2006 news archive

	The Choir
	On Sunday, 5 November 2006, on the BBC Radio 3 programme, The Choir, Aled Jones heard from composer Cecilia McDowall about her new commission, a celebration of organic farming, for the Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir. Under a new sponsorship deal with a local organic foods company they have embarked on several new projects, including a major new commission, soon to be premièred at Sherbourne Abbey on 18 November. The Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir, in partnership with the Soil Association, sent Cecilia and poet Christie Dickason on a tour of five working organic farms, ranging from Dorset to the Isle of Mull. They were charged with creating a work that was a "celebration of the organic landscape". The Choir visited rehearsals in Blandford Forum to see how work was progressing ahead of its première, and Aled talked to Cecilia and Christie in the studio about how their experiences on the farms informed their new cantata, Five Seasons.
	Five Seasons - world premiere
	A unique, adventurous collaboration between the Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir, award-winning composer Cecilia McDowall, poet and novelist Christie Dickason, and five organic farms from across Britain. The brief - to celebrate the organic landscape in the modern world. The result - a fresh take on the pastoral tradition, of vigour, drama and haunting beauty. The world première of Five Seasons, a commission from Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir took place at Sherborne Abbey on Saturday, 18 November 2006 at 7.30pm. Five Seasons, by Cecilia McDowall, with text by Christie Dickason, is a cantata for mixed chorus and chamber ensemble. Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir were joined by players from Kokoro, contemporary music ensemble of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Also in the programme: Servant - Graham Fitkin Choral works by Elgar, Stanford and Vaughan Williams Folk song arrangements Read more about 'Five Seasons' Read an extract from Woodlands Farm Newsletter