Duet for two Teesside organisations promises to raise roof

Teesside University hopes to be raising the roof with song thanks to a unique new partnership with Cleveland Philharmonic Choir.

In a rare harmony between a University and choir, the two organisations have joined voices to provide new opportunities for students, staff, the choir and public.

The first of these is a special preview rehearsal of a performance to take place at Sage, Gateshead, in November. Ahead of this, students, staff and the public are invited to attend the rehearsal free of charge.

Starting at 7.30pm at Teesside University’s Brittan Hall on 14 October, it is a chance to enjoy two dramatic pieces – William Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.

Both pieces will be led by renowned conductor John Forsythe MBE, one of the foremost choral conductors in the North East who received his MBE for his services to music on Teesside.

The actual concert at The Sage on November 1 promises to be a choral blockbuster starring the internationally famous baritone Sir Thomas Allen CBE as one of the soloists alongside Ruth Jenkins-Róbertsson (soprano), Mark Wilde (tenor) and Philip Smith (baritone) – and sponsored by Teesside University.

John Forsyth said: 'This is a partnership for which we can’t find any precedent so it is a pioneering musical initiative. We hope it will bring a lot of opportunities and bring together students and staff who enjoy singing and will sing with the choir as well as more chances to enjoy choral concerts.

'The free rehearsal will be very entertaining a great opportunity for a new audience to explore this kind of event and see if they enjoy it. On our journey we may well uncover some new singing stars too.'

Michael Lavery, Teesside University’s Assistant Chief Executive, responsible for culture, added: 'Researchers in Sweden have found that choristers’ heartbeats synchronise when they sing which has a calming effect as beneficial to health as yoga, so joining in is more than just fun which is why this is such a new and interesting partnership for us to get involved in.

'The possibilities for collaboration, working together and offering something new and different to our staff, students and the public who join us make this a really exciting and innovative partnership. I do a bit of singing myself too so I am looking forward joining in personally.'

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Find out more about Cleveland Philharmonic Choir