SING IT LOUD - A COMMUNITY CHOIR CELEBRATION

by Tenor Saxophonist Joe Reynolds

The Sing it Loud concert at the Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre has been one of Seb Farrall's more ambitious projects. The concert, to celebrate the tenth year of the Sing it Loud choir, required the bringing together of two choirs and the City of Culture Orchestra. How he managed to get that number of people onto the same stage at the same time suitably suited and booted I don’t know, but he did and what a show. 

The word ‘eclectic’ is often overused, but there are few others in the thesaurus that cover the repertoire that Seb had prepared for the evening’s entertainment. Pop music, popular classics, hymns and World War II nostalgia along with pyrotechnics and audience participation gave the concert a genuine celebratory ambience. Both the near sell-out audience and the performers left feeling that they had just attended the best party in town.

The evening began with The Appian Way, a march that started as a whisper before gradually building into a fanfare of brass and percussion while the choir filed on to the stage. Once all the performers were settled the show opened with the song Celebration. Lights flashed and streamers dropped from the ceiling, this was a party, and everyone must join in, hands must be clapped, singing along was to be encouraged.

The show continued with Adiemus and Amazing Grace before Seb brought the lights up in order to give the audience instruction on clapping in time. This led to a wild rendition of the William Tell Overture with Seb controlling both orchestra and audience, giving the impression that he possessed more than the regulatory two arms.

The Show Must Go On with numbers from Queen, Leonard Cohen, and Carly Simon before the audience was asked to participate once more, this time with the singing, for a medley of songs by Abba. The first half of the show ended with a visit to the world of musical theatre and opera. First, from the musical Dear Evan Hanson, You Will be Found, followed by two Puccini arias: the second being Seb’s arrangement of Nessun Dorma. This is arguably the most well-known operatic aria in the world. It was sung on the evening by Leah Adams and what a performance. The popularity of this aria means that everyone, orchestra and audience, even the ushers, knows the piece intimately. They know just when that top note arrives and exactly what it should sound like, no pressure then? Her performance was superb, and I doubt I was alone in allowing myself a tear at the finale.

The second half began with a rousing rendition of O Fortuna followed by Coldplay’s Fix You complete with snowflakes and confetti drifting down from the rafters. Not everyone in the orchestra was expecting this, the baritone sax player could be seen frantically trying to stop the paper falling into the bell of her instrument while not missing a note of the score. A nostalgic arrangement of the Andrews Sisters song, Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree, followed by the Hymn, Total Praise before the orchestra showcased its talent with the ever-popular Jupiter from Holst’s Planet Suite. The mood changed for the choir to perform Anthony Silvestri and Eric Whitacre’s Sleep, ‘a cappella’ style followed by Sing it Loud's accompanist Erica Avery's arrangement of I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misèrables.

The show now moved up tempo with Seb’s arrangement of Africanna, based on the TOTO song followed by the Latin American dance number, Livin’ la Vida Loca. The show was bought to an end with the Intermezzo and Easter Hymn from Cavalleria rusticana.

Of course there was an encore, no one wants to go home from a party. Seb returned to the stage to lead the orchestra in a medley of tunes from West Side Story and rounded off the night by encouraging the audience, once more, to join in with Dancing Queen.

This was a celebration, a coming together for the orchestra and the choirs. How it all worked? None of us knew, but it did. Everyone I spoke to after the show, musicians, singers and audience, some who had never attended an orchestral concert before, said that they had thoroughly enjoyed their night.
 

Hymns of Praise 2024 - 23rd June 2024

by Alto Saxophonist Don Brown

On Sunday afternoon 23 June 2024, the Coventry City of Culture Orchestra and it’s conductor, the incredible Seb Farrall, led the singing for a Hymns of Praise service at the Methodist Central Hall.  Now Songs of Praise on television may be an acquired taste, but the aim of Seb and the orchestra is to raise the excitement, challenge and enjoyment of the hymns and songs.

The introduction and first hymn were Love Divine All Loves Excelling by Charles Wesley, the driving force behind the start of the Methodist Church. He wrote over 6,500 hymns. The tune was a Welsh composition by William Penfro Rowlands.  Lots of different instruments picked up the melody for each verse and others provided the harmony and colour to the piece.

