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Macclesfield Singers
Welcome to Macclesfield Singers (formerly known as KEMS Choir). We are a friendly bunch of people who enjoy singing together.
We extend a
warm welcome for singers of any age (male or female) to join us. Macclesfield
Symphony Orchestra plays for most of our choral concerts and sometimes we're
joined by some of the Macclesfield Concert Band members - we all enjoy making
great music together.
New singers welcome
Singing in a choir is very rewarding and is great fun too. Macclesfield Singers
are always happy for new singers to join us, without audition. If you fancy
joining us please email Marianne Day or telephone her on 075408 48097.
Macclesfield Singers Music Director Mark McCombs looks back on the 2024-25
season
Summary of major works performed:
•Brahms, Ein Deutsches Requiem
•Brahms, Schicksalsied
•Britten, Rejoice in the Lamb
•Bach, O Jesu Christ, mein's Lebens Licht
•Bach, Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude
•Lauridsen, Lux Aeterna
•Rutter, Feel the Spirit
The 2024-25 season has been hugely exciting for The Macclesfield Singers, and as
KEMS Choral Director I feel the choir have improved enormously. The singers had previously established
a precedent of performing with a great deal of passion, and in 2024-25 I feel that we’ve added precision
to our performances.
The autumn semester was slightly experimental for The Macclesfield Singers, in that we
performed without the mighty Macclesfield Symphony as our accompaniment. Instead, the performance of Brahms’
Ein Deutsches Requiem was supported by the expert hands of James Heathcote and Robin Wallington, in the version
for four hands at the piano. This was a very rewarding experiment, as it allowed us to nuance many aspects of
our work - intonation, diction, and subtlety of expression, were all things we developed for this more intimate
performance.
Often piano reductions of orchestral works are found lacking but this, the composer’s own
version, offers clarity and intimacy while still retaining the beauty and enormity of the original. All of these
aspects were amplified at the masterful hands of James and Robin. The Brahms’ is a favourite of both the choir
and I, and frankly of most people involved in choral music. It gets a regular run out by choral societies across
the land, but I must say, I doubt many of them were as emotionally moving at this particular rendition by The
Macclesfield Singers.
Whilst it was wonderful to perform the Brahms in such an intimate setting, the choir were
very glad to be back with the Macclesfield Symphony for KEMS’ Christmas Extravaganza - which was customarily joyous.
The choir and orchestra performed a varied collection of works, including another bombastic arrangement by one of my
favourite festive creators in Mack Wilberg’s The Virgin Mary. Add to that a couple of brilliant carols by Mr Christmas
himself, Sir John Rutter, and we had quite the Christmas party!
Our March programme knitted together works by Britten, Lauridsen, and Bach, roughly on the theme
of light. Rejoice in the Lamb is a well known English choral anthem, somewhat notorious because of its slightly
nonsensical text. As well as the lyrics, the choir had a great time making sense of the additive time signatures and
sudden tempo changes. It’s exuberant, very rhythmic, and a lot of fun. We called upon four members of the choir to
perform the solo movements and they all did brilliantly - so I owe huge congratulations as well as thanks to Catherine,
Mary, Ian, and David. We performed the imaginative orchestration by Imogen Holst which adds incredible colour to
Rejoice in the Lamb, and that gave us the chance to hear some truly exceptional solo playing by some members of the
MSO alongside those of the singers. Thank you Tim, Jacqui, Katie, Carolyn, and John.
The Laurisden, on the other hand, presented other challenges. Rather than rhythmic complexity we
had to work incredibly hard at intonation, tuning ourselves into the soundworld of a composer who’s chief compositional
tool is harmony. Intonation has actually been a major focus of the choirs’ for around 18 months now, and I hope the
singers felt that they reaped the rewards of all their hard work. Music such as this can be difficult to perform cohesively,
with all of its tempo changes and pauses, but the MSO proved to be more than up to this particular task and accompanied
the choir exquisitely.
