Concerts

Magnificat Concerts

On behalf of all the committee here at UDCS, we would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to those who performed, and attended our concerts.

It was a great night of choral music, especially after our concerts had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a choir, we have experienced quite the impact during the lockdowns over the past two years. Our rehearsals had shifted online, we couldn’t hear each other in unison – a benchmark of choral music, and we didn’t get a chance to gather for social events for quite some time.

Similar to other groups in the event industry, we were the first to shut down, and one of the last to get back in operation again. However, we never gave up. As a choir, we embraced this online shift and still went ahead.

In September 2021, we were optimistic that a concert could happen within the academic year. It was a time of uncertainty for all. We resumed rehearsals in October. Winter 2021 had proved challenging for all due to the rising cases. February 2022, we started back rehearsing.

In March, we were so proud to announce we would be performing again, after a 2 year in-person hiatus.

It is journeys like these that make these concerts so worth it. We are back, and will come back stronger in the next academic year, 2022 – 2023

On a special note, we’d like to extend our thanks to the friends, vice patrons, and the patrons of our society for supporting our society throughout the years, especially during the lockdown periods.

 

We look forward to seeing you all at our events.

UDCS Committee

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Hilary Term Concert Cancelled

Hi all,

It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the cancellation of our Hilary Term concerts on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th of March. The college is closing as of today until the 29th March in accordance with government guidelines concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a result the CSC has suspended all society events planned for the period of closure.
We shall do our best to ensure our choir’s hard work has not gone to waste, and that this programme may be performed in part or in total during a semester in the near future. As you may imagine, everything is a little up in the air.

Despite everything, we managed to successfully carry out our AGM last night. With Dermot Frost expertly taking the lead as Chair, this went off without a hitch; we successfully welcomed in a new committee for the next academic year. A handover will be carried out as and when social gatherings are once again permitted without the fear of endangering public health.
On behalf of the outgoing committee, I would like to offer my sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused by these proceedings (it has been a stressful few days…). We would also like to thank our choir members for all their hard work and dedication to this programme for the last few months – regardless of this untimely end to the semester, we have had a blast singing with you all.

Huge thanks also to our audience members, Friends, orchestra members, soloists, anonymous donors, the TCD Association and Trust, the Visual and Performing Arts Fund Committee, and all who have supported the choir this year. I would like to personally thank David Leigh for his continuing commitment to the choir, our auditors John Hynes and David Chew for putting up with me, and – last but not least – our wonderful Hon. Secretary Áine Dineen.
I could easily write a book on everything Áine has done and is continuing to do for this choir, and we will never be able to thank her enough for it all – though if you do happen to see her around, don’t hesitate in trying to do just that! Do not, however, try to convince her to return to rehearsals next semester…
On that note: take care, wash your hands properly and regularly, and tune in next time for Choral Society 2020/21!

Yours truly,

Isobel
Hon. Treasurer UDCS

 

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Hillary Term Concert 18th & 19th March

Phew! That semester flew by!

Our Magnificat concert is swiftly approaching, and we would be delighted if you could join us in the Exam Hall (TCD Campus) on Wednesday 18th March and/or Thursday 19th March. There’s nothing like some choral music after the chaos of St. Patrick’s weekend: bring your friends, family, classmates, coworkers, first dates and life-long partners for a wonderful evening of quality chorus. We’ve had a blast practising for this one – Rutter is about as jazzy as one can find in the choral repertoire, and Bach is his usual zesty self; we’ve certainly been kept on our toes.

In the intervening weeks we have also hosted our annual acapella competition, the Cherry Cup! Adjudicated by Dr. Marion Doherty, two spirited quartets battled it out over ‘April is in my Mistress’ Face’, with experienced choristers and long-term members Ross, Aoife, Gayle and David pipping their competitors to the post – commiserations to our runner-ups Chris, Caroline, Darien and Rachel! We do extend warm congratulations to every competing singer however, it was a lovely end to our usual Wednesday rehearsals and we enjoyed each performance heartily.

