Aspiring singers are being urged to take centre stage with an opera star and a top orchestra at a brand new event.
The NEW Sinfonia orchestra is inviting amateur singers to take part in a day-long spectacular with a leading member of the Welsh National Opera (WNO) company.
The orchestra will be holding its first ever Come and Sing Day at St Giles Cathedral, Wrexham on Saturday, March 11.
Conductor Robert Guy, declared: “It doesn’t matter whether people are experienced choristers or just music lovers who like to croon in the bath, everyone is welcome to take part. We want to give them all the chance to shine.”
“The WNO singer will be happy to support us with any of the music we will be playing, whether it’s opera or Leonard Cohen. So it looks set to be a fantastic day!”
The event will see participants gather at 10.30am for a full day of rehearsals, building up to a glittering concert in the evening when they will perform with the full NEW Sinfonia plus the Welsh National Opera professional.
Tickets are now on sale for people who either want to sing in the event or just simply go along in the evening to watch the concert.
Robert and his brother, clarinet player Jonathan Guy, of Wrexham, founded NEW Sinfonia in 2011 to create opportunities for talented young musicians from North Wales to play together in their own orchestra. It has evolved into the flagship orchestra of the region and is attracting increasingly large audiences.
Robert said: “We packed out St Giles Cathedral for both of the last two occasions we played there, so we do urge people to buy tickets in advance for the Come and Sing Day.
“I’m sure the event will be hugely enjoyable as I know for sure that there is a huge wealth of amateur singing talent across North Wales and the surrounding regions.
“I appeal right now for them all to come along. Even if you have never sung in public before, it doesn’t matter, we will be here to help and guide you every step of the way.”
Being mentored by Robert is an opportunity wannabe singers will not want to miss as he is widely recognised as one of the UK’s most promising young conductors.
In January he took up a coveted new post as conductor of the University of Manchester Chorus and tutor in choral conducting for the university’s music faculty.
He said the NEW Sinfonia team have put their heads together to come up with a programme of mixed genres specially for the Come and Sing Day. It varies from Handel and Mozart classics to a Welsh hymn and the popular football anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Robert added: “There really is something for everyone. It’s varied and it’s celebratory. We included Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, as a special tribute to him, following his death last year. We also delighted in selecting a piece by Paul Maelor, who created his motet Ubi Caritas et Amor for the Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. We have worked closely with him in the past. It’s a programme to suit a range of different singing styles and vocal ranges.”
“We were over the moon when WNO approached us to see if they could help. It’s a fantastic opportunity for us as instrumentalists, as well as all the amateur singers, to perform with a professional from such a revered organisation as the WNO. There’s a real buzz in the air in the run up to the big day.”
WNO Youth and Community Producer Ruth Evans said the company was eager to help promote talented local musicians and music events, and was pleased to be involved with Come and sing Day.
She said: “I’m sure there will be no shortage of volunteers from our ranks, keen to help with such an exciting project. It looks set to be a wonderful concert and we wish all the participants a great day, rehearsing and performing.”
The full Come and Sing programme is: Handel’s Zadok the Priest, Mozart’s Dies Irae and Lacrymosa from the Requiem in D minor, Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, Rodger and Hammerstein’s You’ll Never Walk Alone, Welsh hymns, Blaenwern and Cwm Rhondda, and Paul Mealor’s Jubilate Deo.
Tickets for adult singers are £15, for child singers £5 and to watch the evening concert, £5. For more information about the Come and Sing Day or to order tickets visit the New Sinfonia website: https://newsinfonia.org.uk/en/product/come-and-sing-day/
