Search

Search Help
Back

Collection Description
Collection name Finchley Childrens Music Group
Unique identifier
Description Finchley Children's Music Group was founded in 1958 by Ruth Andrewes to give the first amateur performance of Noye's Fludde and the work has been central to their repertoire ever since. The choir has a policy of commissioning new works for children's voices and these have included compositions by Gordon Crosse, Hugo Cole, Peter Maxwell Davies and Malcolm Williamson. FCMG also provides the children's choir for many larger choral works, often in association with their partner group, the London Boy Singers. Further information about the choir can be found on their website http://www.fcmg.org.uk.

This collection is of programmes for 93 performances between 1958 and 1989 and 2008-09 and includes those given by FCMG and the London Boy Singers and concerts for which FCMG provided either the children’s choir or soloists.

The list of programmes is as follows:

November 1958: Southwark Cathedral, English Opera Group. Britten, Noye's Fludde. Inspiration for the founding of the FCMG

24-25 April 1959: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2. John Andrewes, Norman Lumsden, Myfanwy Armon-Jones, Kenneth Loveless. Britten, Noye's Fludde, Handbills included

July 1959: Lancing College Chapel, John Alston. Britten, Noye's Fludde

14 May1960: Congregational Hall, East Finchley, Nicholas Braithwate. Cole, Asses Ears. Handbills included. Signed by conductor and composer

03 December 1960: St Luke's Hall, Mountfield Road, N3. John Andrewes. Cole, Statue for the Mayor

16-18 February 1961: Kingsway Hall, WC2. Donald Cashmore. Britten, Noye's Fludde

14-15 April 1961: Church of St John the Evangelist, N11. John Andrewes, Owen Brannigan. Britten, Noye's Fludde. Handbills included

July 1961: Orford Church. Norman Del Mar, Britten, English Chamber Orchestra, English Opera Group. Britten, Noye's Fludde

09 December 1961: St Mary Magdalene, Munster Square, NW1. John Andrewes. Christmas concert, Group now changed name from East Finchley Children's Music Group to Finchley Children's Music Group. Handbills included

14 December 1961: Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street, W1. Peter Pears, Purcell Singers, Imogen Holst, Christmas concert

04-06 January 1962: Town Hall, St Pancras, NW1. John Andrewes, Norman Lumsden, Max Worthley, Nancy Thomas. Britten, Let's Make an Opera. Handbills included

07-08March 1962: St Pancras, NW1. Group Eight. Sven-Eric Bäck, Crane Feathers

08 July1962: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2, John Andrewes, London Boy Singers. Handbills included

06 December 1962: Westminster Abbey, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Chorus, Heather Harper, Peter Pears, Vladimir Ruzdjak, Melos Ensemble, Choiristers of Westminster Abbey, London Boy Singers, Meredith Davies. Britten, War Requiem

08 December 1962: St Mary Magdalene, Munster Square, NW1, John Andrewes, Malcolm Williamson, London Boy Singers, Christmas concert. Handbills included

19 December 1962: Town Hall, St Pancras, NW1, John Andrewes, Boyd Neel Orchestra, Charles Farncombe. Britten, Saint Nicolas

26 December 1962 – 12 January 1963: Vaudeville Theatre, London, WC2, John Andrewes. Britten, Let's Make an Opera. Handbills included

15 March1963: St Pancras Church, Euston Road, NW1, John Andrewes, Edith Coates, Owen Brannigan. Britten, Noye's Fludde. Complete brochure for ninth St Pancras Arts Festival also included

26 October 1963: Church End Congregational Church, N3, John Andrewes, Alan Barlow, Finchley Choral Society

22 December 1963: St Jude-on-the-Hill, Central Square, NW11, John Andrewes, Richard Andrewes. Christmas concert. Handbills included and typescript of lessons

1964?: Royal Albert Hall, London Symphony Orchestra, Leeds Festival Chorus, Orpington Junior Singers, Highgate School Boys' Choir, FCMG, Leonard Bernstein, Mahler, Symphony no. 8, No exact date on programme

04 January 1964: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2. John Andrewes, Christmas concert, Handbills included

14 March1964: Town Hall, St Pancras, NW1, John Andrewes, Concert in 10th St Pancras Arts Festival

09 May 1964: Woodhouse Grammar School, Finchley, Middlesex Youth Orchestra, Donald Hughes, Peter Wigfield, Rosalind Bevan

26 December 1964 – 16 January 1965: Vaudeville Theatre, London, WC2, John Andrewes. Britten, Let's Make an Opera

1965?: [no place], Peter Wigfield. No exact date on programme

19 March1965: St Pancras, NW1, John Andrewes. Britten, Noye's Fludde. Venue not given. Concert in 11th St Pancras Arts Festival

