About Cantata Collective

 

Sometimes we bring all our groups together for special events and when we do this, we sing under the name Cantata Collective. Over the past few years, we’ve been lucky enough to be involved in several large-scale events, many with our good friend and Honorary President, Matt Baker and Theatre in the Quarter.

 

THEATRE IN THE QUARTER

 

Across The World Chester

 

Our first event with Matt was singing in Chester’s Roman Amphitheater in March 2012 as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

We were part of a vast anthem, Across the World and around 100 Cantata choristers lined the wall above the amphitheater as part of a huge choir.

 

Olympic Torch Performance

 

This anthem was repeated at Tatton Park on the steps of the Mansion at the end of May when the Olympic Torch came through Knutsford under the new title of Moment to Shine.

Although the rain poured down, our singers smiled through it all and proved it really was their moment to shine!

 

 

Over By Christmas

 

In 2014 we joined forces with Matt again for the very moving short performance of Over by Christmas. This told the story of the brave men who left to fight in WW1.

As many left from train stations, the performances were held on numerous stations across the whole county.

Over 100 of our singers performed on many stations here in East Cheshire from Northwich through to Stockport and from Poynton to Macclesfield.

Some of us were also lucky enough to perform at Manchester Piccadilly and St Pancras down in London.

 

Silent Night

 

A smaller number of the Cantata Collective went on to perform in Theatre in the Quarter’s highly acclaimed production of Silent Night.

This moving play with music told the story of Christmas Eve in the trenches and we were lucky enough to be back at Tatton Park, although inside this time, as well as giving a couple of performances in our home of Poynton.

 

RECORDINGS

 

In March 2012, members of our daytime choirs recorded our Easter meditation, Son Rise, which was then broadcast in daily instalments throughout Holy Week on Two Lochs Radio in Gairloch with an omnibus edition on Easter Sunday. Our latest venture in this area takes place in May 2017 when we will be making our first film!

The project, Blue Skies, has been in the planning for over a year now and the film will be made by David Williamson and Ben Sharpe from Mill Productions, based in Whaley Bridge.

The film will tell the story of how music can impact on people’s lives in a positive way and will features stories from some of our members as well as a recording of our choir anthem, Family in Song. The filming and recording of this will feature 150 of our singers accompanied by our orchestra and will take place in the lovely setting of St George’s Church in Poynton.

The film will eventually be released through social media including our Facebook page so keep an eye for this later this year.

 

OTHER CONCERTS AND PERFORMANCES

 

Queen’s Jubilee

We brought our choirs together for a special concert to mark the Queen’s Jubilee. A long weekend of musical celebrations was planned in Poynton and we kick-started the whole weekend with a splendid evening of traditional music together with guests the Royal British Legion Band and the evening culminated in a grand Proms-style sing-along with choir, band and audience all joining forces and waving flags.

 

In The Stable

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the Cantata Collective performing in the stable down at Home Farm, Tatton Park. We’ve done this for several years now and it’s always great fun and a fantastic way to get Christmas off to a good start.

Despite some freezing conditions, our singers have always raised a smile with their enthusiastic renditions of many Christmas favourites and even the animals join in sometimes!

This year (2017) we’ll be there again on Saturday 16th December so bring the family and come and join the fun.