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This page is about not so new news !! Read about past news events.

YOU CAN'T MISS KEN'S CHOIRS ON THE AIRWAVES THIS CHRISTMAS
KEN BURTON'S CHOIRS are on a staggering four programmes on Christmas Day (well three and a repeat).
When you wake up, switch on to radio 4, around 7 am, where Ken Burton will be interviewed and share music with the London Adventist Chorale
If you like to get up a little later, switch on at 11 am to BBC1 to see the Adventist Vocal Ensemble on 'Songs Of Praise' with several other choirs, orchestra, band, Aled Jones, Pam Rhodes, Andrea Boccelli & Katherine Jenkins.
You go get time to eat and have Christmas lunch, ...oh yes and watch the Queen

If you enjoyed 'Songs Of Praise', or even missed it, you can watch it again in the evening on BBC 2 at 6 (do check TV magazines for definite times, as the schedule can change)
At night, wind down to Radio 2, with Howard Goodall, as Ken Burton conducts the London Adventist Chorale, and in one song the BBC Orchestra with the choir, singing some Christmas music of a gospel kind.

Happy Christmas!

However, before that, there are a couple of other appearances in a background role, first on Dec 11th on ITV, and Dec 18th 8.30 BBC as part of the choirs group for 'Test The Nation'.

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Not so plain Plainchant!
BG INTERNATIONAL the holding company for British Gas, and several gas & oil companies dined at the Whitehall Banqueting House on Nov 29th, but were treated to something a little different...an ensemble of male contemporary gospel singers singing ....Plainchant.. all around the balcony of the banqueting hall. They were not dressed in capes and being mostly married had obviously not taken a vow of celibacy, however the sound was similar to what you would have heard and can still hear in the monasteries!!
Well , before you get surprised, a little bit of music education. The term 'plainchant' doe not mean 'chant' which sounds plain, dull , boring, without rhythm or harmony. It is a combination of two French words plein chant , which means 'full singing' ....now you can see the connection with gospel.
The men, taken fom Ken's various choral groups, sang 'Kyrie Eleison', which Ken wrote for the occasion and also acted as cantor; the second piece 'Sanctus', which has become a subsequent hit with the London Adventist Chorale guys, is an adaptation of a 1993 work by Ken Burton for SATB Choir and recorded by the Croydon SDA Gospel Choir on its 1994 album release. It is in the style of the French Romantics, with an Eastern influence, sustained low drone bass, with close moving harmony above.

The final piece was a medley of spirituals in a plainchant style, which ended with 9 independent voice parts singing simultaneously to recreate an African vocal interplay effect, where voices crossing over create some interesting Jazz-like close harmonies. Shame the ensemble only got to sing the first line of the piece on the night, as the diners were in their seats a little quicker than anticipated (hungry, perhaps?) .
Suggestion of the 'plainchant' idea came from the event management company's director, Bill Kallaway. Kallaway has managed the 'Choir Of The Year' competition for over 20 years, with meticulous, clock-work like precision.

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KENYA - we're coming back
God's willing, Ken Burton will return to Kenya in February, with London Adventist Chorale following in March to sing in the 2006 Kijani Festival Concert.In 2005 a quartet performed, however the whole group this time!! Should be, sorry it WILL be fantastic.
A highlight will be Ken's visiting and working with street kids, and kids orphaned due to HIV/AIDS, bringing them together for a big music performance.

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London Adventist Chorale and Wynton Marsalis
Virtuoso Jazz and Classical trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis , in conjunction with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (from New York),and the London Philharmonic Orchestra presented Marsalis' masterpiece "All Rise" under the baton of maestro Kurt Masur.
The piece is written for Jazz orchestra, symphony orchestra and gospel choir - and that's where the London Adventist Chorale comes in. The work is an eclectic mix of Greek, African, Eastern, pastoral Classical, Jazz, ... you name it !
The tour commenced on September 30th in Birmingham and continued nightly (except Monday) in Cardiff (Oct 1st) , London (2nd), Manchester(4th), and Glasgow (5th).

There were glowing reviews in the national press, as was to be expected.
Ken Burton had a taste , once again, of being on the other side of the conductor's baton- he sang the baritone solo, and bass with the expanded choir.