20 March 1965, St Pancras, NW1: John Andrewes. Britten, Noye's Fludde. Venue not given. Concert in 11th St Pancras Arts Festival

04 April 1966 – 15 January 1966: Jeannetta Cochrane Theatre, WC1, John Andrewes, Richard Andrewes, April Cantelo, Iris Kells, Michael Maurel, Anna Pollak. Williamson, Julius Caesar Jones. Commissioned by FCMG

15 March 1966 – 17 March 1966: Hippodrome Theatre, Golders Green, London Festival Ballet. Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker. FCMG provided children's choir

22 March 1966: Friends' House, Euston Road, NW1, John Andrewes, Rosalind Bevan, Richard Rodney Bennett. In 12th St Pancras Arts Festival programme book

11 December 1966: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2. John Andrewes, Richard Andrewes, Malcolm Williamson, , David Seaman. Christmas concert

24 February1967: Royal Festival Hall, Bach Choir, New Philharmonia Orchestra, David Willcocks, Noelle Barker, John Noble. Crosse, changes; Fauré, Requiem

23 April1967: Fenton House, NW3, Richard Andrewes, Robert Pascall,

20 May 1967: Wigmore Hall, Jonathan Steele, Mary Mollison, London Boy Singers

03 November 1967 – 04 November 1967: St Jude-on-the-Hill, Central Square, NW11. John Andrewes, Owen Brannigan, Myra Sanders, Norman Lumsden. Britten, Noye's Fludde. Handbill included

1967?: Hampstead, The Garden Players, John Andrewes. Purcell, Dido and Aeneas. David Pinto from FCMG sang the part of Spirit

16 December 1967: Church End Congregational Church, N3. Robert Bowman, Alan Barlow, Barlow Orchestra, David Bell

07 January 1968: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2. Richard Andrewes, Christmas concert
11 March 1968: Friends' House, Euston Road, NW1. John Andrewes, Richard Andrewes, Viola Tunnard. In 1968 Camden Festival programme book. Includes first London performance of Gordon Crosse, Rats Away!

19 May 1968: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2. London Boy Singers, Jonathan Steele

07 September 1968: Herbert Williamson Youth Centre, N2. Malcolm Williamson, Opera workshop

26 December 1968 – 11 January 1969: Royal Festival Hall, Festival Ballet, Nutcracker, FCMG provided children's choir

17 March 1969: International Students' House, W1. John Andrewes. Maxwell Davies, The Shepherd's Calendar (first English performance). A Macnaughten concert

22 April 1969 – 26 April 1969: Jeannetta Cochrane Theatre, WC1. John Andrewes, Benjamin Luxon, Iris Kells, Ailene Fischer. Williamson, Julius Caesar Jones. Handbill included

29 May 1969-31 May1969: Town Hall, St Pancras, NW1, New Opera Company. Joubert. Under western eyes

13 December 1969: Queen Elizabeth Hall. Peter Maxwell Davies. Britten, Golden Vanity; Davies, The Shepherd's Calendar. Handbill included

25 December 1969-10January 1970: Royal Festival Hall. London Festival Ballet. Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker. FCMG provided children's choir

26 April 1970: St Jude-on-the-Hill, Central Square, NW11. Richard Andrewes. Britten, Missa brevis

10 May 1970: Herbert Williamson Youth Centre, N2, Richard Andrewes

17 May 1970: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2, Richard Andrewes

09 July 1970: St Mary's Church, Islington. Richard Rodney Bennett. Festival brochure included

05 September 1970: Maltings, Snape. English Opera Group. Britten, Burning fiery furnace, (with boys from the FCMG)

06 December 1970: St John's, Smith Square. Richard Andrewes, Britten, Ceremony of carols; Crosse, The history of the flood; Peter Maxwell Davies, 5 carols. Handbill included

30 April 1971: St Mary the Virgin, Primrose Hill. Donald Cashmore. Detweiler, David and Goliath. FCMG provided boy soloist

08 May 1971: LTB 6, Colchester. David Watkins, harp. Crosse, History of the flood

23 May 1971: St Ninian's Presbyterian Church, Golders Green. Richard Andrewes, Junior Choir concert, 4.30pm

23 May 1971: St Ninian's Presbyterian Church, Golders Green. Richard Andrewes. Britten, Missa brevis. Main choir concert, 8pm

26 August 1971: Maltings, Snape. English Opera Group. Britten, Turn of the screw. FCMG provided boy soloist

1971?: Holland House? Basilica Opera. Britten, Let's make an opera. FCMG provided child soloists
16 January 1972: Queen Elizabeth Hall. Britten, Childrens' crusade; Bruce Cole, Harlequinade. Handbill included