After a prayer, the second song was the lovely King of Kings, Majesty.  The lyrical composition made the musicians feel for that sound which provides beauty and encourages the singing.  Then, after a Bible reading, there was an arrangement of the popular Amazing Grace. The hymn originated from the life of John Newton, a slave trader, who nearly died in a shipwreck, and as a result, became a minister of religion. Seb created an arrangement (because it has a special meaning for him and his wife Fran) It was full of subtleties and it built to a climax with brass and sax fanfares.

The Rev Claire McCarther, a member of the orchestra, then prayed a lovely prayer, while the orchestra played the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana.  A contrast was the next song by Graham Kendrick which is a rocking, bouncing, piece with the title Shine, Jesus, Shine arranged by the orchestra's Contrabass Clarinet player, Paul Wellicome.  This was followed by a Bible reading and a message from the Central Hall minister, Rev. Stephen Willey.

I must admit to a connection with the next hymn. I have followed jazz since the heady days of the trad jazz revival in the 50s and 60s. I must have half a dozen different versions of Just a Closer Walk with Thee, a hymn that’s been around a long time. We acquired an arrangement that started with an orchestral feeling, then after a 3-bar drum break, swung into a New Orleans marching band style. You can hear the same hymn played as a dirge at the start of a New Orleans funeral on YouTube.  It was great fun to play, but has some serious thoughts behind it.

The Hymns of Praise ended with the rousing hymn How Great Thou Art and again the different sections of the orchestra played their part in providing contrast, interest and passion. There were many appreciative comments after the session had finished.

Don Brown
Alto Sax

Family Space Concert, February 3^rd 2024

by Tenor Saxophonist Joe Reynolds

The Coventry City of Culture Orchestra’s first concert of 2024 saw Mission Controller, Sebastian Farrall, take us into the realms of space travel and science fiction. Billed as a Fancy Dress Family Concert, both the audience and the orchestra were encouraged to dress for the occasion. Neither disappointed. There were more Lady Penelopes, Jedis and Princess Leias than any conductor could shake his lightsaber at.

    Families always feel welcome at the Central Hall concerts, and the area set aside, where children could enjoy the concert without the restriction of formal seating, proved popular. People did mention this aspect of our performances and appreciate the way that youngsters can enjoy the music in a relaxed setting.

    The show opened at 3.00 pm, with the ubiquitous Also Sprach Zarathustra; Elvis did not enter the room. Seb swapped his lightsaber for a glowstick, and blast-off followed a mass countdown into the theme from Thunderbirds and fireworks from the balcony. A huge, illuminated globe of planet earth hovered above the orchestra and laser lights sprinkled the ceiling adding to the extra-terrestrial atmosphere.

    “Engaging” was one audience member's reaction to the show, they felt they were part of the experience and enjoyed the informality of the event. The audience were not only being treated to a musical voyage of the galaxies, but also to an excursion around the orchestra. Seb introduced them to each planetary section between pieces, explaining their sound and function within the orchestra.

    Vocalist Richard White joined the orchestra for an arrangement of Fly me to the Moon before Starship USS Enterprise brought us safely to the kid’s fancy dress parade. The children, now in their element, showed off their costumes while members of the orchestra tried to make themselves invisible behind their music stand, hoping not to be picked to be a judge. Time may stand still for Timelords, but for the rest of us a selection of Dr Who themes ended the first half of the program.

    The adults put just as much effort and enthusiasm into the fancy dress aspect of the show as the children. It was humbling to see the effort so many people had put in to this part of the event. The opening bars from E.T (The Extra Terrestrial) were instantly recognised, as the lights dropped for the second part of the show. Members of the audience were then invited to have a go at conducting an orchestra. The Blue Danube Waltz has rarely seen so many changes of tempo. Buzz Lightyear (there were several, one in the sax section) took us to infinity and beyond in an arrangement of You've Got a Friend in Me by saxophonist Colin Charman.

