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Strabane Chamber Choir:

Simple Gifts -Ìýtrad. American

All My TrialsÌý-Ìýtrad. arr Chilcott

Jubilate -ÌýSally Albrecht

The Long and Winding Road -ÌýLennon/McCartney arr MacHuff

Fields of Gold -ÌýSumner arr EmersonÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

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Ulster Youth Choir:

Flower of Magherally -Ìýtrad arr McGlynnÌý(soloist Fra Fee)

Geantrai -ÌýMichael McGlynn

Ìý

Mark Chambers:

Flow My Tears -ÌýJohn Dowland

Ìý

His Majesty’s Sagbutts and Cornetts:

Sonata a 6 -ÌýGiovanni Buonamente

Ìý

Sestina:

Hor che’l ciel e la terra e’l vento tace -ÌýMonteverdi

Nisi Dominus (from Vespers of 1610) -Monteverdi

Strabane Chamber Choir was formed in 2014. It is the brainchild of local musician Gerard Bradley who has long held a desire to set up an adult choir drawing members from the town of Strabane and outlying areas. There is a wealth of musical talent and experience among the membership of this new Strabane Chamber Choir as each one is either a music teacher, member of another choral group, orchestra or musical theatre group.

The choir’s inaugural concert was in February at the Alley theatre and was a resounding success with a sellout audience.Ìý Their repertoire is wide ranging and includes pieces from the Renaissance era through to modern day popular music, with a little flavour of Irish mixed in.

Although he has a wide background in Jazz and directing numerous stage musicals throughout the Northwest,Ìý Gerard's real passion is choral singing. He has, for many years, been director of Loreto Grammar School’s two choirs in Omagh and has taught in the school for 25 years. During all of this time Gerard has served as Church Organist and choir director of Melmount Church Choir, Strabane.

Sestina first met in August 2011 to participate in the benchmark performance, conducted by Paul McCreesh, of ²Ñ±ð²Ô»å±ð±ô²õ²õ´Ç³ó²Ô’s Elijah as part of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Proms at the Royal Albert Hall.Ìý As members of the Ulster Youth Choir they were so inspired by this unique occasion that they approached countertenor and teacher, Mark Chambers, to continue making music at the highest possible level.

Following their debut performance in December 2011, the group approached Paul McCreesh to be their Patron.Ìý On accepting this position Paul McCreesh wrote:

‘I'm really delighted to be asked to be patron of this new and exciting vocal group; it's vitally important to encourage singers to sing in consort, and to help bridge the gap between talented students and young professionals’.

And that is how Sestina came into being.

The name comes from a piece in ²Ñ´Ç²Ô³Ù±ð±¹±ð°ù»å¾±â€™s Sixth Book of Madrigals, performed at one of the new ensemble’s early concerts.

"My original concept for Sestina was to give them a platform to be able to collaborate with professional musicians," explains Mark Chambers. "They’re expected to arrive and to work at that level from the beginning."

The idea of implanting the Sestina singers in a solidly professional environment is one that’s central to the group.

Since leaving the Royal Northern College of Music in 1992 Mark has performed all over the world with many leading groups and conductors.Ìý Solo work has included Bach St Matthew Passion and Mass in B Minor with Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 (performances and recording for DeutscheÌýGramophon) with Paul McCreesh and a recording with Nederlandse Bachverenging of Beloved and Beautiful conducted by Jos van Veldhoven.

Operatic work has included many roles in Handel operas. ÌýMark has also worked at the Royal Opera House as understudy for the role of Snake Priestess in Harrison Birtwistle’s world premiere The Minotaur.

He works regularly with many of the world’s leading choirs and ensembles including Tenebrae, Gallicantus, The Monteverdi Choir, The Gabrieli Consort, the National Chamber Choir of Ireland and Gramophone award winning Binchois Consort.Ìý He has made many recordings, including a solo recital of songs by Edmund Rubbra and R. Vaughan Williams with David Mason (piano), a series of discs with The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble with music from Italy ( Accendo ) Germany ( A Hanseatic Festival ) and England ( Flower of Cities All ). ÌýMark took part in the live recording of J.S. Bach St Matthew Passion with Ex Cathedra and Jeffrey Skidmore from Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

In the commercial world Mark has created the Voice of the Ood for the Dr Who series for ´óÏó´«Ã½ television with music by Murray Gold and has been featured as a soloist in the electro acoustic score for Genus ; a commission by Paris Opera Ballet by Joby Talbot (also soon to be featured in a film about the project).

Other film work includes The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Elizabeth The Golden Age .

Mark currently lives in Buncrana, Co. Donegal and combines his singing career with aÌýpost as part time lecturer in Voice at the University of Birmingham and as musicalÌýdirector of Sestina.

Ulster Youth Choir was established in 1999 to provide theÌýbest of Northern Ireland’s young singers aged 15-24 with the opportunity to sing together to the highest possible standards receiving training from some of the best choral and vocal practitioners from throughout the UK and Ireland and is now regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s leading artistic and educational organisations.

Since then UYC has expanded its activity establishing the Ulster YouthÌýTraining Choir as well asÌýproviding choral workshops province wideÌýand offeringÌýtraining opportunities for schools, teachers and extended vocal training for existing members. UYC has performed across the UK andÌýbeyond and hasÌýparticipated in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Prom Festival, Belfast Festival at Queens and recorded for the ´óÏó´«Ã½ and Gabrieli Consort & Players.