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The Nottingham Boys Choir Web Site Contents
Planned Events
Updates as information becomes available Last updated 15th June 2010 Other Interesting Web LinksNottingham Boys Choir: The Albums Buy CDs of ‘The Nottingham Boys Choir’, whilst stocks last! Musica Donum Dei - Baroque music ensemble A rather special music group, with which our Director of Music is involved. A (nearly) comprehensive list of British choirs, inc. both web and e-mail addresses. An interesting site for all Woodborough-dwelling folk. Back to TopThe Choir, Its History & What It DoesThe Choir, An Introduction This independent choir was established in 1983. Our prime objective is to encourage boys aged six and upwards, in their love of singing. It is a superb choir, emulating a style and sound that has evolved in the great historic cathedral and collegiate choirs where the uppermost musical line (the soprano part) has been given to boy singers (called "trebles") for hundreds of years. We teach boys decorum, the skills of reading music and singing properly, in fact, first class musicianship. Choir members progress through various stages: Probationer, Chorister, and Senior Chorister. Each level has a special award and privileges to interest and motivate the boys. The self assurance, skills and poise they acquire are priceless attributes in all the demands of their future lives. "...what joy the Boys Choir brought to our Sunday evening…” Clifford Wilton BA A
Church Service at St. John's Church, Carlton,
Nottingham As well as
regular public performances, the Choir also makes
high quality digital recordings for their tapes
and CDs, and there is increasing demand around
and beyond the Nottingham area for the Choir to
appear in concert and at other events. In recent
years, choir programmes have blended music from
the 13th to the 20th centuries maintaining a
balance between sacred and secular, serious and
popular. Standard classics have included Faure's
Requiem, Vivaidi's Gloria, Handel's Zadok the
Priest, and rarer items such as Blow's Ode for
St. Cecilia's Day-, Purcell's Welcome Ode of
1683, complete with period instruments. Choir
favourites range from Gaudete and Panis
Angelicus, to show stoppers like Gospel Train and
Goodbye Jazz. The hauntingly beautiful Michelle
(Lennon & McCartney), Streets of London
(McTell) and Summertime (Gershwin's-) are also
much requested. The Choir in full robes The boys continue to welcome invitations to sing at a variety of church services and weddings and to join forces with other choral and instrumental groups (The Derby Bach Choir, the Australian Boys' Choir, Tozer Dance Studio, the Trent Concert Band and the Nottingham Millennium Concert Choir of 2000) in large scale performances. Back to TopVenues have included: Southwell Minster, Gunby Hall, BostonParishChurch, Corpus ChristiCollege, Cambridge, Holme Pierrepont Hall, Rufford Abbey, Nottingham Cathedral, and numerous other local venues, including the Christmas Tree- Lighting ceremony at the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre. "...a splendid concert...” Gedling Borough Council Recent research shows that involvement in music improves academic performance, develops mental capacity and increases powers of concentration. Many leading musicians, soloists, composers and conductors started their careers as boy choristers including John Rutter, Luciano Pavarotti, Sir Arthur Sullivan, Aled ]ones, David Essex and Leo Sayer, not to mention JS Bach and Franz Schubert! "...the choir, boys and men alike, captured the intimate beauties of Faure's setting most delicately... " NottinghamEvening Post
Youngsters will no doubt recognise Will Young the recent Pop Idol winner, who was Head Chorister at his school. Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates and Ben Adams, from the boy-band ‘A1’, also began their singing careers as boy choristers,
Back to TopWHAT A BOY CAN EXPECT Singing is fun! You probably have never sung serious music, but when you get used to it, you will like it a lot! When you join the Nottingham Boys Choir, you will be a Probationer, an opportunity that is open to all boys. You and other new boys will learn how to read notes, how to use your voice to sing well and work with the other boys in the choir. Probationers receive training once a week, on Wednesdays in term time, and the probationary period is usually of one or two years. You will be continuously assessed, and may, as a result, be invited to join the main choir that also practises on Wednesdays. "...the music and singing was a joy for us all... " GoodShepherdChurch When you become a Full Chorister member of the choir you have earned the right to participate in Choir performances and recordings. You will also begin work for your first chorister's award. Some
of the lads.... The Director of Music and the adults and senior boys in the choir will help you learn what is necessary to earn the chorister's medal on a light blue ribbon, You will wear this award with you choir robes. Eventually you will earn the right to wear your medal with a dark blue ribbon, and maybe even become a senior chorister and wear a bright red tie. When your voice changes, you may stay in the choir, joining the adults as an alto, tenor or bass. “... wide range is a pleasure... " NottinghamEvening Post We like to do other things as well as sing! You will be able to join in our outings and parties. Recent outings have included Nottingham Climbing Centre, the Magna Science Centre and ten-pin bowling. Full Chorister boys also have an annual trip to the pantomime. We take great pride in our singing and we hope you and your parents will attend one of our Open Workshops, or come to watch us practise and let us meet you afterwards. We would love to have you join our choir and we know you will be glad you did. Try it and see! “... sheer bliss of singing your heart out...” Former Member WHAT A PARENT CAN EXPECT Singing in a good choir is much more than a typical after school activity for your son. It is the life-long gift of musical training and appreciation. The Nottingham Boys Choir is not a "children's choir". Your son will be singing some of the finest, and most difficult, classical music ever written by the world's greatest composers. Wait until he comes home humming, not a rock song or tune from a television commercial, but a Mozart Mass! Perhaps this will be his first experience of participating as an equal in a group of skilled adults. A lot is demanded of our boys but they respond beautifully. And they love doing it! Michael
