From time to time but according to no particular calendar, the LBC do something different and extra. Such flourishes on the edge of our activity are captured in this section.

In June 2008 Owen Bentley organised a choir trip to Bach’s birthplace, Eisenach. We visited the Thomaskirche from where Bach dominated Leipzig’s musical landscape; we sang a service in the church which lies at the centre of his birthplace; and we enjoyed the fellowship that flows from being together for longer than a 2-hour rehearsal.

In April 2009 a choir from Germany visited us, the Schonhausen-Chor.
See details and pictures of the Schonhausen-Chor in Leicester.
This cultural exchange was initiated by our German-speaking secretary, Nicki Little, and supported by Leicester council because the choir are associated with our twin town, Krefeld. We look forward to further contact with this group.

September 2008 Richard Laing held out a new opportunity to LBC members. This was the chance to join the chorus of a semi-professional production of Handel’s Semele, which was being produced by his company Operamus from an intensive 3 days of rehearsal at the Birmingham Conservatoire. Four hardy souls took up the challenge without, despite Richard’s clear outline of the requirements and event, really knowing what they were letting themselves in for.  A year later those who took part recall Semele as one of the high points of 2008. Intense engagement with a fine work means that they can recognise it within two bars; it was enormously enjoyable to find out how an opera works from the inside, and to be welcomed into the company by generous young singers and brilliant voice coaches.

What next?
We are in the process of arranging a vocal workshop on Saturday 13th March 2010 with Christine Cairns, one of Birmingham Conservatoire’s excellent voice trainers. Details on For Members