Founded in 1967 as Ulverston Bach Choir under Philip Bond when a ladies’ choir and a men’s
choir based in Ulverston decided to amalgamate. Philip was head of music at Barrow Boys’
Grammar School. Philip moved to Bedfordshire in the early to mid 80s (sorry don’t know exact date) and Gilbert Uren took over.
choir based in Ulverston decided to amalgamate. Philip was head of music at Barrow Boys’
Grammar School. Philip moved to Bedfordshire in the early to mid 80s (sorry don’t know exact date) and Gilbert Uren took over.
In 1984 Alan Bolt moved to the area, joined the choir, and took over as Musical Director in 1986.
He expanded the choir’s repertoire considerably, performing works by lesser-known composers
such as Cavalli, Michael Haydn and Leopold Mozart, as well as developing a policy of using young
professional soloists, mainly from the Glasgow Academy, including Mary Plazas and Karen Cargill.
In 1991 the choir celebrated its Silver Jubilee with a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” in
Ulverston Parish Church, and in 2002 it celebrated the Queen’s Golden Jubilee with a concert
entitled “Rule Britannia” in the Banqueting Chamber of Barrow Town Hall. In 2004 the choir
collaborated with English Touring Opera in a production of Jonathan Dove’s “Tobias and the Angel”. Alan retired in 2006 (with another performance of “Messiah”). Then in 2007 it was the turn of Tony Milledge, a professional musician who had previously lived in
London. Tony stretched the choir’s capabilities by performing more multi-part works and continued the practice of performing work by lesser-known composers such as Zelenka and Carissimi. He had his own Baroque orchestra, the “Holborne Players”, who were based in London but came up to play for the choir when required. Notable concerts under Tony Milledge included Rachmaninov’s Vespers (in Russian), a concert of multi-voice works called “The Surround of Music” and a performance of the 40-part “Spem in Alium” by Tallis and “Ecce beatam lucem” by Striggio.
In 2008 the choir changed its name to “Furness Bach Choir” to reflect the growing number of
singers from outside Ulverston and its immediate surroundings. Tony died very suddenly in 2017. His last concert was a performance of Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” in late 2016. After some searching the choir found Marco Bellasi, who was an opera specialist and this was reflected in much of his choice of repertoire. His first concert was Mozart’s “Thamos, King of Egypt”. Other memorable concerts included Rossini’s “Petite Messe Solennelle” with Anthony Hewitt and a concert entitled “Viva Verdi!” with choruses from La Traviata and other
Verdi operas.
He expanded the choir’s repertoire considerably, performing works by lesser-known composers
such as Cavalli, Michael Haydn and Leopold Mozart, as well as developing a policy of using young
professional soloists, mainly from the Glasgow Academy, including Mary Plazas and Karen Cargill.
In 1991 the choir celebrated its Silver Jubilee with a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” in
Ulverston Parish Church, and in 2002 it celebrated the Queen’s Golden Jubilee with a concert
entitled “Rule Britannia” in the Banqueting Chamber of Barrow Town Hall. In 2004 the choir
collaborated with English Touring Opera in a production of Jonathan Dove’s “Tobias and the Angel”. Alan retired in 2006 (with another performance of “Messiah”). Then in 2007 it was the turn of Tony Milledge, a professional musician who had previously lived in
London. Tony stretched the choir’s capabilities by performing more multi-part works and continued the practice of performing work by lesser-known composers such as Zelenka and Carissimi. He had his own Baroque orchestra, the “Holborne Players”, who were based in London but came up to play for the choir when required. Notable concerts under Tony Milledge included Rachmaninov’s Vespers (in Russian), a concert of multi-voice works called “The Surround of Music” and a performance of the 40-part “Spem in Alium” by Tallis and “Ecce beatam lucem” by Striggio.
In 2008 the choir changed its name to “Furness Bach Choir” to reflect the growing number of
singers from outside Ulverston and its immediate surroundings. Tony died very suddenly in 2017. His last concert was a performance of Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio” in late 2016. After some searching the choir found Marco Bellasi, who was an opera specialist and this was reflected in much of his choice of repertoire. His first concert was Mozart’s “Thamos, King of Egypt”. Other memorable concerts included Rossini’s “Petite Messe Solennelle” with Anthony Hewitt and a concert entitled “Viva Verdi!” with choruses from La Traviata and other
Verdi operas.
The choir was preparing for a performance of Brahms’s Requiem when Covid struck. Marco went
to Australia and the choir was left without a Musical Director. In December 2021 the choir put on a
performance of Handel’s Messiah with just organ, trumpet and timpani in Ulverston Parish Church. Restrictions were still in place and only 100 people (including the choir) were allowed to be in the church, widely spaced out. We could have sold the available tickets twice over! But then, in 2022, Alex Robinson became our Musical Director, with his expectations of professional standards from the choir. His first concert was a performance of Bach’s St John Passion at Millom with English Touring Opera. Perhaps a stand-out concert was a performance of his own arrangement of Josef Haydn’s “Seven Last Words from the Cross” which had its world premiere in 2024, which was very moving and deserved a bigger audience. Alex’s programming is incredibly varied, ranging from J S Bach’s B minor Mass via “Love, Lust and Loss” in 16th and 17th centuries to a a highly-entertaining performance of Purcell’s “Dido & Aeneas”.
to Australia and the choir was left without a Musical Director. In December 2021 the choir put on a
performance of Handel’s Messiah with just organ, trumpet and timpani in Ulverston Parish Church. Restrictions were still in place and only 100 people (including the choir) were allowed to be in the church, widely spaced out. We could have sold the available tickets twice over! But then, in 2022, Alex Robinson became our Musical Director, with his expectations of professional standards from the choir. His first concert was a performance of Bach’s St John Passion at Millom with English Touring Opera. Perhaps a stand-out concert was a performance of his own arrangement of Josef Haydn’s “Seven Last Words from the Cross” which had its world premiere in 2024, which was very moving and deserved a bigger audience. Alex’s programming is incredibly varied, ranging from J S Bach’s B minor Mass via “Love, Lust and Loss” in 16th and 17th centuries to a a highly-entertaining performance of Purcell’s “Dido & Aeneas”.
