Past Events

Verdi's Requiem: Summer ResidentialJuly 2024

Gabrieli Roar welcomed 194 young singers from a range of backgrounds across the UK to a 5-day immersive residential course at Gresham’s School, focussing on Verdi’s masterpiece, Requiem. 

Gabrieli chorus directors and vocal coaches worked alongside partner choirs and singers to bring together this epic masterpiece. Throughout the week our young singers attended in-depth rehearsals led by Artistic Directors Paul McCreesh, Charles MacDougall, and Emily Dickens, supported by a team of 8 vocal coaches.

As well as learning Verdi’s Requiem, our choirs were supported to explore musicianship, personal vocal development, and engagement with the score through workshops and masterclasses. The course also involved learning a few a cappella pieces in various musical styles, to introduce our young singers to a wider range of choral music.

We offered the following musicianship masterclasses, led by our vocal coaches:

  • De-mystifying the score — with Ben Vonberg-Clark
  • Singing with your ears: musicianship — with Hannah King
  • Steps, jumps and leaps: getting started with sight-reading — with Rebekah Jones
  • Aural perspective: what do intervals sound like? 

And this year we introduced two new workshops to our schedule:

  • Composition workshop — with Oli Tarney
  • Circle Songs — with Hannah King and Will Dawes

AND we introduced our very own Roar Chamber Choir, directed by esteemed Roar Chorus Directors Emily Dickens & Charles MacDougall, open to all students during the course aged 17 + years.

Verdi’s Requiem: Ely

The residential culminated in a sell-out performance of Verdi’s Requiem at Ely Cathedral, which received a standing ovation!

194 young singers from across the country took the stage alongside world-class period instrumentalists and outstanding soloists, led by Gabrieli’s Artistic Director, Paul McCreesh.

To read more about the performance: Gabrieli Consort & Players Past Events

 

“Everyone was so welcoming and kind! I came on my own and was very worried about making friends yet was immediately welcomed warmly by both staff and young singers! I loved the fact that it ended up feeling like a family and that even though I came on my own, I was made to feel like I belonged.”

— Roar Participant 2024