    Planet Percussion put on a superb display of both tuned and untuned instruments that bought us to the ‘finale’, a version of David Bowie’s Life on Mars, arranged by clarinettist Morag Clark. They thought it was all over; did anyone believe that? The show finally came down to earth with a medley of Star Wars themes and more fireworks.

    Listening to the comments after the show from both friends and strangers makes all this worthwhile. A superb Saturday afternoon’s entertainment.

• November 5th 2022 @ 1:30pm - Coventry Central Hall Showcase
  • An event hosted by the ‘Central Creatives’ team from the Central Hall, celebrating some of the performing arts who rehearse or who are connected to Central Hall. Our orchestra is the headline act, and will be supported by: Ann Atkins; Fridays Choir; Ruda Mvundura; WorldSong; Coventry Adult Education Service Dance; African Drum & Dance UK; Dangermouse (The Poet); & Choir With No Name, Coventry.
  • Tickets are available from eventbrite, and include refreshments in the interval. Advance booking only. 
  • TICKETS: £1 (Under 12) | £4 (Unwaged) and £7.50. Profits raised will support Central Hall creative projects.
  • www.coventryorchestra.co.uk/showcase

• December 18th 2022 @ 2:00pm - Coventry Central Hall Carol Service 
  • This event in 2021 was the first ever performance for the Orchestra, and was a fantastic and musical way to celebrate Christmas. The 2022 event will be no different! 
  • Admission is free, and no prior booking is needed. 
  • Minced pies and mulled beverages will be served from 1:30pm.
  • www.coventryorchestra.co.uk/carols

• January 21st 2023 @ 3:00pm - Family Concert
  • Our brand-new Family Concert series is aimed at inspiring younger people (in age and at heart!) with the amazing world of the orchestra, and will also end our winter 2022/23 term.
  • As with all our concerts, we will aim to make the programme fast-paced, featuring music from Film and TV, as well as from the amazing music which has fuelled orchestras for centuries. A perfect variety for all of the family!
  • Make sure to arrive to Central Hall early, as we are also going to be supported by the fantastic Coventry Music service, who will not only showcase one of their ensembles, but will also be bringing some musical instruments (and tutors!) for the next generation of musicians to try before our concert starts. 
  • Some of the music featured:
    • How To Train Your Dragon
    • Rhapsody in Blue (Soloist: M Philip Enscott)
    • Jupiter (from The Planets Suite)
    • Beauty and the Beast
    • The Hebrides Overture
    • …and more!
  • TICKETS: Full Price: £7 | Under 18s: £1 | Under 12s: FREE (but still need a pre-booked ticket, and to be accompanied by an adult)
  • www.coventryorchestra.co.uk/family

• June 10th 2023 @ 7:30pm - Celebration Concert (featuring the Festival Chorus)
  • This will be the second generation of 'Celebration Concert', building on the sell-out concert on the 2nd April earlier this year. Get your tickets early, as we expect another sell-out event!
  • TICKETS: Full Price: £8 | Under 18s: £5 | Under 12s: £4
  • www.coventryorchestra.co.uk/concert 

• July 16th 2023 @ 3:00pm - Hymns of Praise (featuring Sing it Loud)
  • Join the Coventry City of Culture Orchestra and Sing it Loud at Coventry Central Hall for a rousing celebration of hymn tunes and songs of praise. 
  • www.coventryorchestra.co.uk/hymns

• Score, either as a PDF or Sibelius file. 
• Audio file, either MP3, WAV, MIDI, or a standard Sibelius file.
• Parts for the orchestra, either as a PDF or Sibelius file. 

You may include a short biography about yourself, and an introduction to your piece. 

You may include electronics for your performance, but there must be a substantially live element to the work.

Our concert theme is "Celebrating Coventry", so any musical reference to this is welcome!

The Coventry City of Culture Orchestra is not a professional ensemble, so please be mindful of this when writing parts. 

Only works which have not previously won any competitions may be submitted, and the Coventry City of Culture Orchestra reserve the right for the worldwide premiere of the winning works. 

Your work should be between 3-6 minutes long. 