Also of note: our AGM will take place on Wednesday the 11th March ahead of our usual rehearsals, which will in turn be followed by some slap-up platters courtesy of the Choral Society bank account. Come along for the free food and stay for the wildly entertaining Treasurer’s Report, am I right?

Until next time,

Isobel Hon. Treasurer UDCS

 

Our concerts this term are proudly supported by the Trinity Association and Trust @TCDTrust
Visit http://www.udcs.org/trinity-association-and-trust for more information.

 

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Michaelmas Concert 2018

Our Michaelmas performances of Haydn's Nelson Mass will take place on Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd of November. Accompanied by two other short pieces from Haydn's repertoire (Te Deum laudamus and Insanae et Vanae Curae) these performances - set in the breathtaking and historic  surroundings of Trinity College's Examination Hall - promise to be unmissable events this November.

Tickets can be bought online here

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Hilary Term Concert 2018: Rossini Petite messe solennelle

 

Our Hilary term concert is just a couple of weeks away! This year’s performance of Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle on the 21st and 22nd of March are sure to be two brilliant nights of choral music, not to be missed!

Rossini composed the Petite messe solennelle in 1863, 34 years after his last opera. With one review at the time reading:

“One could sense, from the first measures, the powerful spirit which animated this artist thirty years ago at the time when he chose to put a stop at his glorious career at its culminating point. The composer of William Tell stands proudly before you in his eminence, and you realise with astonishment that neither time nor inactivity have caused any loss of the intelligence with which he is so marvellously endowed.”

Be sure to join us in the wonderful surroundings of the Trinity College Exam Hall for our final concert of the academic year.

Tickets available here!

 

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Freshers Week 2017

The new academic year is about to kick off, and we could not be more excited! Freshers Week will run from 18-22 September, and Choral will have a stand each day from 9am-4pm. Be sure to drop by and sign up for the year. For more information on our events programme for this year, check out our programme below.

Our first rehearsal will run from 6.30-9pm in Regent House (above Front Arch) on Wednesday 27th September (subsequent rehearsals will run from 7-9pm). You can also come along and join at this rehearsal. Singers of all levels of experience are welcomg to join us as we prepare for our performances of Mozart's dramatic Requiem in November. If you have any further questions, please get in touch via our contact us page.

01

Freshers’ Week

We’ll have a stall in Front Square for the entire week where you can come along and join!

02

First Rehearsal

Our first rehearsal will be on Wednesday 27th September in Regent House from 7-9pm. You can come along and join on the night, or at any of the first three rehearsals

03

Michaelmas Term Concert

Mozart Requiem and other pieces. Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd November 2017 in the Public Theatre, Trinity College.

04

Christmas Concert

Stay tuned for further details on this exciting event scheduled for December 2017!

05

Hilary Term Concert

March 2018. Rossini Petite Messe Solonnelle

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Hilary Term Concert 2017: Brahms/Boydell

Hey Friends!

We are HUGELY excited to celebrate 180 years of the choral society and 100 years since the birth of Brian Boydell, a key figure in the choir’s (and musical life in trinity’s) history, with our Hilary Term Concert in the National Concert Hall on Wednesday the 5th of April.

To celebrate we will be performing a truly original work; Brian Boydell’s Under No Circumstances. This work was composed specifically for the choir and is, more importantly, about the choir. For the work, Boydell selected excerpts from the minutes of the early days of the society, as such, it is intrinsically linked to our history as a choir and makes no better way to celebrate our 180-year anniversary. The work is laced with satire, witty moments and dark humour, the outcry against ladies attending the societies concerts being just one of many highlights of this rarely-performed work.

To balance this comedic twist, we have Brahms’ German Requiem, a powerhouse of the German Romantic era, the Requiem is renowned for its striking melodies, wonderful counterpoint, and memorable melodies.

Be sure to join Choral as we ring in our 180 in the National Concert Hall with a night of fantastic music. Be sure to get good seats, as this will be a night not to be missed!

Tickets available here!

 

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