Previous Concerts

"Love, Death and Fa la la" - Madrigals from Tudor Times.

A Project by Michel Uhlmann with Anthony Rooley, The English Seminar Choir and Ziv Braha

• 7pm Sunday 9th September - Arlesheim
• Sunday 16th September - Temple St Jean, Rue de la Synagogue, Mulhouse
• 8pm Friday 16th November - Kartäuserkirche, Basel
• 8pm Friday 23rd November - Pratteln

The English Seminar Choir in association with Anthony Rooley, renowned expert on Renaissance music, will present a selection of acapella English madrigals from the Tudor period on the philosophy of life and death and the romanticism of love with lute accompaniment by Ziv Braha. 

Sample madrigal from a previous concert:  pdf  O let me live for true love by Thomas Tomkins

ESC Winter 2010 Concerts

Saturday 4th December, 19:30, Elisabethenkirche
"Christmas Carols, Noëls, Villancicos, Weihnachtslieder"
Eine Reise durch die europäische Advents- und Weihnachtslandschaft, mit typischen Liedern in exquisiten Sätzen aus England, Spanien, Frankreich, Deutschland, sowie Motetten und Hymnen von Britten, Kodaly usw.   
A journey through the musical landscape of Advent and Christmas in Europe, with typical songs in exquisite arrangements from England, Spain, France, Germany as well as motets and hymns from Britten, Kodaly and so on.

Musical Director:  Michel Uhlmann.  Harpsichord:  Olivier Wyrwas.

Tickets on the night/ Bider & Tanner mit Musik Wyler, 061 206 99 96.
 

Tuesday 7th December, 20:00, Nadelberg 6, Basel
"Christmas Carols"
An opportunity to sing and celebrate with the English Seminar Choir.
With drinks & savoury snacks.
Collection.

Sample songs: Early One Morning, My Soul, O Happy Eyes (further samples here)

Brahms' Zigeunerlieder:

• 1. He Zigeuner.mp3
• 2. Hochgetürmte Rimaflut.mp3
• 3. Wisst ihr wann mein Kindchen.mp3
• 4. Lieber_Gott_du_weißt.mp3
• 5. Brauner_Bursche.mp3
• 6. Röslein_dreie.mp3
• 7. Kommt_dir_manchmal.mp3
• 8. Horch_der_Wind_klagt.mp3
• 9. Weit_und_breit.mp3
• 10. Mond_verhüllt.mp3
• 11. Rote_Abendwolken.mp3

Elgar's The Bavarian Highlands:

• 1. Gypsy Dance.mp3
• 2. False Love.mp3
• 3. Lullaby.mp3
• 4. Aspiration.mp3
• 5. On The Alm.mp3
• 6. The Marksman.mp3

Full list of songs in File Downloads area

A Project by Michel Uhlmann with Morgane Klein and The English Seminar Choir

• Friday, December 2, 2011, 8 pm - Offene Kirche Elisabethen, Basel
• Saturday, December 3, 2011, 7 pm - Temple St Jean, Rue de la Synagogue, Mulhouse.

The programme revolved around bells, with live compositions and performances by percussionist Morgane Klein in collaboration with the choir. Included were pieces about and with bells by Betsy Jolas and Maurizio Kagel as well as meditative moments with singing bowls and other cultic metal instruments. The composer Michael Winikoff, from New Zealand, especially re-arranged his piece „Anthem for Doomed Youth“ for bells and choir for this project. At the centre of the spectacle, new creations of sound were explored, with improvisation by the choir and the percussionist as well as elements of the English bell ringing tradition, which reaches far back in time. The programme was rounded off with pieces by Rachmaninov and Anne Boleyn as well as humoristic and satiric pieces like “Das Gläut zu Speyer” by Ludwig Senfl. Throughout the concert, bells wereunderstood as causing chaos and creating order, and measuring time, mourning and joy.

English Seminar Choir joined by the Lupo Consort for 20th Jubilee concert

Basel, Tuesday 1^st December, 2009.   The English Seminar Choir (ESC), the four-part choir affiliated to the University of Basel, celebrates its 20^th Jubilee anniversary on 8th December with an exciting concert, “Happy Birthday Henry!”, a homage to Henry Purcell and other birthday fellows.   The choir will perform works from Purcell and other composers also sharing special birthday or related anniversaries in 2009, among them Handel, Haydn, Albrechtsberger, Mendelssohn and Berger.   The concert will be on 8^th December 2009, at the Peterskirche, Petersgasse 54, Basel, at 2015 hrs.   

The choir will be joined by a special guest, the Lupo Consort: Christophe Coin, Guido Balestracci, Martin Zeller, for this special, multiple celebration.   The evening’s program will be under the creative leadership of ESC Musical Director Michel Uhlmann, with organist Aline Koenig.

Michel Uhlmann studied organ and musicology in his native Strasbourg and continued his studies at the Basel Musik Akademie, where he has now been active as choir director and voice teacher for more than 25 years.  He also leads the Research and Program division of the Ensemble Baroque of Limoges.  The musical attributes he favours include language, rhetoric and poetry. 

Aline Koenig studied piano at the Muisk-Akademie in Basel and took further studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, majoring in organ with Jean-Claude Zehnder.  She was awarded her diploma with distinction in 2005.  She works as an accompanist and organ soloist both in Switzerland and internationally.  For several years she has been the organist in Pratteln and founded and developed the concert culture at the church there.

Christophe Coin studied cello first at the Paris Conservatory, and completed his studies in early music in Vienna , and viola da gamba at the Schola Cantorum in Basel.   His recordings are widely recognized and critically acclaimed.   Besides activities as a chamber musician, Christophe Coin is regularly invited as a soloist and conductor in France and internationally.  He also teaches at both the Paris Conservatory and the Schola Cantorum in Basel.

Commenting on the concert Michel Uhlmann said:  “Our repertoire for the concert, the first for me to take fully from concept to completion with the choir, is a delightful selection and we are excited and honored to be joined by the Lupo Consort.  It will provide a wonderful counterpoint to the voices, and combine to deliver a joyous celebration”.

Patricia Turner, President of the Choir added: “Purcell has a special place in our hearts as a significant influence on English classical music.  The lyricism and sophistication of his work was way before its time and has been in the meantime recognized widely, through influence and emulation, across the entire European canon.   We are proud of Purcell!   And glad to be singing his works at this special Jubilee event.”