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Fantastic concert closes successful weekend festival

25 March 2025

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus raised the roof of a packed-out St Marie’s cathedral on Sunday night, bringing the Classical Sheffield Weekend Festival 2025 to a close with a wonderful performance of Fauré’s Requiem in the presence of the Master Cutler and Mistress Cutler and other local dignitaries. 

Photo of Thomas Stearn
Thomas Stearn

The concert kicked off with a rousing rendition of Gerald Finzi’s Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice conducted by Chorus Music Director Darius Battiwalla and accompanied by Neil Taylor on the organ. There followed the world premiere of three songs by BBC Radio 3’s Stephen Johnson, who explained that the second piece, with words commissioned by acclaimed poet Fiona Sampson, was created as a gift for his wife Kate, who was thrilled to be hearing the song two days before her birthday. 

Stephen then presented the prizes to the winners of the Stella Jockel Young Composers Competition, which was set up three years ago to commemorate former Sheffield teacher and vicar’s wife who sang alto with the Chorus for many years, and which was judged by Darius Battiwalla, composer Philip Wilby and choral conductor Ellie Slorach.  Applicants were asked to set their music to one of two specially commissioned texts written by award-winning poets and Chorus members who were there to read their poems – for music like the sea (Curlew at Redmires)  by Katharine Towers and City of Sound by Susie Wilson.

Thomas Stearn, aged 30, who received £1,500 alongside his trophy and who is undertaking a Ph.D. in Choral Composition at the University of Sheffield, was the unanimous first prize winner, and everyone there was thrilled to hear the world premiere of his piece, in which expressive choral singing with soaring solos captured the sound of water and of the curlew’s haunting cry very effectively.

Cassie White, aged 27, who composes music for a Sheffield video game company, received the second prize of £1,000, while Reuben Tozer-Loft aged 23 was awarded third prize of £500. Cerys Owen aged 21 and James Thomas aged 25 were Highly Commended. All five young composers were there with their families and friends to experience this celebration of their contribution to the world of music.

The concert concluded with Fauré’s beautiful Requiem sung by the Chorus with soprano Jane Burnell and baritone Charles Murray, accompanied by Neil Taylor on the organ and conducted by Darius Battiwalla. Composed between 1887 and 1890, the work is much loved by audiences and singers alike and has been performed frequently ever since. “Absolutely beautiful” said festival Coordinator Rose Wilcox, “A fitting end to our sixth weekend festival of classical music which has brought music to thousands of people in packed venues across the city – it’s been a terrific success!

For more about the competition see www.sheffieldphil.org/youngcomposer; about the festival see https://issuu.com/classicalsheffield2025/docs/classical_weekend_2025_brochure 

Previous News Items

25 March 2025 Fantastic concert closes successful weekend festival

20 February 2025 Young Composer Competition Winner!

02 February 2025 Young Composer Competition Shortlist announced

5 January 2025 Chorus moves to new rehearsal venue

31 December 2024 Competition for young composers going well

14 October 2024 Exciting competition for young composers

08 September 2024 Book about Chorus world tour in 1911

01 September 2024 Chorus broadcast chosen in BBC’s Pick of the Week

26 August 2024 Chorus shines in behind-the-scenes BBC Radio 4 programme

14 August 2024 Chorus to feature in behind-the-scenes BBC Radio 4 programme on Bank Holiday Monday

28 June 2024 Stunning reviews for Mozart Requiem mini-tour

26 June 2024 REVIEW Flanders Symphony Orchestra

23 June 2024 REVIEW Safe, solid, super: Flanders Symphony finishes UK tour in Edinburgh

21 June 2024 REVIEW Vienna comes to London via Ghent and Sheffield

06 March 2024 Chorus diversity work celebrated at the 2024 Royal Philharmonic Society Award evening

2023

12 December 2023 Chorus nominated for prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Inspiration Award

15 November 2023 Chorus record with Black Dyke Band

30 October 2023 Two more world premieres!

27 September 2023 Chorus project shortlisted for Making Music Award

26 September 2023 Mahler 2 in Monte Carlo

18 September 2023 Chorus members sing Mahler 2 in Monaco

20 June 2023 Fantastic Verdi Requiem with Sofi Jeannin

 
 

