Gerontius Success!
2nd March 2024
Our performance of Elgar's Dream of Gerontius with Chester Bach Choir and Chester Philharmonic Orchestra was a spectacular success, enjoyed by all involved.
Photo taken during the rehearsal.
Audience comments.
"A fantastic performance. Congratulations to one and all. A BIG thank you."
"I just wanted to heartily congratulate Martin, the choirs, orchestra and soloists for an outstandingly successful performance of Dream of Gerontius on Saturday. There were many spine-tingling moments for me during the piece, always a sure sign we're witnessing something special. Lots of hard work will have gone into making the evening a success and I'm sure you all now think it was worth it. It was also good to see so many people from Oswestry and the surrounding area in the audience. Once again, congratulations to all and thanks."
Joyful Singing Day!
24th September 2022
With a collective choir of over 90 singers, the Singing Day of Faure's Requiem was thoroughly enjoyed.
Martin dug deep into the music and treated everyone to a hard-working and entertaining afternoon, wonderfully accompanied by Chris Symons.
Lots of cake was provided by the choir members, followed by a performance before a small audience of friends and family.
One of our visitors presented a delightful sketch of some of the singers on the day!
Gerry Retires.
2nd July 2022
Gerry Howe has decided to retire from Cantiones after nineteen years of service to the choir. Gerry lead the choir as Musical Director from 2003, resigning from the post in 2019 and continuing as the rehearsal accompanist.
Gentle and loved by the choir, Gerry has provided much pleasure and friendshio, and has directed the choir in many wonderful concerts; including our trip to France and singing Evensong in Lichfield Cathedral.
Gerry's final appearance with Cantiones was singing with the tenors in the 40th Anniversary concert.
Everyone wishes Gerry our very best,and will continue to see him locally in other musical roles.
40 Years Young!
2nd July 2022
Forty years of the choir was celebrated with a fabulous concert with orchestra of Haydn's The Creation.
With three wonderful young soloists, and a hand-picked orchestra, the new Holroyd Theatre in Western Rhyn, every seat was sold to a very appreciative audience.
Musical Director Martyn Bussey pulled everything together and delivered a thrilling performance.
You can find photos on the website's Gallery page.
Singing in the rain!
12 Feb 2022
In a third outdoor singing session for the town recently, after performing for the Oswestry Christmas Lights switch-on, then on Cross Street in January, today we gave two performances in the town centre for the 'Love Oswestry' event.
Firstly in the Indoor Market, and in the afternoon in the pouring rain in Festival Square.
The things that some people will do to sing!!
Music and cake!
6th Nov 2021
We had a good audience at our first afternoon concert, which was also our first major concert since the start of the epidemic.
After over a year of rehearsing wearing face coverings, we've become quite adept at it, and our concerts are current also sung whilst wearing them.
After the concert, there was a large selection of home-made cakes for everyone, with tea and coffee.
A really pleasurable afternoon. Thank you to everyone who came along.
'Messiah' Come and Sing afternoon.
25th Sept 2021
A big 'Thank you' to all who took part in the 'Come and Sing' event. More than 40 visitors joined Cantiones for the workshop of Messiah choruses on Saturday afternoon. Although everyone wore masks, the event was well appreciated.
Here are some comments:
Wonderful sing! Fantastic conductor and MD , excellent pianist, great fun! Look forward to the next one. Thank you.
Warm welcome. Good venue. Fantastic cakes.
An excellent afternoon. I learned new things about Messiah and performance of it, and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Having not sung for nearly two and a half years, it was a baptism of fire, exhausting but inspiring. Thank you very much for the wonderful refreshments ladies excellent spread.
Faultless organisation. Martin at his sparkling best. Cakes were superb. This is a great venue with excellent facilities. Looking forward to singing with you again - without masks!
Our first public indoor performance since 2019.
3rd July 2021
It was thrilling to perform inside this afternoon to a most appreciative audience. The choir has worked hard both virtually and then face-to-face once permitted all through lockdown. We extend grateful thanks for the hard work of both Musical Director, Martin Bussey and also the Choir's Committee. All this culminated in this afternoon's glorious event which the choir was delighted to present. Thanks to the audience for supporting us and a big bravo to the choir!
Our first public indoor performance since 2019.
3rd July 2021
It was thrilling to perform inside this afternoon to a most appreciative audience. The choir has worked hard both virtually and then face-to-face once permitted all through lockdown. We extend grateful thanks for the hard work of both Musical Director, Martin Bussey and also the Choir's Committee. All this culminated in this afternoon's glorious event which the choir was delighted to present. Thanks to the audience for supporting us and a big bravo to the choir!
Our first public performance since Christmas 2019 was in Cae Glas Park in Oswestry on 21st June.
Our first public performance as a real joy for the choir, with a delighted audience in the park.
The 50 minute programme was timed just right, as the rain began to fall towards the end.
It was so good to finally be singing together in public, even if outdoors on a rather chilly Summer evening.
Photo courtesy of Grum
Our first indoor public performance since 2019. this year is planned for Cae Glas Park, Oswestry.
The choir will hold a Sing in the Park event on the 21st June, our first performance planned for 2021.
Our fingers are crossed that rules will allow it to go ahead according to the current national plans for opening up on that Monday.
It will be from 7.30pm, and we are hoping that mid Summer's Day will provide good weather.
The choir has been rehearsing each week online and more recently in person.
There's no charge, so come along to Cae Glas Park in Oswestry where we'll be performing at the bandstand, as part of a national plan by Making Music to use as many bandstands around the country as possible on that day.
Photo courtesy of Shropshire Star
"Oswestry choir hops border to rehearse under Welsh lockdown laws"
We continue to push up to the limits of what is allowed us during the pandemic, and we hopped over the border into Wales on Tuesday evening (4th June) for our first rehearsal together since last Summer.
Well, not all together. Due to the restriction to 15, we divided the choir in half for two separate 40 minute rehearsals.
We were able to sing indoors, which was a great advantage. It was fabulous to be back singing together, and looking forward to being able to continue rehearsing in person each week as we practice for our first public singing of this year in June.
Click the photo for the full article in the Shropshire Star.
The Music Plays On
With all the problems and issues that the current pandemic throws at everyone, Cantiones continues to do what we can together. Those of us who managed to meet outdoors to sing last year benefitted so much from what has become a rare joy for all choirs.
We were delighted to see one of our outdoor Summer rehearsals featured on the front of High Notes, Making Music's fabulous magazine.
It took a great deal of organisation to make it possible, but it was well worth the efforts of members of our committee. It was such a pleasure to be singing together under Martin Bussey's direction.
We thoroughly enjoyed singing carols in Cae Glas Park in Oswestry on 12th December, with the co-operation and support of Oswestry Town Council. Passing shoppers were delighted to hear the Christmas music sung 'live', even though we were inevitably very rusty from a lack of being able to rehearse together in person. It didn't really matter, as simply singing as a group was a joy.
Lots of beaming faces amongst by-standers and people walking past, as we helped to raise people's spirits.
Back to Singing! - Summer 2020
The sun shone brightly as more than half the members of Oswestry's Cantiones met on Sunday (30th Sept) afternoon to sing together once again. It was a wonderfully uplifting experience after nearly six months of silence during the pandemic’s worst months. Musical Director, Martin Bussey led the 90 minute rehearsal at a very safe distance and commented that the choir made a pretty decent sound! Of course the choir has been fortunate that Martin has provided weekly rehearsal videos to practice at home for which we were all very grateful but there is nothing better than singing as a group.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed raising their voices on such a sunny day and looks forward to meeting again later this month.
