2002-2003 season

Saturday October 26th 2002, Sheffield City Hall

  • Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast
  • Holst: The Planets
  • Colin Matthews: Pluto

Ashley Holland (baritone)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, Hallé Choir

Hallé Orchestra, Mark Elder

“An unbelievably musical Walton Belshazzar’s Feast can be summed up briefly: absolutely superb and one of the best performances in `living memory.” Sheffield Telegraph

“Rarely can the final moments of Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast have sounded so joyful and exuberant as in this performance” Yorkshire Post

Saturday November 8th 2002, Sheffield City Hall

  • Walton: Henry V
  • Elgar: In the South
  • Berlioz: Queen Mab Scherzo

Samuel West (narrator)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, Hallé Choir

Hallé Orchestra, Mark Elder

“As a piece of music drama held together by West’s spellbinding narration, this was rich entertainment.” Yorkshire Post

Sunday November 9th 2002, Arts Centre, Warwick University

  • Walton: Henry V
  • Elgar: In the South
  • Berlioz: Queen Mab Scherzo

Samuel West (narrator)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, Hallé Choir

Hallé Orchestra, Mark Elder

Saturday December 21st 2002, Sheffield City Hall

  • Christmas Concert

Brian Kay (presenter)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

Northern Symphony Orchestra, Darius Battiwalla

“The chorus are in particularly fine voice at the moment.” Yorkshire Post

Friday February 7th 2003, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

  • Prokofiev: Alexander Nevsky
  • Prokofiev: March from The Love of Three Oranges, Cello concerto

Steven Isserlis (cello)

Ekaterina Gubanova (mezzo soprano)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, Huddersfield Choral Society

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Edward Downes

(broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in 2003, and again December 1st 2009)

“The highlight was a stunning performance of the cantata Alexander Nevsky.” The Observer

“Then Sir Edward returned for the Nevsky Cantata that should have converted anyone who had ever doubted its greatness.” Daily Telegraph

“In the Huddersfield Choral Society and Sheffield Philharmonic we have two of the finest choruses in the country. The whole performance was superb.” Yorkshire Post

Saturday March 8th 2003, Sheffield City Hall

  • Bach: Mass in B minor

Sarah Fox (soprano), Angharad Gruffydd Jones (soprano), Frances Bourne (mezzo-soprano), Andrew Carwood (tenor), Robert Rice (bass)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

Northern Sinfonia, Simon Halsey

Saturday April 12th 2003, Leeds Town Hall

  • Mahler: Symphony no.3

Suzanna Poretsky (soprano)

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, Manchester Boys’ Choir

Orchestra of Opera North, Stephen Sloane

“The ladies of the Leeds Philharmonic, Sheffield Philharmonic and Manchester Boys choirs joined her, and you could not wish for better in their short contribution” Yorkshire Post

Saturday May 17th 2003, Leeds Town Hall

  • Verdi: Requiem

Christine Brewer (soprano), Patricia Bardon (mezzo-soprano), Paul Charles Clarke (tenor), Peter Sidhom (bass)

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda

(broadcast on BBC Radio 3, December 10th 2003, 2pm)

“he generated tremendous excitement in the Dies Irae section, the combined Leeds Philharmonic and Sheffield Philharmonic choirs no doubt surprising themselves at the volume and passion they can generate.”…”throughout the choral diction was exemplary.” Yorkshire Post

Saturday May 24th 2003, Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

  • Verdi: Requiem
  • Stravinsky: Monumentum pro Gesualdo di Verona

Barbara Frittoli (soprano), Luciana d’Intino (contralto), Hugh Smith (tenor), Sergei Aleksashkin (bass)

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda

(broadcast on BBC Radio 3, June 24th 2003, 7.30pm)

“Disciplined singing from the combined Leeds Philharmonic and Sheffield Philharmonic Choruses supplied the requisite stentorian impact”…”this was an evening that set an impressive seal on Noseda’s first season in charge of the BBC Philharmonic.” Daily Telegraph

“The subdued beginning, Requiem Aeternam, was penitent, with the BBC PO’s muted strings gentle and tender. The Leeds Philharmonic Chorus and Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus combined to produce a refined texture. The `Dies Irae, by contrast, was a terrifying blaze.” The Guardian

The joint forces of the Leeds and Sheffield Philharmonic choruses sang with heart and responsiveness, especially in the nimble Sanctus.” The Independent

“From the outset, the combined Leeds and Sheffield Philharmonic Choruses sang with a subtlety and flexibility which only the most gifted conductors obtain.”…”They were majestic in full strength” Manchester Evening News

Saturday June 14th 2003, Sheffield City Hall

  • Fauré: Requiem
  • Poulenc: Gloria
  • Poulenc: Concerto for organ, strings and timpani

Graham Eccles (organ)

Gail Pearson (soprano), Richard Morrison (baritone)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Darius Battiwalla

“Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, who promoted the concert, sang the Fauré superbly, managing to reduce their volume without losing clarity and projection.” Sheffield Telegraph