- Tickets now available for our next concert! Book now.
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Date Posted: Tue, 15 Feb 2022
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE BOOK HERE
- RIP Dr Francis Jackson.
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Date Posted: Thu, 13 Jan 2022
We were saddened to hear about the death of Dr Francis Jackson this week.
Dr Jackson was a towering figure in the world of church music, and universally acknowledged as a wonderfully kind and generous man.
The news was broken today by his children. They said: “With sadness Alice, Will, and Eddie have to let you all know that our dad, Francis Jackson, died peacefully yesterday, 10th January, 2022. With gratitude we celebrate such a long and fruitful life.
He was conductor of YMS from 1947 to 1982, conducting over 140 concerts!
He was one of our Vice-Presidents and will be missed.
Here he is at the Barbican with the late Dr Richard Shephard and David Pipe.
Picture by Lesley PeatfieldAttachment: 
- John Bradbury
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Date Posted: Wed, 1 Dec 2021
With heavy hearts, York Musical Society regrets to announce the passing of our beloved John Bradbury.
His sharp wit, dry sense of humour, warm heart, and generous spirit will be deeply missed.
He joined us as an occasional accompanist several years ago, and in April 2019 became our Assistant Musical Director.
He was born and educated in Cheshire and was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where he gained Associate and Graduate Diplomas.
He held a Master of Arts degree from the University of London and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He had a long and illustrious career in the musical world and when he took early retirement moved to York with Eric, his husband, in 2012.
He threw himself into the musical life of our City, singing with the Yorkshire Bach Choir, running his own chamber choir, The St John’s Consort, and many other musical ensembles.
He was an active and talented organ recitalist, recently organising and performing in his series of ‘Organ Plus’ concerts at St Luke’s Parish Church in York.
He will be missed by so many people from all the different parts of his life.
We send our love and thoughts to Eric at this difficult time
Details of a memorial/celebration of his life will be announced in due course.
- Zoom Royal Visitor
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Date Posted: Fri, 26 Mar 2021
By Haydn Lewis, Live News Editor
A group of singers from York got to perform for a princess this week.
York Musical Society (YMS), a thriving choral group with hundreds of members, welcomed the Queen’s granddaughter, Princess Beatrice to a Zoom performance of Handel’s Coronation Anthems.
They were also joined by patrons Sir Ron Cooke and Dr Richard Shephard, and vice-presidents Lady Gillian Barron and Philip Moore along with his wife Allison, and Kurt Calder from sponsors, The Shepherd Group.
A group spokesman said: “As we have adapted to the strange times this term and rehearsed via Zoom, we decided to treat our last two sessions as virtual concerts, complete with concert dress.
“Princess Beatrice joined us for the first two anthems and spoke enthusiastically about how everyone has adapted to the situation, and that she is looking forward to being able to join us in person sometime in the not too distant future.”
Like many other cultural activities, YMS concerts and face-to-face rehearsals are cancelled for the whole of 2020 and the YMS committee has also made the decision to cancel their planned November concert and the choral workshop in January next year.
They will reconvene their usual Monday evening rehearsals at St Olave’s School in January.
As the committee email to members puts it: “We know this will be a huge disappointment, but we must make the health of our members and audiences our priority, and adhere to Government guidelines. If the situation changes and it becomes possible for us to get together sooner than January, then we will certainly arrange something.”
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