Tag: Philip Collin

Faure and Britten prove to be big hits

19 November 2025

A substantial audience at St Mark’s Church were treated to a superb concert on Saturday 15 November 2025, with Sheffield Bach Choir and choristers from St John’s Ranmoor, with players from the National Festival orchestra and organist Peter Shepherd, conducted by Philip Collin.

The pairing of Benjamin Britten’s exciting oratorio Saint Nicolas with Gabriel Faure’s beautiful Requiem proved to be very popular, with an almost-full church greatly appreciating the performances from choir, choristers, soloists and players.

Britten’s piece featured young choristers singing beautifully from the back of the church, with the three pickled boys (actually girls on this occasion) making the most of the drama by singing while moving up the central aisle to the front.

Soloists and choirs shine in Brahm’s German Requiem

Monday 1st July 2024

On Saturday 29th June Sheffield Oratorio Chorus and Sheffield Bach Choir joined soloists Elizabeth Watts and Darren Jeffery and the South Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra to perform Brahms’ wonderful German Requiem at the Victoria Hall in Sheffield.

The two choirs had a wonderful time singing one of the favourites of the choral repertoire, and the two soloists were absolutely superb. Elizabeth Watts, hailed by the International Record Review as “one of the most beautiful voices Britain has produced in a generation”, Elizabeth sang with passion and meticulous accuracy, thrilling members of the audience, choir and orchestra alike. Bass-baritone Darren Jeffery’s voice is well suited to the work and his rendition was rich and powerful.

Fantastic playing by the South Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra and organist Philip Collin, conducted with spirit by Alan Eost, this was a marvellous end to the season.