Welcome to Harrogate Festival Choral Course
Hi,
Welcome to the Harrogate Festival Choral Course website! If you're serious about singing and enjoy spending time with like-minded people then maybe we have something that might interest you. Last August, over the Bank Holiday weekend, we ran our first choral course in Harrogate which culminated in a fabulous performance of Rutter's Magnificat and Elgar's The Music Makers in the newly refurbished Royal Hall. The hundred singers, who came together from all over the country, gave us overwhelmingly positive feedback, which we are building upon for the 2009 course (Tuesday August 25th - Sunday August 30th).
We are delighted to be holding the course at Queen Ethelburga's College in Thorpe Underwood, midway between Harrogate and York, and only a few minutes from Cattal rail station on the York/Harrogate line. Here residents may opt for a single or twin-bedded room with all rooms having ensuite and kitchen facilities.
The main work, not surprisingly in such an auspicious anniversary year, is Handel's Israel in Egypt. This will be performed in Ripon Cathedral. The guests at our informal concert, where delegates sing in either the upper voice or male voice choirs, will be Matthew Neville (clarinet) accompanied by Richard Uttley (piano). Richard was so warmly received at the last course that we just had to invite him back! Dr Simon Lindley - organist, accompanist, conductor, composer, author and excellent raconteur - will, we're confident, draw on his encyclopedic knowledge and vast experience of choral and church music to entertain us in his own inimitable way.
We're delighted that most of the singers who joined us in 2008 are returning for this year's course, and we're looking forward to meeting all the singers who joining us for the first time. We have a few places left for tenors and may be able to accommodate other singers. Sue Rosborough, Administrator, can provide up-to-date information. Visit the contacts page for her details.
You might also like to check out the other course that we're running this year: 'Welcome Yule' in Elterwater in the Lake District in November (28th - 30th).
You should find all the information you need on the website but if there's anything else you need to know then just email or ring us (see contacts page) and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
Here's to a great week in August!
Lynn, Sue, John and Thom
