsen’s Sure on this Shining Night (from America) and ending with a group of songs from Geordieland and including songs from elsewhere in the British Isles – Wales, Scotland, Ireland.

These were sung well and showing evidence of careful rehearsal under conductor Matt Beckingham. There were opportunities for individual DSC singers to shine as soloists – Graham Smyth (in Amazing Grace), Sandra Dolan (in The Keel Row) and Sue Wells (in Bobby Shaftoe and Blow the Wind Southerly).

In cold print the programme looked rather lacking in substance, however the variety and interest of the arrangements ensured audience interest throughout the evening. Simple Gifts, arranged by Copland, was sung by the upper voices; Arthur Sullivan’s The Long Day Closes, maybe the only song that was not ‘traditional’ but composed, was sung by the lower voices (tenors and basses) from the back of the auditorium.

The alert accompaniment for the vocal items was Scunthorpe pianist Jonathan Gooing who added extra pleasure to the evening with solo items, cleverly chosen to underline the choral songs and likewise ranging widely, starting with Norway and Grieg, Sinding’s Rustle of Spring, America with a Piano Blues by Copland and England represented by Quilter’s 1 st English Dance, very much in the English light music tradition, and two movements, Tides and Farewell to Flamborough by the Yorkshireman William Baines which, by their intensity, added yet further variety to a rewarding evening.

Ceremonial Music for a Coronation

A busy musical weekend in Doncaster ended at Chequer Road Baptist Church on Sunday afternoon 21 May, a concert directed by Carey Williams as a celebration of the recent coronation. The main ensembles taking part were Hallgate Chamber Orchestra and, directed by Paul Hudson, the New Chamber Choir.

The latter indeed set the ball rolling with fortissimo brass accompaniment of Parry’s I was Glad, performed at all coronations since 1902. This was followed by the stirring Crown Imperial written for the 1937 coronation and, closing the first half, Beethoven’s Emperor Piano Concerto, not a coronation piece at all but in keeping with the theme.

The soloist was Jonathan Gooing. This was a memorable, highly creditable performance by both soloist and orchestra.

The second half contained more items, mostly less well-known, although it ended with Zadok the Priest (Handel) written for the 1727 coronation of George II and performed at the ten since.

We did hear a coronation anthem, written for James II’s coronation in 1685, Purcell’s setting of My Heart is Inditing, who’s words were to be set by Handel in 1727. An enjoyable item was not for an English coronation but by Mozart; the Angus Dei from the Coronation Mass K.337, sung by Clare Wheat with the chorus.

The other items, even lesser known, Napoleon’s imperial coronation was references by Lesuer’s March. Earlier English coronations (JamesI and Elizabeth I) were represented by short pieces of ‘incidental music’.

Meyerbeer’s Coronation March was not written for a coronation but for and opera (Le Prophete).

This concert was a typical Carey Williams concert – entertaining and enthusiastically presented.

Always a pleasure to sample!