Chapel Choir, Chamber Choir, Choral Society

Dean Close Harmony, Dean Close Voices

CHAPEL CHOIR

  • Approximately 65 auditioned members
  • Leads the music for School Chapel services
  • Sings Evensong in St Paul’s Cathedral and Tewkesbury Abbey each year
  • In 2013 the choir led the singing in the Drumhead Service at the Festival of Remembrance in the Royal Albert Hall, in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen, which was broadcast on BBC1
  • Many former members of the choir have gone on to hold Oxbridge or Cathedral Choral Scholarships

REPERTOIRE SINCE 2015 HAS INCLUDED:

Bruckner                                 Os justi

Bruckner                                 Christus factus est

Byrd                                         Mass for Four Voices

Byrd                                         Praise our Lord, all ye gentiles

Elgar                                        The Spirit of the Lord

Elgar                                        Give unto the Lord

Finzi                                         Lo, the Full Final Sacrifice

Finzi                                         God is gone up

Gowers                                    Viri galilei

Howells                                   Gloucester Service

Martin (OD)                            Alleluia: Caro mea

Monteverdi                             Cantate Domino

Parry                                       Blest Pair of Sirens

Parry                                       My Soul there is a Country

Sanders                                   The Reproaches

Stanford                                  For lo, I raise up

Stanford                                  Evening Service in A major

Tippett                                     Five Negro Spirituals

Vaughan Williams                   O clap your hands

Weir                                        My Guardian Angel

COMMISSIONS

  • Each year the School commissions a Christmas Carol
  • Recent commissions for the choir include:
    • Archer As I sat on a Sunny Bank
    • Bednall Alleluya, a new work is come on hand
    • Briggs Sweet was the Song the Virgin Sang
    • Chilcott The Night He was Born
    • Cox Three are the Precious Gifts
    • Goodall Veni Sancte Spiritus
    • Hewitt Jones Verbum Caro Factum est
    • Ives Susanni
    • Lavino Before the Paling of the Stars
    • Martin Alleluia: Caro Mea
    • Martin The Fifth Service (Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis)
    • Moore Into a quiet world
    • Muhly A Song on the Nativity
    • Panufnik Heavenly Harmony
    • Wilby Moonless Darkness

CHAMBER CHOIR

  • Approximately 25 members drawn from the more experienced singers in the school
  • Gives concerts at Dean Close and in various local churches
  • Regular trips to perform Evensong in Oxbridge Colleges

RECENT REPERTOIRE HAS INCLUDED:

Britten                                     Hymn to St Cecilia

Chilcott                                    A Little Jazz Mass

Copland                                   American Songs

Dove                                        Ecce Beatam Lucem

Elgar                                        They are at rest

Finzi                                         My spirit sang all day

Gorecki                                    Totus tuus

Handel                                     Israel in Egypt

Harris                                      Faire is the Heaven

Howells                                   Hymn for St Cecilia

Lassus                                      Missa Bel amfitrit altera

Lauridsen                                Sure on this shining night

Lukaszewski                             Nunc Dimittis

Macmillan                               Ave maris stella

Rheinberger                            Cantus Missae

Shearing                                  Shakespeare Songs

Stanford                                  Songs of Farewell

Vaughan Williams                   Serenade to Music

CHORAL SOCIETY

  • Comprises pupils, staff, parents and friends of the School
  • One performance per year, usually in the Lent Term, in the Pittville Pump Room, Tewkesbury Abbey or Dean Close Memorial Chapel

RECENT REPERTOIRE HAS INCLUDED:

Handel                                     Coronation Anthems

Handel                                     Messiah

Haydn                                      Nelson Mass

Haydn                                      The Creation

Jenkins                                     The Armed Man

Mozart                                    Requiem

Orff                                         Carmina Burana

DEAN CLOSE HARMONY

  • A cappella group of up to 16 experienced singers
  • Wide range of secular and sacred repertoire
  • Performs both in and out of School

DEAN CLOSE VOICES

  • Non-auditioned choir
  • Focus on secular repertoire