14 April 1972: St Jude-on-the-Hill, Central Square, NW11. Britten, Noye's Fludde

25 May 1972: Royal Festival Hall, LSO, Anton Guadagno. Boito, Mefistofele. FCMG provided children's choir

27 June 1972: Finchley Methodist Church Hall. Richard Andrewes

02 July 1972: Dyne House, Highate School. Richard Andrewes

03 August 1972: Snape Maltings. Benjamin Britten, English Opera Group, English Chamber Orchestra, Peter Pears, Heather Harper. Britten,T urn of the screw. FCMG provided Flora and Miles

05 August 1972: Snape Maltings. Benjamin Britten, English Opera Group, English Chamber Orchestra, Peter Pears, Heather Harper. Britten,T urn of the screw. FCMG provided Flora and Miles

16 October 1972: St Alban's Church, Golders Green. Richard Andrewes. Renaisance and modern church music

11 December 1972: Royal Albert Hall. Wyn Morris. Mahler, Symphony no. 8. FCMG provided children's choir

21 December 1972 – 23 December 1972: Round House, NW1. John Lubbock, Camden Chamber Orchestra, Young Music Makers. Britten, Noye's Fludde

December 1972 - January1973, Royal Festival Hall. London Festival Ballet Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker. FCMG provided children's choir

17 March 1973: St Mary's Church, Hitchin. Osian Ellis, Richard Andrewes. Crosse, History of the flood ; Britten, Ceremony of carols

18 March 1973: Dyne House, Highate School. Richard Andrewes. Britten, Ceremony of carols

26 May 1973, Pavilion, Bath. Tippett, Crown of the year; Cole. Harlequinade. With Bath Festival brochure

02 June 1973: Round House, Chalk Farm. Cole, Harlequinade

04 July 1973: Teatern, Oestersund, Sweden. Osian Ellis, John Andrewes. Britten, Ceremony of carols ; Crosse, History of the flood

15 November 1973: St Giles's Church, Cripplegate. Richard Andrewes, David Roblou, Graham Johnson. Britten, Missa brevis; Poulenc, Litanies à la Vierge Noire

17 November 1973: St Alban's Church, Golders Green, Richard Andrewes, David Roblou, Graham Johnson. Britten, Missa brevis; Poulenc, Litanies à la Vierge Noire

31 May 1974: St George's Church, Hanover Square. John Andrewes, Osian Ellis. First performance of Maconchy, Fly-by-nights. Handbill included

17 August 1974: Royal Albert Hall. London Philharmonic Orchestra, Bernard Haitink, Elly Ameling, Helen Watts, Gerald English, London Philharmonic Choir, London Boy Singers. Britten, Britten, Spring Symphony. FCMG provided children's choir

09 January 1975 – 14 January 1975: Church of St Mary Magdalene, Munster Square, NW1. John Andrewes, John Winfield. Crosse, Potter Thompson. Handbill included
02 March 1975: Dyne House, Highate School, Members' concert

18 December 1975: All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2. Colin Howard, Crosse, Holly from the Bongs

1976? Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury. Vilem Tausky, Phoenix Opera. Britten, Albert Herring. FCMG provided Harry, one of the village children

28 March 1976: Dyne House, Highate School, Members' concert

27 December 1976 – 15 January 1977: Royal Festival Hall. London Festival Ballet. Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker. FCMG provided children's choir

19 April 1977: Foro Italico, Rome. Colin Howard, Osian Ellis. Britten, Golden vanity; Ceremony of Carols. Information derived from review of concert for La Voce Repubblicana

19 July 1977 – 23 July 1977: Holland Park Court Theatre. Britten, Little Sweep; Golden Vanity. Whole season brochure only

26 December 1977 – 14 January 1978: Royal Festival Hall. London Festival Ballet. Tchaikovsky, Nutcracker. FCMG provided children's choir

27 March 1978: Snape Maltings. Colin Howard, John Andrewes. Maw, Six nonsense rhymes; Britten, Little Sweep. Programme illustration by John Piper

22 October 1978, All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2. Colin Howard, John Andrewes, Richard Andrewes. Concert in memory of Ruth Andrewes

17 May 1980: Queen Elizabeth Hall. John Andrewes, Colin Howard, Ossian Ellis. Britten, Ceremony of Carols; Maxwell Davies, The Shepherd's Calendar. 21st birthday concert

18 November 1989: St James's, Piccadilly. Ronald Corp. Britten, Noye's Fludde. 30th birthday performance

07 December 2008: St John's, Smith Square, Grace Rossiter, Vicky Lester. Britten, Ceremony of Carols; St Nicolas. 50th anniversary reunion concert