27 January 2023 Chorus announces competition shortlist

2022

10 November 2022 CLASSICAL MUSIC: Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus Launches Competition

01 November 2022 CLASSICAL SHEFFIELD: Exciting Competition for Young Composers

31 October 2022 RMCMEDIA: Local Choir Launches New Competition For Young Composers

28 Oct 2022 Chorus launches new competition for young composers

11 June 2022 REVIEW Belshazzar’s Feast a tremendous wall of sound – SHEFFIELD TELEGRAPH

22 April 2022 Chorus hosts French and German singers

20 April SHEFFIELD STAR: World famous Black Dyke Band and Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus to perform brass arrangement of Handel’s Messiah at City Hall

16 April 2022 BRITISH BANDSMAN: Black Dyke set for choral collaboration

02 April 4BARSREST: European links for Messiah

29 March 2022 Chorus welcome French and German visitors

14 March 2022 Chorus collect almost £2,000 for Ukraine Appeal

05 March 2022 Russian concert in aid of Ukraine

2020

Tuesday 15 December 2020 ‘Tis the season…..

20 October 2020 Chorus CD tops the charts!

21 July 2020 Music Director gives on-line recital for Yorkshire Day

21 July 2020 SHEFFIELD TELEGRAPH: Lockdown performance of Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus music director’s new arrangement for Handel’s Messiah

6 July 2020 Music Director’s beautiful Messiah arrangement

28 June 2020 Chorus starts on-line rehearsals

18 June 2020 Music Director joins choral greats in highlighting challenges faced by choirs

16 June 2020 The Guardian – Covid-19 has silenced choirs

18 May 2020 Chorus supports its locked-down musicians

23 March 2020 Concerts postponed and rehearsals cancelled

2 February 2020 Chorus to sing Messiah with French and German visitors

2019

17 December 2019 REVIEW: Sheffield’s Christmas concert tradition

16 December 2019 Carol wins Classic FM competition

15 December 2019 Sheffield Telegraph – Chorus in finals of national carol competition

14 November 2019 REVIEW – ‘Beautifully and intricately rendered by the choir’

8 November 2019 Bring a Man Night

2 November 2019 Chorus to present Bochum gift to Lord Mayor

22 October 2019 Chorus feature on Black Dyke Band CD

28 September 2019 Chorus kicks off BBC Music Day

23 Sept 2019 Chorus kick off BBC Music Day on Fargate

12 June 2019 REVIEW Holy Face Sheffield Telegraph

 

07 April 2019 Bach’s compendium; SPC /Royal Northern Sinfonia, City Hall

14 March 2019 Women centre stage – Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus /Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, City Hall

5 Feb 2019 Press release from Bochum, Germany: Mayor Erika Stahl receives Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

