Oratorio

 

Every Easter The Yorke Trust presents an oratorio or a programme of sacred choral works, in St Mary’s Parish Church, South Creake, and sometimes also at Houghton Hall, one of the country’s most important 18th century mansions. The Houghton experience is unique in that the works performed are often contemporary with the Stone Hall there, thus adding a valuable historical perspective to the occasion.

 

Bach is usually featured on alternate years. As with the summer opera course, young classical musicians are provided with the opportunity to perform music in a beautiful setting under the guidance of experienced teachers. The idea is to provide intensive choral and orchestral training in repertoire that rarely forms part of the curriculum of the music conservatoires. The Trust gives accommodation, food and tuition free to course participants. Exceptionally, modest bursaries can be awarded to students who have difficulty in financing their travel.

 

Since the choral courses began in 1994 their musical direction has usually, as a matter of policy, been entrusted to promising student conductors, most working on full-length programmes with combined choral and orchestral forces for the first time. These have included Simon Carrington, formerly a founder-member of The Kings Singers, currently working in USA; Garry Walker, a former cellist, now Permanent Guest Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Conductor of the Paragon Ensemble; Gary Cooper, an international harpsichordist and period instrument specialist, currently directing period instrumental and opera groups; Darren Hargan, currently studying and conducting in Switzerland; and Robert Houssart, an international organ recitalist who subsequently completed a postgraduate attachment as repetiteur at the Royal Northern College of Music and who has since worked at La Monnaie in Belgium and at English National Opera in London.

 

Other conductors at Easter have included Ralph Allwood, Malcolm Layfield, Matthew Owens, Gregory Rose and Philip Simms. A complete list of works performed can be found on the Past Events page.

 

Most of the singers for the Easter choral courses are recruited from the Royal Northern College of Music, where the Course Director, Alexander Crowe, is Head of the School of Vocal and Opera Studies. Opportunities are also given to young voices from Norfolk and elsewhere. The instrumental ensemble,

 

The Creakes Baroque Sinfonia, is drawn from all over the world, and has in the past included instrumentalists from Australia, Austria, Holland, Germany, New Zealand, Russia and USA, together with many senior students studying in Britain.

Private sponsorship has always been needed for these events, which could not have continued without generous benefactors. A list of sponsors can be found elsewhere on this website.