School of Music Choir and Orchestra

The School of Music Choir, conducted by Stephen Muir, perform choral settings of texts by Shakespeare and Pushkin and other works inspired by these legends of literature.

Georgy Sviridov (1915–88): Pushkinskiy venok [A wreath for Pushkin]
Herbert Murrill (1909–52): Two Songs from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
Three Pushkin Choruses
Viktor Kalinnikov (1870–1927), Elegy
Rodion Shchedrin (b1932), Silent is the Ukrainian night
Vissarion Shebalin (1902–63), Winter road
Hans Gál (1890–1987), Madrigal (Measure for Measure)
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky (1840–93), Chorus of Maidens (Eugene Onegin)
Paul Ayres (b1970), Fairies’ Song (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
Hans Gál (1890–1987), Tell me where is fancy bred (The Merchant of Venice)
Amy Beach (1867–1944), Three Shakespeare Songs

In the second half of the concert, the School of Music Orchestra, conducted by Christopher Pelly, present a programme of mid-century orchestral entertainments.

Leonard Bernstein - Overture to Candide (theatrical version)
William Walton - Façade Suite
Kurt Weill - Symphony no 2

Kurt Weill - Symphony no 2
This symphony was completed after the composer’s emigration to France in 1933 and was premiered by the Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Bruno Walter. However, largely due to the Second World War and the oppression of music by Jewish composers in Nazi Germany, it has not found a place in the standard concert repertoire.

William Walton - Façade Suite
An orchestral suite arranged by the composer from the music for his “Entertainment” from Edith Sitwell’s poems of the same name. Façade – An Entertainment is renowned for its quirky structure, in which Sitwell's poems are recited over an instrumental accompaniment. The suite was premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1938 under the baton of Sir John Barbirolli

Leonard Bernstein - Overture to Candide
Bernstein’s operetta Candide is arguably most famous for its lively overture, the first concert performance of which was given by the New York Philharmonic in 1957, conducted by the composer. In this concert the orchestra will perform the theatrical version of the overture, which is written for a much smaller ensemble.

Christopher Pelly studied trumpet and voice in the School of Music and since graduating has become a sought after conductor and accompanist. He has recently conducted performances of Stanford’s rare opera Much Ado About Nothing at Morley Town Hall and productions of Hello Dolly and Made in Dagenham at the Alhambra Theatre. In March Christopher conducted Philip Wilby’s completion of Mozart’s Mass in C minor with the School of Music choir and orchestra. He also conducts the Leeds Haydn Players, Leeds Symphony Orchestra, West Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra and Otley Chamber Orchestra.

Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall
Admission Free