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Ken Burton and CBSO collaborate
May 1st, Symphony Hall, Soul Symphony told the story of the hymn- the music of the soul- which has provided a vehicle of worship, expression of faith, and comfort to the soul, as well as having a major influence on music itself. So much of what happens musically today has grown out of the hymn experience. This was Ken's first time conducting the CBSO, who were joined by the Peter Daley Band, three choirs including CBYV, the popular Black Voices female quintet, Paul Lee, and the Douglas String Trio. A number of television and radio presenters and producers were present at the event, hailing it a 'triumph'. The programme itself was presented by TV presenter Diane Louise Jordan.
In addition to Ken's 'Overture' and a large number of original and arranged hymns, pieces by Tina Brooks (London Adventist Chorale Music Director), versatile musical maestro Peter Daley, Birmingham Conservatoire student Laura Douglas were well received, ranging from a cappella close harmony to full orchestra and band.

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Ken....YA!!
For a few days in February, Ken Burton was on tour in Kenya, conducting workshops, and followed by several members of the London Adventist Chorale, who performed in the Kenya Music Festival. Read all about it in the Kenya Diaries page.

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X Factor
Millions voted for and watched Steve Brookstein (currently at number one in the UK charts), who was the winner of the largest ever talent show in the UK, '"The X Factor".
Each singer in the finalist represented one of three judges. Steve was representing the judge Simon Cowell, who also pioneered the show.
As well as many others in the business, Cowell knows full well that gospel choirs are valuable in adding that buzz, weight, and breadth to many a song, and requested some of the gospel flavour for a few of his singers throughout the show.
Ken Burton assisted in getting gospel singers together for several programmes, to join forces with the Hillsong UK choir, as well as joining the forces himself.
The choir backed the winning Steve Brookstein. A picture of Ken and Steve behind the scenes is on the photos page.
Songs the choir backed:
Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Rowetta-October 30th)
Wind Beneath My Wings (Verity-October 30th)
If You Don't Know Me By Now (Steve-October 30th)
Greatest Love Of All (Steve-December 4th)
Higher And Higher (Steve-December 11th)
Against All Odds ('results' performance) (Steve-December 11th)
Against All Odds (Steve Brookstein [his artist name]'Radio 1/Top Of The Pops Christmas Party'-Dec 12th (broadcast December 17th). Further peformances on 'This Morning', 'Ant & Dec'

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Berlin 2005
Ken recently directed the Croydon SDA Gospel Choir at Shlosspark in Berlin, and Friedensau in the West of the country; the response was overwhelmingly amazing. The rain started before the open-air concert, which resulted in many prayers going up to heaven. The One who dwells there, and controls the elements heard our cry. The rains stopped for the duration of the performance. When the sound engineers started to load up the sound truck, the clouds started to shed a little weight again. Is God real, or is He real ???

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Ken conducts Messiah at Washington DC's Metropolitan Baptist

It is Washington DC's Metropolitan Baptist Church's sixtieth performance of 'Messiah' by German composer (living in England at the time of writing) - George Friedrich Handel - (a favourite composer of Ken Burton's favourite composer- Beethoven ).

For the first time they have an international conductor - and it's Ken Burton putting on his classical conductor mantle. (and probably snowboots at that time of year). Metropolitan Baptist Church has a membership of six thousand, and is home to Rev Dr (or is it Dr Rev) Beecher Hicks, who pastors there . Furthermore it is the church attended by Grammy-Award winning acclaimed pioneer Gospel musician and songwriter Richard Smallwood, its artist-in-residence. Its musical director is Rev Nolan Williams, singer, composer and editor of one of the most successful hymnbooks of modern times, The African American Heritage Hymnal- to date selling over two hundred thousand copies.

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Voice Newspaper feature, How Music Works- Channel 4
Voice Newspaper - Nov 2006 Ken Burton was the feature of a 'sixty seconds with....' style interview, talking everything from what animal he compares himself to to his pet hates (excuse the pun). The interview was for the Voice Newspaper, as part fo the new 'Soul Stirrings' page, which is now edited by Roy Francis Productions .

How Music Works- Channel 4 , Ken contributes to new Channel 4 music programme - Nov /Dec 2006 HOW MUSIC WORKS is the new addition to the Howard Goodall music education programmes produced by Tiger Aspects Productions for Channel 4 television. Goodall looks at the major ingredients of music from round the world, through the ages. Ken Burton has worked alongside Howard Goodall on several occasions over the last fifteen years. In this series, Burton , along with several world musicians, demonstrates a 'pentatonic' melody in the first programme, and with a section of his Croydon Seventh-day Adventist Gospel Choir/AVE , shares a bit of 'By The Rivers Of Babylon' in the third programme- on harmony. Dates: Nov 18/25/ Dec 2/9 - Channel 4. 8.25 p.m., 6.25 p.m. (check TV listings) Channel 4 Website . (Programme details under culture section)

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Kenya Diaries - archive

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