Come & Sing
June 2027
Requiem
Join members of Cheltenham Bach Choir for an all-day Come and Sing event on Saturday 12 June 2027. More details will be available soon.
A very English Tour
October 2024
Concert tour to Ludlow, Shropshire
Reflective Music for Autumn
Members of the choir enjoyed an autumnal weekend concert tour to Ludlow in Shropshire in October.
Fauré's beautiful Requiem was performed at the Church of St Laurence in Ludlow on Saturday 5th October. The concert programme also included music by Lauridsden, Gjeilo, Barber, Holst, Rachmaninov, Bach and Stainer.
Ludlow Castle and the Church of St Laurence
Overseas Tours
Concert tour to Spain
The Destination
On the last day of October 2023, forty eight singing choir members, together with thirteen partners and companions of Cheltenham Bach Choir, set off on tour to perform in the cathedrals of Segovia, Ávila and Salamanca in the Castile and León region of central Spain.
The Three Cathedrals
Click on each image to see a picture of the cathedral.
Map of the Castile and León region
Day One - Segovia
Some of the choir members had elected to fly directly to Spain, but most had traveled the 1,154 miles (1,857 km) by train with an overnight stay to break the journey in the town of Irun in Spain’s Basque country.
Our base for the three-venue concert tour was the historic town of Segovia which lies 91 km (approx. 56 miles) northwest of Madrid in central Spain. The Hotel Real Segovia was our perfectly located base for the tour. The hotel's website is unashamedly proud of the glamorous movie stars who stayed there when the hotel was first built in the 1950’s (known then as Gran Hotel Las Sirenas). In the future they might be just as excited about the glorious November in 2023 when the Cheltenham Bach Choir came to stay. Time will tell!
Once the train-traveling choir members were reunited with the flying choir members we were pleased to get together for our first 'choir dinner' in the recommended traditional rustic Restaurante El Bernardino where the specialty of the house is Cochinillo, a regional dish of crispy suckling pig... and lettuce.
Day Two - Segovia
After breakfast we discovered that the predicted Storm Debi had struck Segovia with a ferociously biting cold wind, which meant that our pre-booked 2-hour guided tour of the historic city was not quite the relaxing walking tour we had expected.
Segovia offers a rich architectural legacy, including medieval walls, Romanesque churches, and a former royal palace. In the heart of the city an ancient and beautifully preserved Roman aqueduct with 160 granite arches stretches over the Plaza Azoguejo.
In the afternoon, the choir gathered to rehearse for our evening concert in the beautiful Gothic-style mid-16th century Catedral de Segovia. We sang beneath the gilt fronted; trumpet adorned organ - one of the largest of the Baroque period preserved in Spain. It has to be said that on occasion it made its own unique contribution!
That evening we performed to a very appreciative audience of 160+ people, which boosted our confidence enormously.
Day Three - Ávila
In high winds and rain we traveled 64 km (approx. 50 m) by coach from Segovia to Ávila for our second evening concert. On arrival we were delighted that the sun had emerged from the clouds and was shining brightly on this beautiful city.
Our concert venue was the Catedral de Ávila which was built in the late Romanesque and Gothic architectural traditions the 12th century. We were especially impressed by the enormous, intricate alabaster carvings and the walnut wood choir stalls which dates back to the 16th century. It was originally planned as a cathedral-fortress, with the apse being one of the turrets of the city walls.
Ávila's city walls are made up of eighty crenelated towers and nine gates. The path around parts of the wall afforded some impressive views of the surrounding area and several choir members were more than pleased to explore.
We sang our concert programme to an audience of around 120 local people, who, unnervingly, were seated with their backs to us due to the orientation of the choir stalls and the altar. An unusual experience, but we were rewarded with a standing ovation for what was considered to be our best performance of the whole tour.
A happy and somewhat weary group returned to Segovia that evening.
Day Four - Salamanca
The day began with a tour photo underneath the impressive Segovia Aqueduct before we set off on a two-hour coach journey to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Salamanca.
With a history dating back to Celtic times Salamanca is known for its ornate sandstone architecture and for the Universidad de Salamanca which was founded in the 1100s (before Oxford or Cambridge) and was a significant intellectual centre in the 15th-16th centuries.
After lunch, the choir rehearsed in the oldest Cathedral, (built between mid-12th century and mid-14th century) against the stunning backdrop of the altar piece comprised of fifty-three exquisitely painted panels depicting the life of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.
