Past Concerts

Here are the dates for the next year, details will follow ...

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Spires Music celebrates 20 years of music making in Coventry and beyond with a special anniversary concert

As Easter week approaches Spires Music presents an emotional and thought-provoking performance of Bach's St John Passion with its ever important message of compassion, hope and ultimate salvation

Come and discover the delights of Bach's St John Passion in our January 2025 Play & Sing Day

An afternoon of musical delights with Spires Philharmonic Chorus & Orchestra with music by Handel, Vaughan Williams, Saint-Saëns and Bach

Join Spires Philharmonic Orchestra in our third annual Orchestra Play Day as we explore the wonders of Beethoven's ninth Symphony in just one day, culminating in a free informal performance joined by soloists and members of Spires Philharmonic Chorus

A selection of choral music from Spires’ June tour to Dresden in celebration of 65 years of friendship between Coventry and Dresden.
Music includes Schubert, Handel, Mozart, Bruckner, Beach, Fauré and more.
It will be followed by tea and cake!
Tickets will be available shortly.

Come and hear Spires Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra & Chorus, joined by soloists: Natasha Agarwal (soprano), Gaynor Keeble (mezzo-soprano), Ed Harrisson (tenor), Peter Lidbetter (bass), performing some of operas best music. Highlights are given below.

On Saturday 20 January 2024, Spires Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra will be hosting a Play and Sing day exploring operas greatest choruses. Tickets are now available for singers and players.

Birds have long been a source of musical inspiration. Come and hear Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus on Saturday 25 November 2023. Scroll down for some of the repertoire details.

On Saturday 23 September 2023 Spires will hold an Orchestral Play Day of Tchaikovsky's much loved ballet Swan Lake. All orchestral players are invited to apply for a place. Full details below...

On Saturday 17 June, Spires Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus will be hosting a
Summer Play and Sing day, exploring Mozart’s beautiful Requiem.
Singers and Orchestral players are welcome.
Scroll down for further details and do come and join us.

A concert featuring the UK Premiere of the Mass in E flat (1891) by American composer Amy Beach and Symphony no 9 'From the New World' (1893) by Antonin Dvorak.
This concert is dedicated to the memory of Colin Touchin, Founder and Artistic Director of Spires Music. Scroll down for further details.

Choral concert with works by Bach, Beethoven, Boulanger, Delius, Elgar, Esenvalds, Haydn and Richter.

Come and play this stupendous work with the Spires Philharmonic Orchestra. Informal performance at the end of the day.

Come and hear Spires Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus, alongside a stellar cast of soloists, perform Haydn's greatest oratorio, The Creation in the stunning surroundings of Coventry's breathtaking Cathedral

Spires Orchestra & Chorus Conductor Jack Lovell-Huckle
Dvořák's 8th Symphony & Mozart's Great Mass in C Minor - TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE

World Premiere of Nitin Sawhney's commemorative work Ghosts in the Ruins

Come and join us as we explore Handel's joyous masterpiece, The Messiah in a day of fun and engaging workshops for both chorus and orchestra.

Tickets now available

Spires Chorus & Orchestra are back!

After two years since their last live concert, Spires Music are proud to present a programme of delightful choral and orchestral music.

Scroll down for link to buy tickets

Spires Orchestra & Chorus conducted by Colin Touchin perform
Dvořák's 8th Symphony & Mozart's Great Mass in C Minor

Conductor: Jack Lovell
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Repertoire: Mozart Great Mass in C minor K.427

Conductor: Jack Lovell
Spires Chorus & Orchestra
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Work(s):
Locatelli Christmas Concerto
Charpentier Messe de Minuit pour Noel
Plus a selection of Advent music and carols spanning centuries including works by Key, Attwood, Maconchy and Crotch

Conductors: Axel Langmann & Jack Lovell
Spires Chorus & Orchestra with the Dresden Neuer Chor
Leader: Alistair Kennedy

Conductor(s): Colin Touchin
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Work(s) Performed:
Dvorak Symphony No. 7
Smyth Mass in D
Including: Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, Jeni Bern (soprano), Gaynor Keeble (mezzo-soprano), Mark Wilde (tenor), Quentin Hayes (bass)

Spires Chorus & Orchestra

Conductor(s): Jack Lovell
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Work(s):
Fauré Requiem in D minor
Fauré: Cantique de Jean Racine
Hubert Parry: Songs of Farewell
Lucy Pankhurst: Pankhurst Anthem
Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus
Soloists: Alistair Donaghue (Baritone) Matthew Pearson (Treble)

Occasion: Commemoration of the Centenary of WW1
Conductor(s): Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn (St. Anthony);
Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Opus 45
Involving:
Lufthansa Orchester, Lufthansa Konzertchor and Spires Philharmonic Chorus

Occasion: Coventry and Frankfurt: An Enactment of Peace and Reconciliation in the Centenary of World War 1
Conductor(s): Colin Touchin
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Work(s) performed:
Dvorak Symphony No 6 in D major, Opus 60
Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Opus 45

