2003-2004 season

Saturday September 27th 2003, Sheffield City Hall

  • Beethoven: Symphony no.9, and Choral Fantasia

Derek Han (piano)

Alison Buchanan (soprano), Rachel Copley (soprano), Ruth Peel (mezzo), Colin Judson (tenor), Michael Dewis (bass)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Owain Arwel Hughes

“The Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus rose to the vocal heights of the last movement with sonorous weight and full-blooded commitment” Sheffield Telegraph

“The evening ended with a genuine feeling of triumph through adversity that would, hopefully, have brought joy to the composer.” Yorkshire Post

Saturday November 22nd 2003, Leeds Town Hall

  • Beethoven: Missa Solemnis

Sylvia Greenberg (soprano), Susan Bickley (mezzo), Joseph Cornwell (tenor), Ashley Holland (bass)

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Stephen Sloane

“Fortified by a large contingent from the Sheffield Philharmonic, the Leeds chorus made a most impressive sound, exemplary in attack and clarity of diction.” … “The strain on sopranos is notorious in this work, but here they stuck to their task and were unstinting in the fortissimo passages.” Yorkshire Post

Friday December 5th 2003, Northampton

  • Handel: Messiah

Amy Freston (soprano), Catherine Carby (mezzo soprano), Joshua Ellicott (tenor), Andrew Kidd (bass)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

Manchester Camerata, Darius Battiwalla

Saturday December 6th 2003, Sheffield City Hall

  • Christmas Concert

Brian Kay (presenter)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

Black Dyke Mills Band, Darius Battiwalla

Friday December 19th 2003, Sheffield City Hall

  • Handel: Messiah

Amy Freston (soprano), Stephen Wallace (countertenor), Joshua Ellicott (tenor), Andrew Kidd (bass)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

Manchester Camerata, Darius Battiwalla

Friday March 19th 2004, Sheffield City Hall

  • Verdi: Stabat Mater, Te Deum
  • Sibelius: Pohjola’s Daugher,op.49
  • Brahms: Symphony no.4 in E minor, op.98

Sally Johnson (soprano)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, Halifax Choral Society

Hallé Orchestra, Susanna Maelkki

Friday April 9th 2004, Sheffield City Hall

  • Bach: St. John Passion

John Graham-Hall (soloist), Jonathan Best (soloist), Sarah Fox (soprano), Gaynor Keeble (alto), Andrew Carwood (tenor), Jeremy Huw Williams (bass)

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

Northern Sinfonia, Darius Battiwalla

“The Philharmonic Chorus underpinned the performance superbly for conductor Darius Battiwalla, their music director. The ‘nagging’ at Pilate was extremely effective but only one facet of magnificent choral singing, full of vitality, vigour and bite. A big chorus, they sang as one with seemingly faultless unanimity and the part-writing was unfailingly clean and balanced with consistent clarity and focus.” Sheffield Telegraph

Saturday May 22nd 2004, Leeds Town Hall

  • Dvorak: St. Ludmila

Sally Matthews (soprano), Susan Bickley (mezzo-soprano), James Gilchrist (tenor), Neal Davies (bass)

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Gianandrea Noseda

(broadcast on BBC Radio 3, May 23rd 2004)

“Gianandrea Noseda certainly threw himself into the work with enthusiasm, and drew from the combined Leeds and Sheffield Philharmonic Choruses both refined and spirited singing.” Yorkshire Post