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Birkenhead Choral Society
Patron: Dame Lorna Muirhead DCVO, DBE

Conductor: David Holroyd ~ Chair: Claire Tomkinson ~ Rehearsal Accompanist: Jon Barton

Conductor: David Holroyd
Chair: Claire Tomkinson
Rehearsal Accompanist: Jon Barton

Choral music since 1956

Birkenhead Choral Society
Patron: Dame Lorna Muirhead DCVO, DBE

Conductor: David Holroyd ~ Chair: Claire Tomkinson ~ Rehearsal Accompanist: Jon Barton

Conductor: David Holroyd
Chair: Claire Tomkinson
Rehearsal Accompanist: Jon Barton

Choral music since 1956

14 Oct 2024

Meet the soloists and musicians for The Armed Man and Durufle Requiem

 

Liverpool Concert Orchestra

The Chamber Orchestra for this concert is taken from players of the Liverpool Concert Orchestra. Formed in 2014, the orchestra consists of a group of local professional musicians who come together to provide music for both amateur and professional societies, concerts and events. They have performed from Southport to North Wales, including concerts in both Liverpool Cathedrals and Chester Cathedrals, as well as performances on BBC radio.  For enquiries regarding hiring the orchestra for choral events including Messiahs, Requiems etc as well as smaller and larger scale concerts and recordings, please contact Paul Thomas on 07729 815302

Soprano - Babara Ruzsics

Hungarian born soprano Barbara Ruzsics studied music at the Liszt Academy of Music, Budapest and College of Charleston, South Carolina.  She was awarded second place in The National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition in Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

Since moving to Liverpool Barbara has sung for many performances of Lieder and Opera concerts around Merseyside. Recent engagements have included soprano solos in Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s St. John’s Passion, Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Creation, the title role of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, Brahms’ Requiem, Strauss’ Four Last Songs, Mahler’s II and IV Symphony, Beethoven’s IX Symphony and Ravel’s Sheherazade.

Barbara performs regularly with Amadeus, Birkenhead and Formby Choral Society directed by David Holroyd. She is a lay clerk, cantor and vocal tutor at the Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool. Barbara also teaches singing at St Edwards College and Birkenhead School: several of her young pupils have sung for Birkenhead Choral Society. She is a founding member of the Liverpool Bach Collective.

Muezzin - Farhan Abu-Hassan

Farhan Abu-Hassan is an active member of the community in Liverpool. Born in Jordan, he obtained his first degree in foreign trade from Helwan University in Egypt, and his Master's degree in Management and Technology from the University of Wales. He started his career in management at the Royal Jordanian Airlines and then was involved in private business in Jordan as a sales and marketing manager.

In 2005 Farhan settled in England with his family - he and his wife have four educated sons. In 2006 he joined Al-Ghazali Multi Cultural Centre as a cultural manager and was responsible for holding inter-faith events throughout the year. He worked to build good relations with other organisations and members of the community as well as strengthening and maintaining the relationships he already established. In 2012 Farhan left Al-Ghazali Centre to set up his own business.

Farhan has delivered the Al Adhan (Call to Prayer) with Birkenhead Choral Society, and with Formby Choral Society several times over the years. We are most grateful to him for doing so again.

 Jon Barton - Organist

Jon began studying the organ at Liverpool Cathedral with Ian Wells, and then with Matthew Owens and Kevin Bowyer at the Royal Northern College of Music. He also studied piano with Paul Janes and harpsichord with David Francis. Whilst at the RNCM he was awarded a scholarship to continue his studies abroad with Zsigmond Szathmary, Bernhard Haas and Yanka Hekimova. Since then he has performed in many cathedrals and concert halls across the UK, and also features regularly in concerts and functions at Liverpool Hope University. He is Organist of Shrewsbury Cathedral, and Director of Music for the Diocese of Shrewsbury; he teaches at Birkenhead School and not only accompanies Birkenhead Choral Society, but also Formby Choral Society, and Amadeus: the Chamber Choir.

David Holroyd - Conductor

Until summer 2019, David was Director of Music at Merchant Taylors’ School in Crosby. He studied organ and choir-training at the Royal Northern College of Music with Ronald Frost, Gillian Weir and John Bertalot. David’s musical career began at the age of 7 as a choirboy at St Hilary’s Church Wallasey, where in due course he became Organist and Choirmaster. He spent a time as Assistant Organist at Chester Cathedral before moving to Merchant Taylors’ School, Crosby. He has conducted Birkenhead Choral Society since 1985, and also conducts Formby Choral Society, and Amadeus: the Chamber Choir, and is Organist at St Peter’s Church, Formby.

 

Birkenhead Choral Society brochure cover

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