Occasion: Advent Concert
Conductor(s): Jack Lovell
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Work(s) performed:
tbc
Involving:
Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

Occasion: Spring concert series
Conductor(s): Colin Touchin
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Work(s) performed:
Brahms Symphony No 4 in E minor
Schubert Mass No 5 in A flat
Involving:
Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

Occasion: Autumn concert series - Exploring Handel*
Conductor(s): Jack Lovell
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Work(s) performed:
Handel: Israel in Egypt (Excerpts)
Involving:
Spires Philharmonic Chorus with Spires Philharmonic Orchestra.
*Sponsored by the Coventry Umbrella Club

Occasion: Summer concert: How Sweet the Music
Conductor(s): Jack Lovell
Work(s):
Mozart: Serenade No 12 in C minor K 388
Shearing: Songs and Sonnets from Shakespeare
Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music
Beethoven: Overture Fidelio
Involving:
Spires Philharmonic Chorus and Spires Wind Octet

Occasion: Spring concert series
Conductor(s): Colin Touchin
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Work(s) performed:
Haydn: Mass in D Nelson Mass
Brahms: Symphony No 3 in F
Involving:
Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

Occasion: And the Dark Somme Flowing: A Centenary Reflection in Words and Music
Involving:
Spires Philharmonic Chorus, Soloists: Abigail Rhodes (Soprano) Leslie Blezard (Alto), Janis Raishbrook (Alto) Penny Turnbull (Alto), David Blezard (Bass)

Occasion: Sing Us Your Dreams: A meditation in music, images and local stories on aspects of World War 1 and its aftermath.
Conductor(s): Jack Lovell
Work(s) performed:
Sing Us Your Dreams (Avril Newey, author and Mike Torbe, composer)

Occasion: A meditation on the First World War in music and images: Sing Us Your Dreams
Conductor(s): Jack Lovell
Work(s) performed:
Sing Us Your Dreams (Avril Newey, author and Mike Torbe, composer)

Occasion: Summer concert - Haydn and Cakes
Conductor(s): Jack Lovell
Work(s) performed:
Haydn: String quartet in C, opus 33 No 3, 'The Bird'
Haydn: Part songs (selection)
Haydn: Missa Brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo, Little Organ Mass

Spring concert series
Conductor(s): Colin Touchin
Leader: Alistair Kennedy
Work(s):
Brahms: Symphony No 2 in D
Mozart: Requiem
Involving:
Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus
Soloists: Imogen Faris (Soprano), Charlotte Ireland (Mezzo-Soprano), Oliver Marshall (Tenor), Samuel Lom (Bass)

Occasion: Autumn concert series
Conductor(s): Roger Coull
Work(s) performed:
CPE Bach: Magnificat
Sullivan: Overture The Mikado
Vaughan Williams: Rhosymedre
Praetorius: Dances from Terpsichore
Elgar: Nimrod from Enigma Variations

Occasion: Spires Youth Orchestra Summer Concert
Conductor(s): Colin Touchin
Involving:
Spires Youth Orchestra, Leader Julian Zhou.
Soloists: Elinor Davies (Clarinet), Julian Zhou and Bella Bourne (Violins)

Occasion: Music from Saxony - Joint concert with Technische Universität Dresden
Conductor(s): Daniel Spogis and Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Wagner: Siefried Idyll
Schumann: Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra
Brahms: Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny)
Mendelssohn: Symphony No 3 Scottish

Occasion: Shakespeare Concert
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music
Nicolai: Overture “Merry Wives of Windsor”
Tchaikowsky: Fantasy Overture “Romeo and Juliet”
Mozart: Missa Solemnis in C minor, K.139

Occasion: SYO Spring Concert Series
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Mozart: Overture to the opera “Don Giovanni”, K.527
Cimador: Double Bass Concerto in G major
Vivaldi: Concerto for 2 Cellos in G minor, RV.351
Walton: March “Crown Imperial”
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.2 in C minor, Op.17

Occasion: SPO/King Henry VIII concert series
Conductors: Colin Touchin (& Alastair Kennedy?)
Work(s) performed:
Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony Op 110a (extracts)
Toshiro Mayuzumi: Percussion Concerto
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5 in E minor

Occasion: SPO/SYO Concert Series
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus, Spires Youth Orchestra and Narrator*: Selwyn Calvin

Occasion: Allesley Festival 2013: Songs for Summer
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Chorus and String Quartet and Soloist*: Clarissa Knee (soprano)

Occasion: Spring Concert Series
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Brahms: Symphony No 1 in C minor, Op.68
Haydn: Mass in Time of War (Paukenmesse)
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus

Conductor(s): Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Vivaldi: Concerto in C major
Hardiman: The Lord of the Dance
Faure: Elegie, Op.24
Sullivan: Symphony in E major
Involving: Spires Youth Orchestra and Soloists: Michael Dworkin & Peter ? (trumpets), Callum Ellis (cello)

