The music of Birmingham’s pre-eminent composer John Joubert (1927-2019) will be celebrated on Thursday 29 October at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, ahead of next year’s centenary.
Jeffrey Skidmore conducts the critically-acclaimed Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir in a programme of some of Joubert’s most famous choral works and pieces that influenced him as a young composer. The concert includes the cantata South of the Line, probably his greatest work, written for the opening of RBC’s Adrian Boult Hall in 1985.
Jeffrey Skidmore says, “John Joubert has to be one of the most under-rated and under-performed composers. One day I’m certain the balance will be redressed and we’ll wonder why it’s taken so long to give him the recognition he deserves.”
Born in South Africa, John Joubert wrote over 180 works, ranging from operas and orchestral music to choral works and short carols. He made his home in Moseley where he lived for over 50 years and was a much-loved teacher and conductor at University of Birmingham. He is buried at St Nicolas’s Church, Kings Norton.
Jeffrey Skidmore, who is founder director of Birmingham’s premier choir Ex Cathedra, recalls singing Joubert’s carols at his school in Bournville, sparking an interest in the composer’s music. The pair eventually became firm friends and Ex Cathedra commissioned and performed many works by Joubert.
On the Centenary Celebration concert, Skidmore says, “The idea for the programme came from a 50th anniversary concert that Ex Cathedra gave in Joubert’s honour in 1987. Joubert wrote in the programme about the inspiration of his school in South Africa where he was introduced to works by Byrd, Parry and Rachmaninoff. His own compositions, There is no rose, O Lorde the maker of al thing, and Torches, are now modern-day classics. We’ll also include the Magnificat he wrote for the cathedral in Cape Town, and that links to the concluding piece South of the Line – which I consider to be his masterpiece – a setting of five of Thomas Hardy’s powerful anti-Boer War poems.”
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir has established a growing national and international reputation and is unique amongst all the UK’s conservatoires in having a significant recording presence with nine CDs in recent years, many of them receiving critical acclaim.
Joubert Centenary Celebration is at The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on Thursday 29 October (7pm). Tickets and details at www.bcu.ac.uk/concerts