Next Concert: Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle Sat 17 May Chester Cathedral

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  • Young musician competition 2025

    Young musician competition 2025

    Date: To Be Announced

    Time: Come and go as you please from 10am to 5pm

    Venue: Abbey Gate College, Saighton Grange, Saighton, Chester CH3 6EN

    Tickets: On the door £5

    Chester Music Society is pleased to announce our annual Young Musician Competition. This is open to all young musicians who live within a 40 mile radius of Chester and who have achieved the relevant grade examination in the three age groups. The competition will be open to the public (including competitors’ family and supporters).

    READ HERE the full prospectus and DOWNLOAD the Application form

    The competition will be followed by a public performance by the Winners and Runners-up at St Mary’s Creative Space in Chester. Admission £8 (Students £3)

  • Chester Music Society Choir: Rossini – Petite Messe Solennelle

    Chester Music Society Choir: Rossini – Petite Messe Solennelle

    Date: Saturday 17th May 2025
    Time: 7.30 pm
    Venue: Chester Cathedral
    Tickets: Priced at £30 (nave), £25 (West Steps) and £15 (side aisles). 

    CLICK HERE to read more about ticketing
    CLICK HERE to go direct to the online booking page

    The Petite messe Solennelle is structured in several extended movements in the tradition of the missa solemnis, but the composer labelled it petite with a grain of irony. He wrote on the last page of the autograph manuscript 

    “Dear Lord, here it is finished, this poor little mass. Have I just written sacred music, or rather, sacrilegious music? I was born for opera buffa, as you well know. Not much technique, a little bit of heart, that’s all. Blessings to you and grant me Paradise.”

    The unusual scoring for voices, piano and harmonium is in the Neapolitan harpsichord tradition of the 18th century. Rossini specified, on the second page of his manuscript, twelve singers in all, noting on the title page: “Twelve singers of three sexes, men, women and castrati will suffice for its execution: that is, eight for the choir, four soloists, in all twelve cherubim”.

    • Heather Buckmaster :soprano
    • Joyce Tindsley: mezzo-soprano
    • Elgan LLyr Thomas: tenor
    • Armand Rabot: bass
    • Chester Music Society Choir
    • Graham Eccles: Piano
    • Jon Barton: harmonium
    • Graham Jordan Ellis: conductor

  • Chester Community Orchestra

    Date: 26/2/2025
    Time: 7.30 pm
    Venue: ?
    Tickets: ?

    Established in 2001 by Musical Director Jan Modelski (as the Jan Modelski Community Orchestra) with the aim of giving as many musicians as possible the opportunity to play – regardless of age, ability or instrument. They now have three orchestras offering players a unique opportunity to progress through from Introductory level to Concert Orchestra – all under one roof.

  • Chester Young Musicians

    Date: 29th January 2025
    Time: 7.30 pm
    Venue: St Mary’s Creative Space, Chester.
    Admission: £8 at the door.

    An evening of outstanding musical performance given by the winners and runners up of the 2024 Young Musician of the Year competition. Performers will include:

    Melicia Huang harp, Harmony Zhang pianoi, Rory Winn trombone, Thea Ormrod trumpet, Yurij Szyrokyi piano, Daniel Gohariz clarinet and (winner of the Lila Hallett prize) James Ashcroft electric guitar

    Prizes and awards, all in the name of our late Chairman David Woods, will be presented by the Society President Martin Roscoe, Read more under NEWS

  • Chester Guitar Circle

    Date: 27/11/2024
    Time: 7.30 pm
    Venue: ?
    Tickets: ?

    The group, formed in the mid-1970s, meet monthly to play, listen to discuss and appreciate classical guitar music. Their aim is to encourage players of all standards to improve and enjoy performing as a soloist or in a variety of ensembles, and promote appreciation of guitar music in the wider community.

  • Helsby Concert Band

    Date: 23rd October 2025
    Time: 7.30 pm
    Venue: ?
    Tickets: ?

    Set up in 2019 by Jacky Keating to give people of all ages and levels of experience the opportunity to play in an ensemble. They play a wide variety of genres of music from pop songs to movie themes and pieces going back to the 1940’s. They have recently been awarded the Cheshire West Community and Voluntary Arts ‘Music’ award for 2024.
    The band received the Cheshire West Community and Voluntary Arts Music award for 2024.

  • Choir Open Day 2025

    Choir Open Day 2025

    Date: Saturday 1st March 2025
    Time:
    Venue:
    Tickets: Free entry

    Singers of all voice parts and all abilities are invited to join Chester Music Society Choir in a St David’s Day celebration.

    DOWNLOAD the full prospectus here. APPLY using this form

  • Young musician competition 2024

    Young musician competition 2024

    Date: Sunday 17th November 2024

    Time: Come and go as you please from 10am to 5pm

    Venue: Abbey Gate College, Saighton Grange, Saighton, Chester CH3 6EN

    Tickets: On the door £5

    Chester Music Society is pleased to announce our annual Young Musician Competition. This is open to all young musicians who live within a 40 mile radius of Chester and who have achieved the relevant grade examination in the three age groups. The competition will be open to the public (including competitors’ family and supporters).

    READ HERE the full prospectus and DOWNLOAD the Application form

    The competition will be followed by a public performance by the Winners and Runners-up at St Mary’s Creative Space in Chester on 29 January 2025. Admission £8 (Students £3)