Billingshurst Choral Society appoint new music director

Billingshurst Choral Society has announced the appointment of Márcio da Silva as its new music director from September.
Marcio da SilvaMarcio da Silva
Marcio da Silva

Keith Paul, the chairman of BCS, said: “Márcio needs little introduction to followers of classical music in the south-east: an immensely talented musician, professional baritone, music director of several choirs, artistic director and principal conductor of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra, stage and music director of Ensemble OrQuesta, a composer, singing teacher and voice coach.

“We are delighted that he will be adding BCS to his impressive curriculum vitae.”

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Márcio was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil in 1983, studied piano and voice at an early age and moved to Germany to concentrate on choral and orchestral conducting. He came to London in 2011 to undertake a masters at the Royal College of Music. Márcio was artistic director of Woodhouse Opera Festival near Dorking from 2012 until its final season in 2018.

Marcio said he was delighted to accept the position as the new music director of BCS:

“I’m very pleased and I appreciate this opportunity to work with BCS. I know that the choir has performed a varied repertoire and sung in amazing places like Carnegie Hall in New York. It’s going to be very exciting to build on what the choir has already achieved in its illustrious past.”

Keith added: “BCS, like all choral societies throughout Britain, has been holding its breath for the last 16-plus months after a Covid-enforced halt to all indoor rehearsals. The choir was set to start up again on Tuesday, May 18 when, without warning, the Government updated the guidance to say that, in England, non-professional singing could only take place in groups of up to six people indoors. The new rules, published a day after a significant relaxation of Covid restrictions, and contravening musicians’ expectations, were met with anger, upset and despair.

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“At last, there is light at the end of this nightmarish coronavirus tunnel for BCS, with its new MD and the prospect of rehearsals being able to commence as normal from September.

“I’m delighted to welcome Márcio as our new MD, a truly inspirational and talented musician. We are looking forward to working with him and I’m excited about this new era in the development and success of BCS.

“A friendly, lively and well-established choral society, BCS currently has around 80 members. The choir enjoys a wide repertoire, ranging from music by Bach, Handel and Beethoven to Mendelssohn, Verdi, Vaughan Williams and Gilbert and Sullivan. It also includes modern composers such as Chilcott, Goodall, Rutter and Todd.

“We usually rehearse every Tuesday evening from 7.30pm to 9.45pm during term time. When we commence in September, the rehearsal will be at The Billingshurst Community and Conference Centre (Village Hall), Roman Way. New members are always welcome and if you are interested in joining BCS, please refer to our website and use the contact details there. You will be invited to come along to one of our rehearsals to sing or simply listen. This will give you the opportunity to meet the members, our new music director and to get a sense of the wonderful camaraderie that pervades the choir.”

billingshurstchoralsociety.org.uk