The instruments we have in the orchestra:
Flutes (up to 11 - All play C flute, but can double including various piccolos, and one alto)
Oboe / Cor Anglais (2)
Clarinets (15, including A, Bb, Eb, and Bass)
Eb Alto Saxophone (5)
Bb Tenor Saxophone (4)
Eb Baritone Saxophone (1)
Bassoons (2)
French Horns (4)
Trumpets (6)
Trombones (4)
Tuba (1)
Percussion (3 including a hand-drumming expert, bodhran and washboard, and the normal orchestral percussion)
Piano (1)
Organ (1)
Guitar (3 Electric, Bass, Ukulele)
Violins (20)
Violas (6)
Cellos (6)
Double Basses (2)
Accordion (1)
Sitar (1)
Harmonium (1)

You may also choose to include choir, but this is optional. 

As we have quite a large orchestra, some doubling of parts is common. You may also choose to not include every instrument. 

If you choose to include choir, you can write your own lyrics or instead use the poem "Words from the Earth", written by Poet Laureate and fellow Central Hall Artist in Residence Emilie Lauren Jones. You may slightly modify the lyrics if desired. 

(Please note that copyright on these lyrics remains with Emilie Lauren Jones and cannot be reproduced or performed without express permission, or other than for the sole purpose of this competition.)

When the warm breeze whispers words across the waters,

like the gentle droplets, we’re all sons and daughters

of the same streams.

Can you hear me?

When the sun is shining and the planes draw white lines,

like the saplings rising, it’s the same soil 

we all thrive on,

Can you hear me?

When the moon is hidden and the TV flickers,

it’s a cold room, but someone cares still

hope will hold your hand,

Can you hear me?

In the breeze that whispers,

in the sun that shimmers,

in the moon that’s hidden,

yes, I hear you. 

God we hear you.

Judging will commence in the new year, by Artistic Director Sebastian Farrall and professional composer and arranger Dean Jones. The top tier of submissions will then be performed by the Orchestra during rehearsals in January (13 & 20) who will then vote on their favourite. If your piece is being performed, you will be invited to come along and listen. 

The winning piece from each category will be performed at our final celebration concert on April 2nd, 2022. 
https://www.coventryorchestra.co.uk/concert

If you have any questions at all, then please feel free to get in touch - mailbox@coventryorchestra.co.uk

Good luck, and have fun! 

Sebastian Farrall
Artistic Director
Coventry City of Culture Orchestra

• Viola
• Contrabassoon 
• Instruments from other cultures (eg. Indian and African)

• Violin
• Cello
• Guitar / Electric Guitar
• Bass Guitar
• Percussion

• Flute (incl. Picc.)
• Clarinet (incl. Bass Clarinet)
• Saxophone
• Piano / Organ
• Trumpet
• Trombone
• French Horn

To celebrate Coventry’s City of Culture, local musician, Seb Farrall, is calling on all musicians to get involved in an exciting project.

To celebrate Coventry’s City of Culture, local musician, Seb Farrall, is calling on all instrumentalists to get involved in an exciting musical project.

As part of Coventry Central Hall’s City of Culture “Artists in Residence Programme” (AiR), Seb is starting a brand new orchestra. The AiR programme is funded by Coventry and Nuneaton Methodist circuit and supported by Methodist Church at Coventry Central Hall. Membership of the orchestra is open to all and rehearsals begin in September, working towards a large-scale celebration concert in April 2022 at Central Hall.

Seb encourages everyone to get their instrument out whether well-versed or slightly rusty:

“Making music in a large ensemble has been a very important part of my life, for as long as I can remember. Something magical happens when people get together to make music, and I’m very excited to be leading a project to celebrate our city of culture in this way.”

While the orchestra won’t be for complete beginners, those who have perhaps let their instrument collect dust for many years are encouraged to sign up and come along, as well as those who are more up-to-date with their skills. We also welcome players of instruments which don’t normally feature in an orchestra.

Seb added:

“I know so many people who played an instrument when they were younger and have just stopped playing for a variety of reasons.  My hope is that these people will be encouraged to once again get their instruments out and enjoy this great opportunity to celebrate the City of Culture through music.”