1 Feb 2019 Chorus members sing Messiah in Germany

2018

28 Dec New Year’s Honour for local choir President

13 Dec 2018 Chorus Hat trick

6 Dec 2018 Excellent programme from the Chorus

26 Oct 2018 Composer thrilled with recording

28 July 2018 Yorkshire Post celebrates publication of 1911 World Tour Book

23 July 2018 Chorus members sing in France during World Cup

20 July 2018 Tour de France for Sheffield Choir

03 July 2018 Chorus prepares to deliver French mini tour

14 June 2018 Up Close and Personal

11 June 2018 Audience thrilled by Rossini and original Mustel harmonium

31 May 2018 Chorus and harmonium in perfect harmony

11 May 2018 ‘Outstanding’ – Chorus ends Mahler tour on high note

30 April 2018  Review: Bruckner Orchester Linz, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, four stars

30 April 2018 Chorus sing a ‘blazing’ Mahler 2 in Edinburgh

29 April 2018 ‘Assertive Mahler’ Simon Thompson, Seen and Heard International

12 Feb 2018 Chorus sings with Sheffield mezzo soprano

3 Feb 2018 World premiere ‘an emotive journey’

12 Jan 2018 Chorus on journey to Paradise

2017

11 Dec 2017 Calypso Carol on Classic FM

15 Oct 2017 Composer thrilled with premiere of his new work

3 July 2017 Chorus records new CD

6 April 2017 Stairs? No problem!

24 April 2017 Open Letter from the Chair: The relevance of classical music.

20 March 2017 It’s a fact – Singing is good for you!

pre-2016

16 May 2016 140th birthday celebrations

16 Feb 2016 What’s your ‘Fantasy Concert’?

18 Oct 2015 Sisters Steal Away

15 May 2015 Now on sale: ‘Awake, Arise! A Yorkshire Christmas Collection for Brass and Voices‘, our exciting CD of Christmas music

18 Feb 2013 Rachmaninov – will Chorus be reaching for the vodka?

8 Oct 2012 Free choral workshops and a welcome return for Handel’s Messiah

8 Aug 2012 Free choral workshops and a year full of singing

17 June 2012 Olympic Dreams – Will it be Singin’ in The Rain or Mr Blue Skies?

16 Apr 2012 Contemporary composers take centre stage

16 Apr 2012 New community links in Sheffield

3 April 2012 Bronte Mass ‘impressive’

12 Feb 2012 Alight: Eclectic music lines up to take centre stage as part of the Cultural Olympiad

13 Jan 2012 Scaling The Heights – Singclude Breaks Down Barriers For Disabled Singers

24 Feb 2011 Three-fold choral debut

22 Nov 2010 Songs of Praise – Chorus celebrate 75th Anniversary year with audience of over 2 million

28 Oct 2010 The Dream of Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus

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Exciting competition for young composers

14 October 2024

The Chorus is offering generous prizes in the second of an exciting competition which we first  launched in 2022 in memory of former member Stella Jockel. Budding young composers are invited to submit a short choral work for to be sung in at least four parts. The competition is open to people from 18 to 35 inclusive who were born, lived or studied in Sheffield.

Photo of Stella Jockel
Former member Stella Jockel

The winner will receive £1,500 and their work will be premiered at the next festival on Sunday 23 March 2025, along with new works by established composer Stephen Johnston and Faure’s beautiful Requiem.

‘Stella Jockel was a Sheffield teacher and vicar’s wife who sang alto with the Chorus for many years.’ explained Chorus President Rachel Copley. ‘She bequeathed a generous legacy to the Chorus following her death, and she would be thrilled that we are using it to support young composers in this way. Fourteen of them applied last time, and we loved singing the winning works at the finale of Classical Sheffield’s three-day classical music festival’.

Applicants can choose between two texts specially commissioned for the competition by award-winning poets Katharine Towers and Susie Wilson, who are both alto members of the choir. Katharine won the Seamus Heaney Centre Prize for The Floating Man and was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize for The Remedies, while Susie won the Disabled Poets Prize for her anthology Nowhere Near As Safe As A Snake In Bed.

The competition will be judged by conductor and organist Darius Battiwalla, Music Director of the Chorus, together with renowned composer and organist Philip Wilby and choral director and conductor Ellie Solach. The deadline for entries is 31 December 2024 and the shortlist will be announced early in the new year. For details see www.sheffieldphil.org/youngcomposer

SHEFFIELD PHILHARMONIC CHORUS LAUNCHES COMPETITION

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2022

Florence Lockheart, Classical Music

The competition honours past choir member Stella Jockel, who bequeathed the funds which made the competition possible.

South Yorkshire choir, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, has launched the inaugural Stella Jockel Young Composer Competition. The choir invites Sheffield composers to submit a choral work to be premiered at the 10th anniversary Classical Sheffield Weekend Festival finale next year.

The winning composer will receive £1,500 and their submission will be premiered at Sheffield City Hall in March 2023. The competition also offers a second prize of £1,000 or third prize of £500. The event was made possible by funds left to the choir by Sheffield local and previous choir member, Stella Jockel.

