Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus: Come and Sing Brahms' A German Requiem

The Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus are opening up Brahms' A German Requiem to anyone who wants to sing it on Saturday 17 October at Upper Chapel on Norfolk Street. It's part of their 'Come and Sing' series, which takes one of the great choral works and puts it within reach of anyone who fancies a day of singing. The whole thing is sung in German, and the Chorus rehearses throughout the day using Brahms' own four-hand piano accompaniment.

The day is split into sessions: a morning one from 10:30 to 13:00 and an afternoon one from 14:00 to 16:30. It's a full day's commitment, so you'll want to clear your schedule. The music is led by Music Director Darius Battiwalla, with soprano Ruby Lewin and baritone Teyfik Kamal on the solo parts, and Rachel Fright and Jonathan Gooing on the piano accompaniment.

If you're not familiar with them, the Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus is South Yorkshire's foremost large mixed-voice chorus. They regularly sing with orchestras like the Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic, the Northern Sinfonia and the Manchester Camerata, and have worked with conductors including Gianandrea Noseda, Nicholas Kraemer, David Hill, Ryan Wigglesworth and James Burton. They name the Hallé as their Orchestra in Residence and perform as part of the Sheffield International Concert Season at the City Hall, and they often collaborate with other large choirs like the Hallé Chorus, the Leeds Philharmonic Chorus and the Halifax Choral Society. Darius Battiwalla has conducted choral performances with the Hallé, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata, and has prepared the Chorus for the Proms and for BBC Philharmonic recordings with Chandos.

It's £25 for singing visitors, which includes your hire score. If you'd rather just listen, there's an informal performance at 18:00 that's free, though you'll need a ticket as numbers are limited. The whole day runs at Upper Chapel, Norfolk Street, S1 2JD.