![\"\"](\"https:\/\/soundslikesydney.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/sjks-325x216.jpg\" "\\"sjks\\"")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
There was\u00a0much anticipation and comraderie last weekend, when the\u00a0Friends of Music\u00a0at St James’ Church in King Street, held a soiree to\u00a0lauch the 2012 subscription\u00a0series\u00a0presented by\u00a0the Choir of St James’.<\/p>\n
The series of 6 concerts will\u00a0feature the Choir and Orchestra of St James with soloists, directed by Warren Trevelyan-Jones. Fans of Baroque music will be\u00a0delighted as the programming features some of the classics of that era, with the September performances of JS Bach’s Mass in B<\/em> minor<\/em>, BWV 232 being the highlight of the series.<\/p>\n The year kicks off with Handel’s Messiah<\/em> in March – a work that is as relevant at Easter as it is during Christmas. The soloists will be drawn from the choir itself – a strategy that ensures a seamless blend of timbre in solos and choruses, and demonstrates the individual beauty of the voices of the choristers.<\/p>\n In June, soprano Greta Bradman performs with the Choir and the Organ of St James’, drawing on the music of Vivaldi, Bach, Handel and Mozart. In July, mezzo-soprano Sally-Anne Russell with pianist Tony Legge take a break from the Baroque with a recital of music by Haydn, Montsalvage and Britten.<\/p>\n In August, the Choir of St James in collaboration with the Choir of St Mary’s Cathedral and Sydney Brass commemorate the quatercentenary of the death of Gabrielli with the Splendour of Venice –<\/em> a collection of glorious Venetian music for choirs, organ and brass. St Mary’s Cathedral is the venue for this treat, where the layout and acoustics allow a replication of the way music was performed and sounded in the Baroque era.<\/p>\n Both Greta Bradman and Sally-Anne Russell return to St James’ as soloists in the B minor Mass<\/em>. Speaking to SoundsLikeSydney earlier this year, Bradman described singing this luscious work as a chorister before stepping up to the front of the stage as a soloist. ” \u201cI love how jazzy and risky Bach\u2019s music can be…… Bach is so precise and the phrases are quite instrumental. I have to think very carefully about breathing because the phrases are so astronomically long…… I think it\u2019s that element of continually changing instrumental line that I love about Bach\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n Finally, in November, Life’s Journey <\/em>features Sally-Anne Russell with the Choir and Orchestra of St James performing Durufle’s exquisite Requiem,<\/em> so heavily influenced by Gregorian Chant, and Copland’s narrative of the creation In the Beginning.<\/em><\/p>\n Music at St James offers much more throughout the year with regular lunchtime concerts each Wednesday from 1.15-1.45 pm, Choral Evensong each Wednesday from 6.15 – 7 pm, and the eagerly anticipated January Orchestral Masses, this year featuring Mozart’s Missa Solemnis K337<\/em>, Dove’s Kothener Messe<\/em>, and Bruckner’s Mass No 2 in E minor.<\/em><\/p>\n There is an array of visiting choirs and cellist Rachel Scott continues her sell-out series Bach in the Dark. <\/em>Her <\/em>co-artistes in 2012 include cellist David Pereira, soprano Jane Sheldon and harpist Genevieve Lang, accordionist Anthony Schulz and percussionist Ben Sibson.<\/p>\n St James’ Church King Street, is a hub of musical activity in the south east corner of the city offering city workers, residents and shoppers a variety of excellent performers and programmes. Well served by public transport it is even worth a trip into the city to experience its concerts.<\/p>\n Tickets and subscriptions are available at:<\/p>\n www.cityrecital hall.com or call 8256 2222 or 1300 797 188 or at the Box Office, City Recital Hall.<\/p>\n Read our interview with Greta Bradman:<\/p>\n https:\/\/soundslikesydney.com.au\/music-and-videos\/grace-from-greta-bradman\/4195.html<\/p>\n There was\u00a0much anticipation and comraderie last weekend, when the\u00a0Friends of Music\u00a0at St James’ Church in King Street, held a soiree to\u00a0lauch the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5853,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"sls_format":[],"class_list":["post-5852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":{"deck":"","is_featured":false,"media_type":"standard","audio_embed":"","video_url":""},"yoast_head":"\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"