It will be a special night to remember with some of our finest musicians in Norwich and across Norfolk…members and guests of the Phil.
The Norwich Philharmonic Society was formed back in 1841 and has been entertaining us ever since attracting generation after generation of music lovers.
This will be the Phil’s first concert of their 2023/24 season which will be the last to be directed by David Dunnett, the much-loved choral conductor for almost three decades.
“It has been a great privilege for me to have been the choral conductor of the Philharmonic since September 1996,” said David. “During that time we have worked on at least 80 major choral works and countless smaller items for our Christmas concerts.”
“I will miss the friendly Tuesday evening rehearsal banter as we tackle another complex choral score and the buzz of performance day with all the forces assembled and raring to go."
“The Phil is full of wonderfully positive and supportive people – it is an organisation of which our city should be very proud – it has a long and distinguished history and I have no doubt it will continue to shine brightly into the future,” added David, the organist and Master of Music at Norwich Cathedral."
And Elizabeth’s appearance marks a special tribute to David’s outstanding contribution to the Phil and the musical life of the city and the Society is thrilled to have her singing with them for this special occasion.
“I was part of the children’s choir for the Te Deum by Hector Berlioz with the Norwich Phil when I was ten. I remember sitting in St Andrew’s Hall in sensory ecstasy, surrounded by the music,” she said.
“I had such a feeling of excitement and joy. I had never heard an orchestra live before or been involved in such a large choral work. It had a profound impact on me and embedded my love for classical music,” explained Elizabeth.
“It just goes to show that you never know how impactful involving children in events like this might be on someone’s life,” she added.
Elizabeth, a former pupil at Norwich High School for Girls, was a chorister at Norwich Cathedral before attending university and then the Royal College of Music. She has won many awards and is now established as one of Britain’s leading sopranos.
The Phil, with a full-size symphony orchestra and a mixed chorus of some 120 voices is one of the UK’s leading amateurs orchestras. The Orchestral Conductor is Matthew Andrews.
Elgar’s wonderful oratorio The Kingdom is being performed at The Halls, Norwich, on Saturday November 4 with soloists Elizabeth Watts, Louise Winter, Gwilym Bowen and Jonathan Brown.
Tickets are priced £19, £18, £13 (£8 for students/under 26’s) available online where you can also get season tickets, four for the price of three, at www.norwichphil.org.uk
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