In the evening we were very pleased to perform to an audience of over 160 local people. An emotive performance, clearly appreciated by the resounding applause, completed our three concerts on this tour.
As we walked through the lit streets of Salamanca to board our coach for the drive back to Segovia we were all filled with joy and appreciation of the wonderful sights we had seen, the impressive cathedrals where we had been honoured to sing, and the experiences of being together as a choir and companions’ community.
Day Five - Departure day
Departure day for all, with the ‘Trainers’ leaving early in the morning for their long journey home, and the ‘Planers’ leaving after a morning at leisure in Segovia.
Everyone agreed that this was a most enjoyable, successful, and epic tour, although not without the odd mishap! The locations were all stunning; the venues were truly awe inspiring, and the organisation was impeccable.
Our excellent performances were due to the clear, animated, and motivational conducting by our musical director, David Crown.
A major contributor to the success of the tour was our wonderful accompanist, Claire Alsop, with her incredible skill and amazing flexibility and sensitivity to the choir's singing. Her versatility with playing three very different organs during the tour, with the same high quality of performance was awe inspiring. The trip was truly about the joy of choral singing and of making treasured memories for everyone who took part.
Tour Programme
Segovia | Ávila | Salamanca
Conducted by David Crown
Accompanied by Claire Alsop
Requiem, Op.48
Gabriel Fauré
O Thou Central Orb
Charles Wood
God So Loved the World
John Stainer
Greater Love Hath No Man
John Ireland
Turn Back, O Man
Gustav Holst
Let All the World in Every Corner Sing
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
J S Bach
Tour Concert Recordings
JS Bach
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Night view of the Catedral de Santa Maria de Segovia
John Stainer
God So Loved the World
Baroque choir stalls in the cathedral of Salamanca
Gabriel Fauré
Kyrie
Aqueduct of Segovia and Plaza del Azoguejo at dusk.
Gabriel Fauré
In Paradisum
The 12th century crenelated towers and gates of Ávila
Tour Photo Gallery
Sarah Walker CBE
Last year, after 36 dedicated years as President of Cheltenham Bach Choir, the internationally acclaimed mezzo soprano Sarah Walker CBE, stepped down from the role.
Sarah's strong association with the choir spans many more years than her time as president, as she became a member of the choir when she was just a teenager.
To mark Sarah’s amazing contribution 45 members of the choir visited her home town near Tiverton in Devon to honour her with a performance of Fauré‘s Requiem and a selection of English anthems. The concert was performed on 21st October 2023 in a local church in Rackenford. It was a joyful and heart warming occasion, filled with music, reunions, and recollections of former choir concerts and events.
It was a delight to perform for Sarah and mark her tremendous contribution to Cheltenham Bach Choir as both President and long standing friend and supporter. She remains a valued and much loved member of CBC.
And from Sarah...
I was completely overwhelmed yesterday and went to bed in a haze of happy memories. It was simply a perfect day, filled with glorious music and surrounded by happy, eager and enthusiastic friends.
I was thoroughly spoiled being showered with gifts, listening to your moving tributes and memories, and now reading all your messages in that fabulous PINK card. I have enjoyed every moment of being your president and I would wholeheartedly like to echo the message in the card: CBC will always be a part of my life too!
Fundraising
A musically inspired recipe book
Choral Cuisine is a musically themed recipe book containing over 65 of our member's favourite recipes. You'll find family favourite recipes which have been handed down through generations as well as special recipes which have been generously given after a memorable meal with friends. The hard-backed book has been beautifully illustrated with watercolour paintings by our own choir member Kate Smith.
Thank you to everyone who voluntarily contributed their special recipes as well as the voluntary efforts of the editing and production team.
Buy a copy
If you would like to order a copy of Choral Cuisine please contact our Treasurer at hontreas@cheltbachchoir.com
Price: £10 plus P&P
Sales of Choral Cuisine
A percentage of the profit we make on sales of Choral Cuisine are donated to two local charities related to music and food. They are:
This charity brings people together through food. Surplus ingredients are turned into delicious meals for people in our community who are vulnerable or struggling. Through good food and good company we give people a place to belong, feel safe and find help.
This charity offers singing and music therapy for people in Gloucestershire, including those with dementia, neurological conditions, brain injury, lung conditions and post stroke.
Gallery
Cheltenham Bach Choir
Registered Charity No. 261961
Cheltenham Bach Choir is an Equal Opportunities organisation
