Introducing Coro Nuovo
Important Update: Next Concerts & Events
Coro Nuovo has cancelled all concerts and rehearsals until September 2020 at the earliest.
The coronavirus crisis means that every indivdual and organisation has a role to play in reducing new infections. Social gatherings like concerts risk increasing new infections and our first priority is the health and well being of our choir members and audiences.
However, Coro Nuovo will be back – even better and stronger – once it is safe again to rehearse and perform concerts. Watch this space.
Relaunch of the Sussex Young Musician of the Year Competition
We are delighted to announce the 2020 Sussex Young Musician of the Year Competition will relaunch on the 9th June – in a virtual format. For further details please see https://coronuovo.org.uk/2020-competition/
Virtual Coro!
Since the coronavirus national lockdown started, Music Director Andy Rees (see if you can spot him in the photo below) has been rehearsing once a week with us via Zoom video meetings. It’s a welcome distraction from the routine of being isolated as well as keeping us all in touch with each other by music.
We are getting better at understanding Zoom and it’s limitations and every week we improve. We have tackled the Stabat Mater by Zoltan Kodaly, Bach Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring and finally Rossini Villagers’ Chorus from Guillaume Tell. We look forward to learning other pieces for as long as the homestay continues.
Passionate about Music!
Coro Nuovo is an exciting new choir made up of the very best singers from Mid Sussex and surrounding area many of whom are professional musicians. The choir aims to explore a wide repertoire of music from Renaissance to Contemporary and is designed to be challenging, to help singers learn and develop.
We aim to perform up to three concerts per year (Christmas, Spring and Summer) and we hold about 4 rehearsals for each concert. Our Music Director is Andrew Rees international tenor, who provides us with a focus on delivering quality and subtlety across a broad range of music. A feature which makes us different is “singing in the round” at the start of every concert which enables us to connect us with our audience as well as providing a touch of theatre. Previous Summer concerts have been Opera Night, Best of British, Night at the Movies, Shakespeare 400, Music and Monarchy, American Summertime. In addition we have performed Mozart Requiem, Faure Requiem and are looking forward to 2020 when we shall be singing Beethoven’s 9th Choral Symphony with Mid Sussex Sinfonia.
Our outreach programme is to support young Sussex musicians choral or instrumental who are studying music and who are at the beginning of their professional career. We offer an annual bursary worth £1,000 to aid their learning and development and also offer a platform to perform with us at concerts. The finals of this competition take place at our Summer concert.
In 2018 Coro Nuovo started a Coro Nuovo Youth Choir for young people aged between 9 and 15.
Beethoven’s 9th Symphony
Coro Nuovo and Mid Sussex Symphonia performed Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth.
The sell-out concert was held at The King’s Church, Burgess Hill on the 22nd February 2020. The conductor was Peter Fender and the soloists were Jo Appleby, Mae Heydorn, Andrew Rees and Riccardo Simonetti.
The concert was Coro Nuovo’s largest event to date!
2019 Sussex Young Musician of the Year Bursary Competition – The Final!
Four remarkable young musicians competed for the prestigious title of Sussex Young Musician of the Year 2019 during Coro Nuovo’s summer concert on Saturday 6th July at 7pm.
From left to right George Robinson (Classical Guitar), Andrew Martin (Flute), Andrew Rees (Coro Nuovo Music Director), Leo Popplewell (Cello), Neil Peskett (Tradoak – main Sussex Young Musician competition sponsor), Catherine Kent (Coro Nuovo Chair), Maria Luc (Piano).
Leo won the £1000 prize, runner up George won £500, and Andrew and Maria won £250 each.
Adjudicator Toby Purser said: “All four of you have something incredible to give to the music world”.
Photos by Alison Willows
Videos (below) by Luke Sutton
Extracts from the performances of the four Sussex Young Musician Bursary Competition finalists:
Also extracts from two songs performed by Coro Nuovo.
Leo Popplewell (Cello) speaking about the Coro Nuovo Sussex Young Musician of the Year Bursary Competition
George Robinson (Classical Guitar) speaking about the Coro Nuovo Sussex Young Musician of the Year Bursary Competition.
Andrew Martin (Flute) speaking about the Coro Nuovo Sussex Young Musician of the Year Bursary Competition
Maria Luc (Piano) speaking about the Coro Nuovo Sussex Young Musician of the Year Bursary Competition
Concert Sponsors
Coro Nuovo is very grateful to all present and past sponsors.
Sussex Young Musician of the Year – Main Sponsor
Sussex based Traditional Oak & Timber Co are once again the major sponsor for the Coro Nuovo Young Musician competition and bursary. Traditional Oak & Timber Co was established by Coro Nuovo member Neil Peskett, to supply quality reclaimed and air-dried oak beams to the construction industry and directly to the consumer. Kate Kent, the Chair of Coro Nuovo said: “We are very grateful to Neil and Traditional Oak & Timber Co for their very generous financial sponsorship. This will provide valuable support to the Young Musician competition winner’s musical studies.”
If you would like to sponsor Coro Nuovo or the Young Musician of the Year please contact:
sponsorship@coronuovo.org.uk
Comments about Coro Nuovo from audience and choir members
Short videos’ showing comments from audience and choir members