The Singers’ season finished in buoyant fashion with an enormous collection of African-American spirituals,
as well as John Rutter’s Feel the Spirit. The concert had only a very short rehearsal period, and required that we rehearse
at an unrelenting pace. The spirituals required the singers to express a profound range of emotions, from grief to ecstacy,
and they did so marvellously. Some it was truly stunning and poignant, and some rapturously joyful, and the way the singers
communicated all of these things to the audience left me feeling incredibly proud. We welcomed one of our regular professional
friends, Louise Wood, to sing the Mezzo solo role in the Rutter. Louise added class to our exuberance, though couldn’t restrain
herself from the odd frolic. Once again we were accompanied brilliantly by James, who was the epitome of stylish fun at the keys.
As ever, I am personally indebted to a number of people for making the season such a success. First and foremost
to James Heathcote, the singers’ amazing accompanist, who always knows exactly what the choir needs in rehearsal and provides it with
fantastic humour. He is so much more than a pianist to us, and has had a huge hand in the progress the choir have achieved this year.
I am grateful to the choirs’ committee for their hard work, to Anne and Annette, and especially to Barbara who has once again had an
enormous job sourcing scores. To Moira, for making sure we actually have an audience, and to Steve for producing and sharing rehearsal
materials. Finally, I am truly very appreciative of the support I feel from all of the society - it’s an absolute privilege to be able
to lead our performances, so thanks for indulging me all year.
Musical Director: Mark McCombs
Mark McCombs is a conductor, composer and vocal tutor based in Manchester,
UK. He was a chorister of the critically acclaimed S.F.X Boys’ Choir, with whom he performed across Europe
and the US. Mark holds a PhD in Music Composition from The University of Sheffield.
He is founder and artistic director of The Seven Hills Singers, and director of The Oriel Singers, Liverpool.
Mark is an academic music teacher at Lymm High School, Cheshire,
and is also responsible for the school’s singing programme. Mark was head of choral music at Cheadle Hulme School,
one of the UK’s leading independent schools, from 2014-2021. He was responsible for the senior
school’s six choirs and provided the school’s pupils with individual tuition.
Until July 2021 Mark was also a vocal tutor to the choristers at Liverpool Anglican Cathedral,
and at the Sheena Simon School of The Manchester College.
Mark’s compositions have been performed internationally by The Sonnen Quartet,
The Ebor Singers, UOS Chamber Choir, Escafeld Chorale, The Choirs of Cheadle Hulme School,
and soprano Debra Finch. In 2012 Mark was shortlisted for the NCEM Composer Award.
From 2011-2017 Mark directed the choirs at the University of Sheffield.
The University’s elite Chamber Choir gained international standing during Mark’s tenure and were
invited to perform at the Messe pour la libération de Paris in Notre Dame Cathedral, in 2016.
The service was broadcast on Radio France and KTO TV. Mark taught harmony, counterpoint and musicianship,
and coordinated all choral conducting tuition at the University, where he also held the Sir Henry Coward Organ Scholarship from 2013-2016.
Mark was Director of Music and Organist at St Mark’s Church, Sheffield,
from 2013-2018 and has held organ scholarships with Sheffield Cathedral and St Matthew’s, Sheffield.
He holds a diploma from the Royal College of Organists and studied with Dr Simon Lindley.
Mark acknowledges the Charles Alan Bryars Organ Legacy and is a member
of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, the Royal College of Organists,
and the Association of British Choral Directors.
Accompanist (from September 2023): James Heathcote
James Heathcote is a versatile musician based in
Manchester. He works with a number of choirs in the region as both an accompanist and a Musical Director. As well as
the Macclesfield Singers, he has accompanied Stafford Choral Society, Streetwise Opera, and the Philharmonic Choir,
Manchester, and was Music Director of Warrington Musical Society in the year until July 2023. The focus of his piano
playing is choral accompaniment, but he has recorded some solo piano music for 'Flip the Stem', an initiative aimed at
addressing the imbalance of gender and ethnicity represented in concert programmes. He is also director of music at
the Manchester Oratory.
James is also a high-level cellist, and he has played with many of the country's finest orchestras,
including English Touring Opera, The Hallé, and the Orchestra of Opera North. A student of historical performance,
he's interested in finding new means of expression using old recordings and sources.
Macclesfield Singers Rehearsals