News

Appointment of new Musical Director

Baslow Choir is delighted to announce the appointment of Andrew Marples as its new Musical Director. 'It took months of searching to find just the right person', says Chairman Peter Skinner. Born in Chesterfield, Andrew studied composition and piano at Reading University and piano accompaniment at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was a chorister for 28 years with Chesterfield Parish Church Choir and then Sheffield Cathedral Choir and is in great demand as a conductor. It's a weekly treat to hear him sing the solo parts during rehearsals', commented one choir member. 'He's so

in tune with the challenges of learning a new work', said another.

Andrew is an experienced Conductor and Chorus-Master and is well-known locally having directed choirs at Buxton Opera House, Crucible Theatre, Lyceum Theatre and Chatsworth House, to name but a few. Indeed he is a concert platform regular, giving over 50 performances a year. As a composer Andrew has written a number of choral works and currently teaches music in Bakewell and Chesterfield.

'Baslow Choir has an enviable reputation and Ii'm really looking forward to directing a large choir and performing some of the great choral works with them', says Andrew. 'This is the start of a new and exciting era for us both. Together I hope we can reach a wider public and encourage others to join us', he added.

When not making music Andrew can be found cheering on his beloved Chesterfield FC at Saltergate.

Review of Baslow Choir's Summer Serenade Concert - June 2008

 

Baslow Choir’s Summer Serenade on 27 June was the first opportunity for the choir to perform in public under the baton of Andrew Marples, their new Musical Director.    Michael Coe, Andrew's predecessor, was a hard act to follow but, from the moment he stepped on to the podium, Andrew looked as if he and the choir had been together for years.   His relaxed conducting style is different from Michael’s tauter approach.   Time will tell how, building on Michael’s achievements, the choir’s technique will be moulded by their new conductor.  

 

What immediately communicated itself to the audience packed into Curbar Church for the June concert was the choir’s evident enjoyment of the marvellously varied programme of short pieces which they performed.   The works ranged from John Wilbye’s lovely early 17th century madrigal, Thus Saith my Cloris, to contemporary compositions, including a delightful and summery Suite of short pieces, based upon popular folk songs, written in 2004 by the new Musical Director.

 

The choir had started with a rousing performance of Parry’s Jerusalem.   This was followed by a contrasting change of mood with Karl Jenkins’ Adiemus and then that lovely spiritual, Steal Away.   What was striking about both works was the choir’s ability to perform pianissimo and unaccompanied: a tribute to singers and conductor alike.   A selection from Franz Lehar’s Merry Widow (“fizzy” items was how Andrew Marples introduced them, and the choir certainly sang with “fizz”) was the occasion for the first of two contributions by the guest soloist, Anne Turner.    She sang the ever-popular aria, Vilia, from the Merry Widow.   In the second half she sang Gershwin’s Someone To Watch Over Me.   In both she sang with clarity, verve and great self-confidence and it was a joy to listen to her.

 

Another highlight of the evening was the appearance of the Muskoka Wind Quintet (so named after the street in Sheffield where they first rehearsed) consisting of Kathryn Hathaway (flute), Martin Lightowler (oboe), Becky Stroud (clarinet), Dawn Allenby (bassoon) and Tom James (French horn).   Their choice of works was certainly demanding.   They began with five short dances by a contemporary composer of Hungarian origin, Denes Agay, comprising a polka, a tango, a bolero, a waltz and a rumba.   Not surprisingly, each piece required a totally different rhythmic treatment which it duly received.   This was followed by Poulenc’s Novelette, a delightful mixture of wit and enchantment.   In the second half the Quintet performed a technically challenging arrangement of Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm after which they played five 17th century Hungarian dances by Ferenc Farkas (they are obviously enthusiasts for things Hungarian).   This was another medley of contrasting moods and rhythms including what we were informed by Martin Lightowler was a “shoulder blade dance”.   These works enabled the Wind Quintet to show what a remarkably talented group of performers they are.    For the writer of this review (and, to judge by the audience’s enthusiastic applause, for many others) their next concert appearance is eagerly awaited and cannot come too soon.

 

The choir resumed the second half with the same vigour and enthusiasm that marked the first half, with performances that included Easthope Martin’s Come To The Fair, Rugby Union’s own Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and, by way of finale, another medley of traditional folk songs, in particular the very beautiful Ash Grove.   The evening ended with a prestissimo rendition of Dashing Away With The Smoothing Iron; such was the pace of its performance that one felt that the choir was taking the words of the song literally.   But choir, conductor and accompanying wind instruments carried it off triumphantly and it was a thoroughly uplifted audience that reluctantly left the church for a damp and chilly outside at the end of it all.   A special mention should be made of the choir’s piano accompanist, Alison Wheeldon.   She is a most accomplished performer and a very worthy successor to Llinos Hodgson.  

 

With their new Musical Director and their new piano accompanist, the choir is set fair indeed.   If there is one area where a little reinforcement would not go amiss, if they can be found, it is with the tenors and basses.   The fact that they came across as well as they did (and without any “bass drag” or “tenor screech”) is a tribute to the few of them that there are.   As always, the sopranos and contraltos sang (and were turned out) beautifully.   We all look forward to the choir’s Christmas Concert on 12th and 13th December.

 

Bill Blackburne