Weekly Updates – Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

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Scroll down for the latest weekly update, which will be uploaded every week on the date shown on the update (often Sunday but could be earlier). Scroll even further down for pdf files of each update for those who prefer to download and print it.

A short email summary of the update will be sent out each week; at the same time the full version will be uploaded here. If you do not receive the email you should:

read the full version on this page
check you have informed us of a change of email – by sending a message to to ensure that your details are amended on the Membership database. You need to do this if any of your contact details change, please!
check that your email is not mistakenly marking the update as junk and returning it to sender. It may not even get as far as the Junk or Spam folder, unfortunately! To stop this, you need to add either or or the whole domain “@sheffieldphil.org” to your “safe senders” list if you can. If you use Outlook, open an email from Anne (or Marianne), then on the Home tab, click “Junk”, then “Never Block Sender’s Domain”. If you don’t use Outlook then look up how to set up safe senders for your email, either in it’s help facility or on Google. All emails are likely to have similar systems.

Updated Thursday 1 May 2025

NEW and/or IMPORTANT ITEMS (scroll down for further details)

Members Area: User Name member Password M4hler8D@rius22
Georgina’s workshops start on Tuesday
IMPORTANT – Chorus organisation and vacant roles
Come and Sing volunteer names to Anne Adams rather than Jim please
Come and Sing tickets – please promote the concert
Sign up to sing at Chatsworth
Dates for 2025-26 almost all confirmed (in Dairy Dates)
Change of contact details – tell us via

Next rehearsal is Tue 6 May 2025 at St Andrew’s Church Psalter Lane Sheffield 7-9pm

You need both sets of music as Tue 6 May will be a 50/50 rehearsal (see schedule http://www.dariusbattiwalla.com/currentschedule.pdf).

Rehearsal notes, recordings and rehearsal tracks for the Come Sing and Haydn’s Creationare on the website at Members Area / Rehearsals / Prepare the Music.
For buses to St Andrew’s, see https://www.travelsouthyorkshire.com/.
Street parking BUT NOT CHERRY TREE DRIVE! Take bikes into the foyer.
Car parking spaces available by arrangement with Jim Monach only
Toilets at front of church, through doors either side, follow signs. Accessible loo in foyer.
All members welcome to The Stag after rehearsal, only a short walk from St Andrew’s. New members are particularly welcome so come along for a drink and a good natter.
Many thanks for your consideration regarding mobile ‘phone interruptions and distractions. Please nudge the person next to you if they get out their mobile during the rehearsal; it’s okay in emergencies of course but please leave the room.

Georgina’s workshops

Georgina’s pre-rehearsal workshops are in the room at the front of church 18.30 to 18.55. Anyone can attend; new members especially welcome. Four workshops on May 6, 13, 20 and 27.

IMPORTANT – Chorus organisation and vacant roles

Trustees have worked on a diagram that shows how the Chorus is organised and run. It lists the various roles and shows who is currently doing what.

The diagram includes three new roles formed by splitting that currently undertaken by Anne Adams, who is standing down at the next AGM after 10 years as Administrator. These are Events Planning Officer, Contracts Officer and Secretary, all of which will need filling before November when Anne stands down. Other tasks currently undertaken by Anne have been re-allocated to other roles, so the three new roles are not too onerous and in fact one of them is quite small. There are other vacances, eg for Member Reps (not the same as Voice reps, who are not trustees).

Have a look – the information is on the Chorus website at Members Area / Chorus Organisation. If you think you could undertake one of the roles, or would like further information, please contact our Chair Jo Briddock or any member of the committee.

Come and Sing event volunteer names to Anne Adams please, not Jim

We will need a number of choir members to help greet visiting singers, give them scores, recruitment leaflets and show them where to sit, and again at 6pm to show the audience where they can sit. Please consider helping in this way, names to Anne Adams please as Jim is not well at the moment.
We will be providing free tea/coffee/juice and cake for the morning and afternoon breaks – more time will be allowed than last year and Upper Chapel have promised us flasks and another boiler, so it shouldn’t be as frenetic! Helen’s team will organise the drinks, but we’re relying on the choir’s generosity for the cakes. Have a think about whether you might be able to provide something either bought or homemade. However, you only need bring enough for two people, and no savouries, just cake. Preferably something that can easily be eaten with a napkin, nothing requiring cutlery. Many thanks in advance for your generosity.
We will be using fully disposable paper cups (no plastic at all) but if you have a re-useable cup please bring it as that’s even better for the environment.
Most arrangements for the Come and Sing day are on the website at Members Area / Concert Arrangements

Come and Sing tickets – please promote the concert

Come and Sing: With four weeks to go we have sold 30 visiting singer tickets of 80 available, and 17 of 20 free audience tickets. Only visiting singers and audience need tickets, NOT SPC members. Please promote the event as much as you can. The idea is to use it to promote the choir to singers who might join us when they experience the fun we have, so do tell anyone you know who can sing but who doesn’t at the moment.
Creation – ticket information not yet available

Volunteers to sing at Chatsworth

If you haven’t already, please sign up to sing at Chatsworth on Saturday 12 July, at 1pm in Flora’s Temple. Free garden ticket for that day (one only), and free car parking (but please car share if you can).

