About Coquetdale Chamber Choir
CCC, as we're often known, grew out of a larger community Churches Together Choir in Rothbury when a smaller group of singers sang one or two more challenging pieces alongside the wider community pieces at Christmas and Easter. CCC first came together as a ’formal’ grouping in 2009. 2019 was our 10th anniversary.
We are a choir dedicated to a high standard of performance of rather good music, both early and more recent.
Our music director is John Casken has composed pieces especially for the choir. John's programmes have a strong emphasis on 20th and 21st Century music, and are usually arranged around a particular theme. He has written a number of works especially for the choir. The repertoire includes arrangements of traditional folk songs and popular music.
We were (and are) all on a voyage of discovery, of pieces new to us, of singing in a relatively small group, of learning new techniques to produce a better sound, of being more watchful and disciplined. And, for the conductor learning how to communicate his wishes and intentions as clearly as possible without getting in the way of the music or of the singers.
We perform across North Northumberland from Elsdon to Wooler. In 2018 for the first time we sang in collaboration with others, gave the first performance of a new work by local composer Fiona Lander in April and sang with Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers in November. In 2019 we added Paxton Festival of Music to our list and look forward to more opportunities for collaborations in future.
Photo by Sarah Jamieson
Music Director John Casken is better known for his work as a composer - www.johncasken.com
As a student he sang in Birmingham University Motet Choir under John Joubert who became one of his Composition teachers. Much later, he found himself conducting Manchester University Chorus and Orchestra (Brahms’ Requiem in the first concert!). He was Professor of Music at The University of Manchester from 1992-2008 ans is now Professor Emeritus.
Having been a Lecturer at Durham University from 1981-1992, he returned
to live in Northumberland in 2005 and his involvement with the local community soon led to the formation of Coquetdale Chamber Choir. He is also Artistic Director of Alwinton Summer Concerts and Organist of St Mary's Church, Wooler.
John Casken: 'The opportunities for me are many, from designing interesting, might I say unique, programmes bringing unknown recent music to the attention of both singers and audiences, and of finding an interesting context for this kind of music alongside music written much earlier. Very important has been the opportunity to compose several pieces especially for the choir and to have the chance to train the choir and shape the music over a number of months.'
'I do like the idea of collaborating with other choirs. Depending on choir numbers and strengths, we might be able to offer ourselves to other festivals and it would be very good to contemplate a foreign tour, though the practicalities of organisation I find a bit daunting. Even so, it’s within my sightlines.'