15 January 2009: Kings Place. Grace Rossiter. Concert part of the 50th anniversary season
Date range 1958 - 2009
Associated People and Organisations John Alston - Ameling, Elly 1933 - Andrewes, John - Richard Andrewes - Armon, Myfanwy - Bach Choir - Barker, Noelle - Barlow, Alan - Barlow Orchestra - Basilica Opera - BBC Chorus - BBC Symphony Orchestra - Bell, David - Bennett, Richard Rodney - Bernstein, Leonard - Bevan, Rosalind - Bowman, David - Bowman, Robert - Boyd Neel Orchestra - Braithwaite, Nicholas - Brannigan, Owen - Britten, Benjamin - Camden Chamber Orchestra - Cantelo, April 1928 - Cashmore, Donald - Choristers of Westminster Abbey - Coates, Edith - Corp, Ronald - Davies, Meredith - del Mar, Norman - Ellis, Osian - English, Gerald - English Chamber Orchestra - English Opera Group - Farncombe, Charles - Finchley Children's Music Group - Finchley Choral Society - Ailene Fischer - Group Eight - Haitink, Bernard 1929 - Harper, Heather - Highgate School Boys Choir - Holst, Imogen - Colin Howard - Donald Hughes - Johnson, Graham - Kells, Iris - Leeds Festival Chorus - Vicky Lester - London Boy Singers - London Philharmonic Choir - London Philharmonic Orchestra - London Symphony Orchestra - Kenneth Loveless - Lubbock, John - Lumsden, Norman - Luxon, Benjamin 1937 - Michael Maurel - Davies, Peter Maxwell - Melos Ensemble - Middlesex Youth Orchestra - Mary Mollison - Morris, Wyn - New Opera Company - New Philharmonia Orchestra - Noble, John - Orpington Junior Singers - Robert Pascall - Pears, Peter - Phoenix Opera - Anna Pollak - Purcell Singers - David Roblou - Grace Rossiter - Ruzdjak, Vladimir - Myra Saunders - Steele, Jonathan - Tausky, Vilem - The Garden Players - Thomas, Nancy - Tunnard, Viola - David Watkins - Watts, Helen - Peter Wigfield - Willcocks, David - Williamson, Malcolm - Winfield, John - Worthley, Max - Young Music Makers -
Associated Places All Saints' Church, East Finchley, N2 Church End Congregational Church, N3 Church of St. John the Evangelist, N11 Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Munster Square, NW1 Congregational Hall, East Finchley Dyne House, Highgate School Fenton House, Hampstead Finchley Methodist Church Hall Foro Italico, Rome Friends House, Euston Road Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street Herbert Williamson Youth Centre, N2 Hippodrome Theatre, Golders Green Holland House Holland Park Court Theatre International Students House Jeannetta Cochrane Theatre, WC1 Kings Place Kingsway Hall Lancing College Chapel LTB 6, Colchester Snape Maltings Marlowe theatre, Canterbury Orford Church Pavilion, Bath Queen Elizabeth Hall Round House Royal Albert Hall Royal Festival Hall Southwark Cathedral St. Albans Church, Golders Green St. George's Church, Hanover Square St. Giles, Cripplegate St. James's Church, Piccadilly St. John's Smith Square St. Jude’s Church, Hampstead Garden Suburb St. Mary the Virgin, Primrose Hill St. Mary's Church, Hitchin St. Mary's Church, Islington St. Ninian's Presbyterian Church, Golders Green St. Pancras Church, Euston Road Town Hall, St. Pancras Vaudeville Theatre Westminster Abbey Wigmore Hall Woodhouse School, Finchley
Associated Times 20th century - mid 1931-1970 20th century - late 1971-1999 21st century
Associated Content Analytical Notes Musical Examples Orchestra Lists First performances Photographs Programme notes
Star Item(s)
Strength(s)
Further details
Viewing the Collection
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm Thursday 1pm - 7pm Sat (1st & 3rd of each month) 9.30am - 4.30pm
By appointment: please contact us for assistance with enquiries and research or make an appointment to visit the centre
Visiting information

Location details

Barnet Local Studies and Archives Centre
Mill Hill,80 Daws Lane London NW7 4SL United Kingdom Open Map
DOMUS
Website http://www.barnet.gov.uk/index/leisure-culture/libraries/archives.htm
Email
Telephone
Fax
Building Information
Collections Overview
Display Overview
Star Objects
For details of other collections held at the same location: See the location record

Additional Collection Information
Accrual Status Closed
Legal Status
Custodial History
Related Publications
Management Information (Type)
Collection Owner(s)
Collection Creator(s)
Collection Custodians(s)