Rehearsal schedule

Full schedule is on Darius’s website at http://www.dariusbattiwalla.com/currentschedule.pdf, there’s also a link from the members area of the Chorus website (in Rehearsals). See also Diary dates (below and Chorus website at Members Area / Diary dates)

Diary dates (dates in italics are voluntary electives; attendance expected at all others)

Confirmed concert dates and details, including piano and tutti rehearsal dates, times and locations, are posted on Chorus website as soon as they become available so that members can plan ahead, at Members Area / Diary dates

2024-25

Saturday 24 May 2025 30 to 19.00 – self funded Come and Sing English Anthems in Upper Chapel. Darius conducting, Rachel Fright piano and Peter Shepherd organ. Refreshments and cake at break time (choir donations). Tickets for visiting singers online via SPC website (SPC members don’t need tickets). Audience tickets restricted due to size of the Chorus – FREE but tickets are essential, get these online as well.
Sunday 8 June 2025 16.00, Haydn Creation, Matthew Hamilton and the Halle at City Hall SICS*. Compulsory conductor rehearsal Tuesday 27 May (Matthew can’t make the week after), on-the-day rehearsal times to be confirmed.
Saturday 12 July 2025 Chatsworth, 13.00 Elective event. Free garden ticket per person who signs up. Georgina Hulse will conduct.

2025-26 – all but two dates have now been confirmed (see below)

Saturday 1 November 2025, St Marie’s Cathedral – date confirmed
Tuesday 9 December 2025, City Hall – to be confirmed
Saturday 13 December 2025, 14.30, City Hall – date and time confirmed
Sunday 14 December 2025, 2pm cathedral, St Luke’s carol service – date confirmed
Friday 6 February 2026, 19.00, City Hall – date and time confirmed
Saturday in April – Come and Sing event – to be confirmed
Friday 9 May 2026, Crookes Social Club, SPC Ceilidh plus Pie and Pea supper, date confirmed
Sunday 7 June 2026, City Hall, 16.00 – date and time confirmed

*SICS = concert is part of the Sheffield International Concert Season

Darius concerts

See Darius’s website at http://www.dariusbattiwalla.com/concerts/concerts-2025.html

Reminder – what to do if locked out of the website

If you are unfortunate enough to be locked out of the website (usually due to typing in the wrong password three times), rest assured – it is set such that you can try again after just 5 minutes! The user name and password are at the top of every weekly update, including the short version that goes out by email.

Rehearsal tracks from Choraline

If you purchase rehearsal tracks from Choraline, please note that we have a discount of 20%. To claim, use code SHEFF and type ‘SINGER’ in the discount code on the basket page. If ordering by telephone, quote these when asked.

Singing opportunities

Seeds of Hope: A Feminist Requiem 13 September 2025, St Mark’s Broomhill The requiem was written by Penny Stone in memory of her amazing feminist mum, Sue Stone, and brings together the words of women from all over the world from 575 until the present day. Three workshops plus a concert, for further details check out the website at: https://singlouderthanguns.com/seeds-of-hope-a-feminist-requiem/
Spem in Alium on Saturday 4 October 2025 Martin Lightower will lead a day of rehearsing this fantastic work plus a few motets, helped by Helen Cowen, Helen Thompson and Kate Shipway. Split choir rehearsals in the morning at King Edward VII School, afternoon rehearsing in St Mark’s Church before the final run through and performance. To register interest see https://5from500.co.uk/spem-in-alium/
Messiah Saturday 11 October Open to all singers – a fantastic chance to explore Handel’s Messiah choruses. Tickets available now: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/bfcs/t-yaxypkp

All up-coming opportunities for singing locally are on the Chorus website, along with a list of wider singing opportunities compiled by Phil Harrison and provided by John Morgan, in the Members Area, Information, Singing opportunities.

What’s On

Classical Sheffield’s website lists all local concerts: https://classicalsheffield.org.uk/events

What to do if your contact details change

If any of your contact details change, including address, email or telephone number, please send a message to to ensure that your details are amended on the Membership database and that you continue to receive the weekly update.

Weekly updates, Chorus & Classical Sheffield websites/passwords, WhatsApp

If ever you don’t receive the weekly update, please read it on the website at Members Area / Weekly Updates.
The Members Area lists rehearsal details, rehearsal notes and links to recordings, concert and re-audition arrangements, as well as dates for the following season, our official stage procedure, Darius’ rehearsal schedule, how to look after your voice etc.
The Chorus WhatsApp group is at SPC Social. Please don’t post personal or music-related details about other SPC members or ex-members without their permission!

Contact emails

These are all listed at Members Area / Chorus Contacts

SPC Update for Sunday 27 April 2025

SPC Update for Sunday 13 April 2025

SPC Update Sunday 6 April 2025