Music Association

On Sunday 19 July 2009, Peterborough Cathedral launched its new Music Association. It aims to bring more professional music-making to Peterborough whilst at the same time developing local talent by making music more widely accessible.

Members of the association benefit from the following:

• More professional orchestras, chamber groups and solo musicians coming to Peterborough to perform in public concerts
• Encouragement to take part in music making, particularly through singing
• The Cathedral’s musical resources being accessible to more people in the local community
• The opportunity to engage with or listen to music, through talks, workshops, training and children’s events
• A diverse social calendar of music and cultural activities
• Discounted entry to a number of Cathedral music events

It is our hope that the increased provision of professional concerts in the City will give more people an interest in music and a vision for what they want to do with it, whether as listeners or performers. We are particularly looking to draw in people who are interested in singing or in listening to music but who do not currently follow that interest, perhaps because they have not felt able to get involved or don’t know how to do so.

The Music Association is a subscription-based organisation. Annual membership costs £12 for individuals, £20 for couples and £24 for families, and incorporates certain benefits including ticket reductions to several concerts in each season, priority booking, an electronic newsletter, and invitations to attend some social and other events. The revenue gained from membership will enable the Association to put on high quality events with a financial buffer. A programme for the current season is available at the Music Association website at: www.pcmusicassociation.org

As part of the Cathedral’s Music Association, a Festival Chorus was launched, with its first members singing with the Cathedral Choir in Haydn’s Creation in July 2009 together with the Birmingham-based professional Orchestra da Camera, and professional soloists.  Since then the Cathedral Choir and Festival Chorus have performed three or four concerts a year in the Cathedral.  Most latterly, they performed Handel's Messiah in November 2011 and a range of Christmas music including the Vivaldi's "Gloria" and the Pergolesi Magnificat in the 2011 Christmas concert, accompanied by the award winning ensemble "Charivari Agréable".

Further information on joining the Music Association can be found on the Association website www.pcmusicassociation.org