& the boys, at Thurgaton Priory He'll be carefully trained to use his voice in tune, to read music and count intricate rhythms; to pronounce English, French, German and Latin, to chant Psalms, to sit attentively and perform in front of an audience. Through our training programme, boys can achieve formal qualifications for those who desire it, but many just enjoy the pure fun of singing. "...the balance was absolutely right...” Tozer Studio Most of the boys who try the choir like it and stay on, We are eager to start training at the earliest possible age, usually as soon as a boy can read English. This enables us to fully develop his musical potential and gives him a chance to spend about four or five wonderful years as a boy soprano. When his voice changes, he will be invited to join the choir men, who sing the alto, tenor and bass parts in the music. We like to keep a boy singing together with his friends during the difficult transition from boyhood to manhood. It helps him find his "new voice", gives him a healthy, supportive environment in which to grow into a responsible adult and, in his turn, he becomes a fine male role model for the next generation of younger boys. In recognition of their singing achievements several individual members have received external awards such as the John Taverner Award and East Midlands Choir Boy of the Year. Back to TopThe Nottingham Boys Choir is a Registered Charity. We are fully supported by an active committee drawn from the boys' parents and senior singing membership, are fully-insured and meet all current guidelines regarding Child Protection. Parents have the opportunity and are encouraged to play a full participatory role in the running of the choir. The choir also offers a programme of social activities including parties, barn dances and picnics. The work of Nottingham Boys Choir has been recognised through awards from the National Lottery, Gedling Borough Council, Nottinghamshire Rural Community Council, Central Television and Severn Trent Water. OUR DIRECTOR OF MUSIC Organist and harpsichordist Michael Overbury’s early musical influences centered on Farnham and London. At his local Parish Church, St Andrew’s, he was introduced as chorister and Assistant Organist, to the glorious English liturgical tradition, and it was here that his organ teacher Stephen Thomson inspired in him a love of the harpsichord. Also during these years at Farnham Grammar School, the nationally acclaimed Farnham Festivals provided opportunity for Michael to give a number of solo first performances. These exciting and formative experiences were complemented by Saturday mornings at Trinity College of Music, London, where he held a Junior Exhibition. Horizons broadened with an Organ Scholarship to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he read music and studied the organ with Gillian Weir. Harpsichord tuition continued with Kenneth Gilbert. After graduating he was successively, an assisting organ scholar at King’s College, Cambridge, Assistant Organist at New College, Oxford, a deputy organist and choir master at the Cathedral and Abbey Church at St Alban’s, Director of Music at Eagle House Preparatory School for Boys, and Master of the Song School at Newark, Nottinghamshire. After winning First Prize in the 1982 Manchester International Organ Competition, he appeared twice as soloist at the Royal Festival Hall and has continued to play with numerous choirs and orchestras, including Sinfonia Viva (formerly the East of England Orchestra), the Wren Orchestra, the Orchestra of St John’s Smith Square, the Milton Keynes Chamber orchestra, the English Sinfonia, and has featured on several recordings, including two solo discs. Michael is currently Director of Music of the Priory Church of Our Lady and St Cuthbert, Worksop and Clumber Chapel, a founder member of Mvsica Donvm Dei, playing on period instruments mainly in the East Midlands, and is Director of Music of the Nottingham Boys Choir. He lives in Newark. "...high standard of the choir ... excellent concert...” Trent Concert Band Back to TopWould you like the Nottingham Boys Choir to sing at your wedding, in Nottinghamshire or in the surrounding area? Music can often express your feelings better than words alone, and what better way to celebrate your wedding, than by hearing your favourite song.
The Nottingham Boys Choir can enhance the singing of the congregation hymns or perform during the signing of the register. Whether your wedding is traditional or modern, we have a wide range of music to suit, a full reportoire list is available from the Director of Music. “... the splendid performance [at our daughter's wedding] singing was so beautifully performed...” Mike & Patricia Pickering Back to TopHOW YOU CAN MEET US The Choir offers all-day and evening Open Workshops so boys can have an opportunity to find out what the choir is like. You can also visit us during rehearsal at the Oasis Centre (Burner Pool, Main Street, Calverton) on Wednesday nights during the school term, or speak to us after any performance. The Choir currently has seventeen choristers and six probationers, along with a substantial adult contingent. At a time when many Cathedral choirs are struggling for singers, the Nottingham Boys Choir has been enjoying a period of steady membership and growth. Enquiries are very welcome. For further information, please contact: the Director of Music, Michael Overbury, on 01636 702054 the Chairman, Jenny Reed, via the choir email address (below) the Treasurer, Mary Gard, on 0115 9654502 or alternatively contact the choir via e-mail at mail2@nottinghamboyschoir.co.uk Back to Tophttp://www.nottinghamboyschoir.co.uk The Nottingham Boys Choir is a registered charity |
