Please note this page will be used for Choir Member Announcements
Rehearsal Schedule for Summer Term – 30.05.2026
Rehearsals will start at 7pm on Wednesday 3rd June and Wednesday 10th June.
Tickets will be on sale during the break and before the rehearsal.
Rehearsal Schedule for Summer Term – 15.04.2026
Wednesday in April 15th, 22nd and 29th
Wednesday in May 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th
Wednesday in June 3rd and 10th
Rehearsal Tracks for Summer Term – 15.04.2026
Rehearsal tracks
John Fletcher Music – https://johnfletchermusic.org/
You will need to sign up to use these files but there is no cost involved. Tracks can be slowed down which I would strongly advise but I found them very helpful. Choralia – mp3 catalogue – https://www.choralia.net/mp3catalogue.html
This link takes you straight to the catalogue. You can type in the title, then click on the speaker button and a list of movements. I then had to wait 15 seconds with adverts before I could move on to the file I wanted to listen to. There is a slider to reduce the speed with images of a tortoise at one end and a hare at the other! I would very more towards being a tortoise – but again, these are very helpful rehearsal aids.
Summer Quiz Evening – 13.04.2026
The summer quiz evening will take place on Saturday 9th May at Bishop Monkton Village Hall. The last quiz was well attended and a great evening was had by all.
Please put the date in your diary!
Extra Rehearsal – Summer Term – 13.04.2026
Sat 23rd May 2.00-4.30p.m. (Venue to the Confirmed)
Please make every effort to attend this rehearsal.
Please note that the Saturday rehearsal is an additional rehearsal it is not included in the normal rehearsal schedule attendance register.
Tickets are on sale now – 31.03.2026
Tickets are now available to buy online for the summer concert.
Tickets will be on sale at rehearsals on the following days:
Wednesday 20th May
Wednesday 27th May
Wednesday 3rd June
Wednesday 10th June
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2026 / 2027 / 2028 Season Dates and Programme – 13/03/2026
Faure Requiem – OUP edition
The Armed Man – Jenkins – Boosey and Hawkes
12th Dec 2026
Either Messiah – Novello Watkins Shaw Edition or
Messiah with carols version 2 – if I put it together by the end of the summer!
20th March 2027
Dvorak – Stabat Mater – Novello edition – There are two Novello editions. The new edition is a lot clearer to read but they are essentially the same.
12th June 2027
Haydn – Creation – Old Novello edition. There are two Novello editions. They are not compatible and we will use the old edition which is not available as a new purchase and so you will have to search Ebay or Abebooks or similar to find one.
For those that like to plan well ahead further ahead we have the cathedral booked for the following (2028 dates awaiting final confirmation):-
13 Nov 2027
11 Dec 2027
31 March 2028 – Bach – St Matthew Passion (complete)
17 June 2028
11 Nov 2028
9 Dec 2028
Summer Term Information – 13/03/2026
There is no rehearsal on April 1st because there is an Ash Wednesday service at St John’s. We therefore start again on April 8th.
The full term of rehearsals is April 8, 15, 22 29, May 6, 13, 20, 27, June 3, 10. Only 10 rehearsals. So I will be planning an extra rehearsal towards the end of May – TBC. The concert is June 13th.
If you wish to purchase your own copies for the summer term please use:-
Handel Dixit Dominus – Barenreiter. N.B there is a choral score and a vocal score. Please purchase the vocal score which will be far more use to you and me.
Bach Magnificat – either Barenreiter or New Novello edition.
Car Share Scheme Launch – 15/02/2026
If you would like to sign up for the car sharing scheme. Please email chair@riponchoralsociety.org.uk with the following information.
Name, Address and Postcode.
Preferred method of communication (eg email, WhatsApp etc).
How many spare spaces you have in your vehicle or that you don’t drive and would like a lift each.
Voice Test Music – 5/2/2026
The Hymns that will be used as part of the voice tests will be as follows:
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Lord of all Hopefulness
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2026-2027 Season dates and repertoire – 3/2/2026
Sat 3rd October ‘Come and Sing’ – Rutter Requiem at Holy Trinity (TBC)
Sat 14th November Faure – Requiem
Jenkins – The Armed Man
Sat 5th December Carols at Fountains Abbey (John Dunford directing) (TBC)
Sat 12th December Messiah (with carols version 2) (in the early stages of preparation)
Sat 27th March Dvorak – Stabat Mater
Sat 12th June Haydn – Creation
Voice Tests – 5/2/2026
On Wednesday evening (28th January 2026) John shared his ambition about completing Voice Tests with the choir by the end of the Summer 2026 term. A separate email has been shared with choir members about this process, if you have not received this please get in contact. This will now become a cyclical process and will be completed on a rolling three-year basis.
Between now and the summer John hopes to hear everyone in the choir, preferably on a Wednesday evening before the main choir rehearsal, in groups of 3, though you may be asked to sing as an individual. They will take place in the small room behind the piano at St Johns.
Sopranos voice tests will run from 6.00pm on Wednesday 11th Feb to Wednesday 25th February. There will be a sign-up sheet at this coming rehearsal so that you can book your preferred time slot.
Attendance and Concert Performance – 3/2/2026
We are fortunate to have a very good attendance from the vast majority of members of the choir. The Committee regularly discuss whether or not to bring in and apply a stricter adherence to attendance at rehearsals as a requirement to participation in concerts.
Next season (Sept 2026 to June 2027) we will introduce specific numbers of rehearsals that members must attend to sing in concerts. This will be set at roughly two-thirds to three quarters of the total number of rehearsals for each concert.
For choir members – This has been included in an email sent directly to singing members. Please get in touch if you have not received this.