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Venue: Royal Leamington Spa Town Hall
Occasion: Spires Youth Orchestra New Year Concert
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Mussorgsky: Night on a Bare Mountain
Beethoven: Romance in F major, for Violin and Orchesra
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.5 in E minor

Occasion: Elegant Elgar
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Elgar: The Empire March
Handel: Zadok the Priest
Purcell: Rondeau, from “Abdelazar”
Elgar: The Music Makers
Involving: Spires Youth Orchestra, Spires Philharmonic Chorus and Soloist: Claire McKay (mezzo-soprano)

Occasion: Remembrance Day Concert for Coventry Peace Month
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s):
Mozart: Adagio for two Clarinets and Three Basset Horns
Barber: Adagio for Strings
Ferrenc: Nonet in Eb major
Schubert: Symphony No.6 in C major, D.589
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Orchestra

Spires Youth Orchestra invitation appearance at Baginton Proms in the Park

Venue: Leamington Spa Centre
Occasion: Spires Youth Orchestra Concert Series with Synergy
Conductor(s): Colin Touchin and John James
Work(s) performed:
Gershwin: An American in Paris
Jenkins: Palladio
Wilkinson: Beatlecracker Suite
Borodin: Polovtsian Dances

Occasion: Coventry Mysteries Festival Week 2012: Choose the Light Concert
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Touchin: Choose the Light (World Premiere)
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, and Choirs from Earlsdon, Frederick Bird and Wyken Croft Schools

Occasion: Spring Concert Series
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante in Eb major, K.297b, for oboe, clarinet, bassoon & horn
Touchin: Coventry Suite (World Premiere)
Beethoven: Symphony No.9 in D minor, “Choral”

Occasion: Spires Youth Orchestra Concert Series
Conductor(s): Colin Touchin, Adam Sangster, Kelvin Ngai, and John James
Involving: Spires Youth Orchestra, Leaders Isobel Williams and Lucinda Bourne and Soloist: Ethan Gardner (cello), and La Salle School Band, Hong Kong

Spires Youth Orchestra Concert Series
Conductor: Gerard Hyland
Work(s):
Albinoni/Giazotto: Adagio for organ and strings
Masciangelo (1823-1906): Miserere mei Deus (Ps.50) (first UK performance with orchestra)
Maunder: Olivet to Calvary
Involving: Spires Youth Orchestra and Musica Sacra

Occasion: Concert Series with KHVIII School
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Beethoven: Overture “Coriolan”
Schubert: Symphony No.7 in B minor, “Unfinished”
Involving: Members of Spires Philharmonic Orchestra supporting the School Orchestra

Occasion: Spires Youth Orchestra Debut Concert
Conductors: Colin Touchin and John James
Involving: Spires Youth Orchestra, Leaders Isobel Williams and Lucinda Bourne

Occasion: Austrian Autumn
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Beethoven: Septet, Op.20
Mozart: Te Deum in C major, K.141
Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus, K.618
Mozart: Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, K.273
Schubert: Mass No.2 in G major, D.167
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Chorus and Chamber Orchestra

Occasion: Spring Concert Series
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Touchin: St.George of Coventry (World Premiere)
Beethoven: Symphony No.8 in F major
Beethoven: Mass in C major
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

Occasion: Concert Series
Conductor(s): Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Bernard: Divertissement, Op.36
Mozart: Serenade in C minor, K.388
Bruckner: Mass No.2 in E minor
Involving: Chamber Instrumentalists from Spires Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus

Occasion: Spring Concert Series
Conductor: ? Neil Aston
Work(s) performed:
Beethoven (arr. Wendt): Symphony No.7 in A major
Cherubini: Requiem in C minor
Involving: Chamber Instrumentalists from Spires Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus and Soloists

Occasion: Concert Series
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Chorus and Soloists: Colin Druce (organ), Colin Touchin (recorder)

Occasion: Concert Series
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus and Soloists: Lucy Elliott (flute)

Occasion: Belgrade Concert Series: “Serenades for the City”
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Brahms: Serenade No 2 in A major
Mozart: Serenade in Bb major, “Gran Partitta”, K.361
Involving: Chamber Instrumentalists from Spires Philharmonic Orchestra

Occasion: Belgrade Concert Series: “Serenades for the City”
Work(s) performed:
Gounod: Petite Symphonie
Rossini: Quartet No.5
Dvorak: Serenade in D minor, Op.44
Involving: Chamber Instrumentalists from Spires Philharmonic Orchestra

Occasion: Spring Concert Series
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Beethoven: Symphony No.6 in F major, "Pastoral"
Haydn: Harmoniemesse
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus and Soloists

Occasion: Concert Series
Conductor: Colin Touchin
Work(s) performed:
Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.16
Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending, Serenade to Music, Linden Lea & Toward the Unknown Region
Involving: Spires Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus and Soloists: Alastair Kennedy