ORPHEUS CHOIR PREPARES FOR CONCERT SEASON
Orpheus, the Muenster regional choir has been using more or less the same successful formula since 2005. The group has grown significantly during that period and is now preparing for a series of concert performances over the coming months.
People are coming from all over Cork and Waterford to take part in the rehearsals and observe the acclaimed choir in action.
Hilary Reynolds is the musical director for the choir and her infectious energy and perfectionist nature tend to get the best results from the beautiful voices she is coaching into becoming an exquisite and harmonious mix.
The choir is now preparing for a series of concerts including recitals at St. George’s Church, Mitchelstown, on Saturday November 22 at 8.15pm and Castlelyons Community Hall, on December 13, at the invitation of the Castlelyons Gospel Singers.
The Christmas concert will be held as a fundraiser for the community school; but Orpheus will delight the audience with their own New Year’s recital, on January 17, 2009 at Conna Community Centre.
The season will end with two concerts in April: one on April 3 at Fermoy Youth Centre and a further performance on April 4 at Mitchelstown Town Hall. Hilary would like to make it clear that Orpheus doesn’t perform church music.
“There is a good reason for it. There are so many church choirs already. We thought it would be useful to create something new, that hasn’t been done before. We do classical music, which popular opinion seems to associate with church music. It doesn’t have to be,” she says.
The repertoire is mostly a secular repertoire, where 19th century pieces tend to predominate, but there is also a selection of Irish folk songs and ballads, like ‘My Home in Fermoy’. What might be, indeed, different about Orpheus is that they don’t shy away from the opera world, but explore it and bring it to audiences.
Preparations are in progress on the chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from ‘Nabucco’ and on the ‘Anvil Chorus’ from ‘Il Trovatore’, both by Giuseppe Verdi. The repertoire includes opera, Irish folk songs and other classical pieces; you have variety, quality, harmony and passion, all contributing to an unforgettable performance.
The choir represents a group of dedicated people who believe in the power of their music and a musical director whose enthusiasm and expertise in the field is remarkable.
Hilary Reynolds was born in Venezuela of British parentage and was brought up with a musical education in England. She graduated from the London Royal Academy of Music and then lived for twenty years in The Netherlands until she moved to Ireland six years ago, when she was invited by the head of UCC to teach vocal studies.
She is currently involved in voice management and vocal coaching.
Published:
Thursday 30th October 5:42pm