The internationally acclaimed tenor Mark Padmore has been announced as a new President of Bristol Choral Society and will sing Bach's Christmas Oratorio with the choir later this month.
He becomes a joint President alongside the Lord Mayor of Bristol and the first appointment since the passing of the choir's much-missed late President Sir Charles Mackerras.
Mark has established an enviable worldwide reputation, particularly in the field of Baroque music and that of Bach especially, leading the Sunday Telegraph to call him 'just about the finest Bach tenor in the business'. He says of his appointment 'I was delighted to accept Bristol Choral Society's invitation to become a President of the choir – I have sung with the choir before (Bach's Mass in B minor in 2008) and was impressed by the quality of the singing and, of course, the musical direction of their conductor Adrian Partington, with whom I have worked on many occasions. I am very much looking forward to performing with the choir again – this time in Bach's Christmas Oratorio on 17 December this year'.
Conductor Adrian Partington says of Mark 'we are thrilled that Mark is now a President of the choir. We always aim to have one musical President who is not only an exceedingly accomplished and renowned musician, but who also has musical links with the choir. This was true of our two most recent late Presidents, Richard Hickox and Sir Charles Mackerras, both of whom the choir had the privilege to perform with on several occasions. It is therefore most fitting that Mark will be singing with us again so soon after his appointment – this time singing the role of the Evangelist in Bach's Christmas Oratorio. He simply is the best there is when it comes to Bach especially – there is a reason why The Independent called him “the international Evangelist of choice”. Our performance later this month should be very special, as Mark sings alongside some other outstanding soloists (soprano Helen-Jane Howells, countertenor Sebastian Field & bass Ashley Riches) in this sublime re-telling of the Christmas story.'
The choir's performance of Bach's Christmas Oratorio with Mark Padmore under conductor Adrian Partington will take place at the Colston Hall on Saturday 17 December at 7pm. Tickets for that concert are available from the Colston Hall (tel: 0117 922 3686), and more about the concert and the choir can be found at www.bristolchoral.co.uk
Image of Mark Padmore © Marco Borggreve
Image of Adrian Partington © Jeremy Kavanagh