Chorus chair Paul Henstridge said: ‘Stella Jockel was a Sheffield teacher and vicar’s wife who sang alto with the Chorus for many years. She bequeathed a generous legacy to the Chorus following her death in 2020, and we are delighted to be using part of it to fund this new competition.’

Applicants aged 18 to 35 and were born, lived or studied in Sheffield, are invited to submit a short unaccompanied work for a mixed choir in at least four parts. Submissions will be judged by University of Sheffield emeritus professor of composition, George Nicholson; who will lead a panel including music director of Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus, Darius Battiwall; music director of Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra, George Morton and music director of Hallam Choral Society, Clara Rundell.

Applicants will set Sheffield Nocturne, a text written by poet and chorus alto Katharine Towers, herself a previous winner of the Seamus Heaney Centre Prize who was also shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize. Talking about her commission, Towers said: ‘I’m utterly thrilled to have been given this opportunity. I’ve greatly enjoyed the challenge, and it’s been such an interesting experience to write something in the knowledge that music would be coming its way.’

Entries must be submitted before 31 December. You can find more information, including details of how to apply, at the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus website.

Read the article on the Classical Music website

Stella Jockel Young Composer Competition

Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus organised the first Stella Jockel Young Composers Competition as part of Classical Sheffield Festival Weekend 2023.

Young Composer trophies Photo by Bill Lam

The competition arose from the choir’s commitment to supporting young musicians and was funded by a generous legacy bequeathed to the Chorus by Stella Jockel, a former Sheffield teacher and vicar’s wife who sang alto with the Chorus for many years and who died in 2019.

The aim of the competition was to support the creation and performance of new choral repertoire and to encourage and

support young people from Sheffield who are starting out on a career in music composition and/or performance.  To provide maximum opportunity and benefit to candidates and to remove as many barriers as possible, the competition was designed using the following principles:

  • No entry fee
  • No requirement to provide multiple paper copies or a recording of the composition, which would have proved costly for candidates
  • Anonymised entries to ensure judging purely on the merits of the composition
  • Feedback provided to everyone who sent in an entry
  • First prize to include a performance of the work at a prestigious concert with a large audience in the City Hall, Sheffield
  • Three financial prizes (£1,500, £1,100, and £500)
  • No retention of the copyright by the Chorus once the competition was over

The competition was open to young people aged 18 to 35 who currently or used to live, study, or work in Sheffield. The requirement was for a short choral work for a large mixed symphonic choir to be sung unaccompanied in at least four parts.

The text for the 2022-23 competition was commissioned from award-winning poet Katharine Towers, who sings alto with the Chorus. Kathy won the Seamus Heaney Centre Prize for The Floating Man and was shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize for The Remedies. Her beautiful poem ‘Sheffield Nocturne’ was the result.

Mahler 2 performers Credit Bill Lam

Information about the competition was provided on a dedicated area of the Chorus website and in a downloadable Competition Pack. Details were sent to every conservatoire and university music department in the UK, to Sheffield Music Hub and Sheffield Music Academy and to all Sheffield secondary schools, in October 2022.

Fourteen entries were received by the deadline of 31 December 2022. The scores were anonymised to avoid bias, especially since Head Judge George Nicholson is Emeritus Professor of Composition at the University of Sheffield and was likely to know some of the candidates. He headed a panel that included the Music Directors from each of the two choirs that would sing the winning work.

Two compositions were judged to have equal merit, and they received their world premiere performances at Sheffield City Hall on the final evening of the Classical Sheffield Weekend Festival, Sunday 19 March 2023. The prizes were awarded by the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Sioned-Mair Richards.

The premiere was followed by a performance of Mahler’s 2nd symphony by Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra, Hallam Sinfonia, Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus and Hallam Choral Society. Conducted by George Morton and featuring acclaimed singers Anna Harvey and Ella Taylor, both from Sheffield, this brought the 10th anniversary festival to a spectacular close.

In September 2023 the competition was shortlisted for a Making Music Award in the category ‘Best project involving new music’.

More about the 2022-23 competition