Come and sing Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem with Henley Choral Society to explore Brahms’ much loved choral
masterpiece led by our talented Musical Director, Richard Harker with accompanist Berrak Dyer.
This superbly tender work was inspired by the deaths of two people dear to Brahms, his mentor Robert Schumann and his
mother. With text derived from Luther’s German Bible, rather than the traditional Latin, Ein Deutsches Requiem bypasses
standard liturgy. Rather than dwelling on the judgement of the dead, Brahms is concerned with consoling the living. It is
this spiritual empathy that makes what he called his “human Requiem” so moving for us today. It moves from grief and
transience to consolation and hope. Rich, warm, and often serene — not terrifying or wrathful.
If you love this marvelous music, and would like to know it better, or you are preparing for your own choral
society performance, or if you just want to give singing with HCS a try, book your place now. If you don’t have your own
score, we will have copies for hire. We will be using the Peters edition of the score and it will be sung in German. We will
refresh you with tea, coffee and home-made cake in the tea interval.
Timings:
Registration: 10am
Workshop Session 1: 10.30am – 11.45
Coffee break: 11.45-midday (cafes and shops close by)
Workshop Session 2: 12.00 – 1pm
Lunch 1-2pm (cafes and shops close by)
Workshop Session 3: 2.00pm - 3.00pm
Afternoon break with home-made cakes: 3.00pm - 3.20pm
Informal performance: 3.20-4.00pm
Travel: Henley is accessible by train and bus. St Mary's is a 10 minwalk from the train station.
Parking: All day paid parking opposite the train station. Street parking is limited. Town centre car parks are short stay.
Richard Harker, musical director
Richard is musical director of The Hythe Singers, Henley Choral Society and Henley Youth Choir. He is a Chorus Master at
Opera Holland Park, and a classroom music teacher. Richard also works extensively as an organist and accompanist. At
Opera Holland Park Richard has worked on La Bohème, La Traviata, Eugene Onegin (Assistant Conductor & Chorus
Master), Carmen, Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte, Le Nozze di Figaro; Manon Lescaut and Un ballo in maschera (Chorus
Master), Ruddigore and Pirates of Penzance (Chorus Master and Assistant Repetiteur). Other operatic engagements have
included L’Elisir d’amore for West Green House Opera (Chorus Master), HMS Pinafore for Windsor and Eton Opera
(Conductor), Terterian’s Fire Ring at the Grimeborn Festival with London Armenian Opera (Conductor), Schumann-devised
opera Unknowing and Menotti’s The Telephone with Teatime Opera (Musical Director), and Jonathan Hervey’s Passion and
Resurrection at the Voices of London Festival (Conductor).
Richard graduated with an MA in Choral Conducting from the Royal Academy of Music, receiving the Thomas Armstrong
Prize. He read music at, and was organ scholar of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he received the Swinburne Prize.
Berrak Dyer, piano
Berrak Dyer works freelance in London as a répétiteur, accompanist and musical director. She studied at the Guildhall
School of Music and Drama and then went on to study at the National Opera Studio. Berrak has travelled through UK and
Europe performing and works as Musical Director with Pop-Up Opera and works with Opera Holland Park, Glyndebourne
and the Royal Opera House.
Recent engagements: Musical Director Hänsel und Gretel (Pop-Up Opera); Répétiteur Goldilocks and the Three Little
Pigs (The Opera Story); Répétiteur Psychosis 4.48 (Royal Opera House)
Book here:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/henleychoralsociety/1902381
Also check out other Entertainment events in Henley-on-Thames, Music events in Henley-on-Thames.
