Portadown musician to conduct NI's oldest Chamber Choir's 'Music for a Royal Occasion' - a celebration of music for royal events

Billed as ‘a magnificent concert fittingly presented by Northern Ireland's oldest chamber choir’, the concert aims to celebrate the musical heritage of Irish and British composers who have contributed their exquisite works to royal occasions, spanning weddings, birthdays, and coronations.

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In this year of the coronation the choir wished to mark the special occasion as well as remember the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Renaissance is a Belfast-based Chamber Choir, formed in 1976 by the late Ronnie Lee MBE. The Choir spent its early years building up a notable local reputation and in 1984, entered and won the inaugural BBC Sainsbury's Choir of the Year Competition. This culminated in a concert in London's Barbican with Sir Charles Groves and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, alongside concerts and recitals in Edinburgh and Dublin.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Renaissance was involved in a number of concerts and recordings with the Ulster Orchestra, working closely with their principal conductor, Yan Pascal Tortelier.

Competition success was again achieved in 1991 at the Sligo International Choral Festival, with two major prizes. In recognition of its performances in the 1991-92 season, the choir won the Belfast Telegraph EMA award for classical ensemble.

The choir enjoyed continued success in taking the top awards at the Sligo Festivals of 1995 and 1999, in addition to the 1996 Bangor Choral Festival.

In 2021, the Choir was thrilled to appoint Simon Neill-O’Brien BEM as their new Artistic Director and Conductor. Simon has long been Director of Music of St Polycarp's Choir, Belfast during which time he has transformed it in to one of the largest Parish Choirs in Ireland. They regularly host concerts, participate in broadcasts, create recordings, and tour throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland in such historic surroundings as Westminster Abbey and Cambridge University. This summer he conducted both Renaissance and St Polycarp’s in St Paul’s Cathedral, London.

A Portadown native, Simon, who is Director of Music St Polycarp’s Church, Belfast, is now a full-time teacher in Belfast and much sought-after accompanist and conductor. St Mark’s Church, Portadown was where his musical journey began and in a church that his family had worshipped, preached, and sang throughout its two hundred year history.

For services to the City of Belfast and the community, Simon was honoured with a Medal of the Order of the British Empire at the age of twenty-nine. Simon is a Governor of Portadown College. This May, he was a guest of His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace for the Coronation Garden Party alongside another College Alumni, Lady Mary Peters LG CH DBE.

The accompanist for the concert is newly appointed principal of Clounagh Junior High School, Phillip Elliott, acclaimed organist and Fellow of the Royal College of Organists.

The concert is Saturday 30 September 2023, 7.30pm in St Mark’s Church, Portadown, admission £10.