The repertoire of the concert will be celebrating Coventry, and will be inspired by reaching out to the people of Coventry themselves. The concert repertoire will be wide-reaching, encompassing both the traditional Orchestral works linked to Coventry, but also some songs from the Pop/Rock genre:

“I’m also very keen to include both performers and music of diversity that an orchestra wouldn’t normally include. Coventry is a city which represents many cultures and this concert will reflect that.”

The celebration concert will feature a ‘Festival Chorus’, amalgamating local choirs and singers, as well as featuring already existing ensembles performing in their own right who perhaps normally wouldn’t get the opportunity to perform on the big stage.

“In my time of making music as a conductor, I have come to realise that the most important thing has always been people. The music gets better when the performers are socially and emotionally in sync and I know that this orchestra will be a fun, enjoyable, and special experience for anyone who joins.”

“I can’t think of anything better to bring people together in order to celebrate our shared culture, especially after a year that has left no room for this sort of music making.”

To encourage up-and-coming composers, we are also hosting a composition competition, with the winning work being premiered at the concert. There are two categories: Open and Youth, with prizes of £1500 and £500.

“Having entered, and won a runner up prize myself in a similar competition as an A level student, I know how encouraging this can be and is what ultimately started my journey in studying music composition at Coventry University.”

“If you have some great ideas of songs or pieces of music which represent Coventry (however tangential!), or would like to be involved with the orchestra itself, head to coventryorchestra.co.uk to find out more. Remember, whether your instrument would feature in an orchestra normally or not, we need you, and you are welcome here!”

The project will be led by local conductor Seb Farrall, who came to Coventry in 2011 to study Music Composition at Coventry University, and since graduation in 2014 with a First Class Degree has continued to live and work in the area. Seb was tutored in conducting by Christopher Evans as student conductor of the University Orchestral Ensemble, and has continued to take those skills daily into his professional life. Seb currently directs six choirs who meet regularly, as well as being involved in other projects.

Although Seb is known predominantly as a choral director, it is a well-known fact that choirs and orchestras go together well, and Seb has taken the baton numerous times harnessing upwards of 100 musicians with both choir and orchestra. Seb has also had the privilege of travelling the world as a percussionist, and playing in some famous concert halls such as The London O2 Arena and the Albert Hall. For more information about Seb, head to this page. 
 

To get involved with any aspect of this project, head to the Get involved page where you can take part! 

To continue to support the musical development, we are also hosting a composition composition, with the winning works being premiered at the concert. There are two categories: Open and Youth, with prizes of £1,500 (Open) and £500 (Youth).

Having myself entered (and won a runner up prize!) a similar competition as an A level student, I know how encouraging this can be and is what ultimately started my journey to studying music composition at Coventry University.

Such is the excitement of this project is that we don't know the musical forces we have, so we can't launch the competition yet. Please register your interest via this google form, and we will contact you when the competition launches. 
 

The competition will be judged by the Orchestra Artist Director Seb Farrall and professional Composer and Arranger Dean Jones:
 

From graduating in 1998 at Kingston University with a BA Hons in Music, Dean Haydn Jones has been writing music for publishers ever since.

With now over 150 publications at present to his name and compositions on numerous CDs and DVDs, Dean has enjoyed a successful decade as a frequent contributor of both instrumental and vocal music for artists and publishing houses across the globe.

His piece for brass band entitled Glorifico Aeternum (2003) was performed at the Royal Albert Hall, London in July 2004 and since then, the piece has been performed in major concert halls around the world. Supremacy (2006) was the title track of the International Staff Band's CD recording in 2007 and pieces such as El es el Senor and Faithful God have also proved popular in the brass band repertoire. Two recent major works, Validus Deus and Vista were recently recorded by the North York Temple Salvation Army band and featured during their UK tour in May 2013.

Dean is also the Managing Director of Glorifico Ltd., a brand-new, bespoke music services company. It’s aim is to enhance and cultivate communities through music. Within it’s ethos is fostering development through creativity, interaction and partnership with all kinds of organisations. 

www.glorifico.co.uk

 

Photo by Ylanite Koppens from Pexels