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Female voice choir based in Sonning |
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On Saturday 16th July, the choir performed their 4th annual summer concert. The concert was at the Way Hall at the Blue Coat School in Sonning. This was the choir’s first concert under the direction of David Kirby-Ashmore who took over from Nicky Jerrome last January.
The concert started in ‘Oratorio’ mode with a two choir favourites Laudate Dominum and Ave Verum by Mozart. An audience member noted how it was a ‘shiver down the spine’ moment. One of the guest performers, Emily Kirby-Ashmore continued with Vivaldi’s Domine Deus, she sang superbly with her amazing soprano voice. The Oratorio section was then finished with two Mendelssohn pieces ‘Lift Thine Eyes’ and ‘Laudate Pueri’.
The choir then went into ‘Opera’ mode, performing Bizet’s ‘Chorus of Cigarette girls’ from Carmen. Emily then sang ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’ by Puccini from Madam Butterfly. Another extremely talented musician, Louise Maltby, a fabulous flautist, played Variations on a theme by Rossini, this was a very fast and complex piece and had the audience spellbound. The choir then finished the first half of the concert with ‘The Night Song’ by Richard Rodney Bennet, starting with a lovely solo from Helen Ayres.
The second half had a more contemporary feel. The choir sang four pieces arranged by David, Abba’s ‘Money, Money, Money’, the Beatles ‘When I’m 64’ ‘ Eleanor Rigby’ and a lovely arrangement of ‘Here There Everywhere’ sung by the Chamber Choir. ‘Summertime’ and ‘My man’s gone now’ by Gershwin was performed amazingly by Emily. The choir were very fortunate to have Craig Greene accompany them on piano, and he performed Chopin’s ‘Waltzes Op. 70’ brilliantly. It was amazing to think he only started playing the piano when he was 11 and now in his early 20’s in concert pianist standard. Bel Canto then sang a lively ‘Rumba’ accompanied by Craig, Louise on the flute and Emily on violin. Followed by a sublime ‘Siciliene’ by Faure, played on the flute by Louise. The concert was concluded by three pieces ‘She’s like a swallow’ arranged by Robert Latham. The Chamber Choir sang this mournful folk song beautifully and with an expressive solo by Claire Watts. The full choir then performed the ‘Skye Boat Song’ and finished with a robust, floor stamping Irish jig ‘Phil the Fluter’s Ball’ arranged by David and accompanied by Craig, Louise and Emily. This finished the concert in an upbeat and rousing way and many of the audience noted how we had improved and progressed under David’s direction.
Our next concert is at the Earley St Peters Church on 10th Dec where the choir will be performing Handel's Messiah Part 1 as well as other Christmas music. |
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Summer Concert– 16th July 2011 |
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On the 10th December 2011, we performed our 4th Christmas concert at St Peter’s Church, Earley. The concert comprised of various Christmas music but the main event was ‘A Christmas Sequence’ from Handel’s Messiah, arranged for upper voices by our MD David Kirby-Ashmore. The Chorus’s, included ‘For unto us a child is born’ ‘And the glory of the Lord’ and ‘Glory to God’ certainly got the audience in the Christmas spirit. We had some fantastic solo performances from choir members Helen Ayres, Anne Beesley, Stephanie Daisley and Nicky Jerrome. The chorus ‘He shall feed his flock’ was sweetly sang by Earley St Peters school choir as well as other Christmas pieces. The second half started with Rutter favourites ‘In Dulci Julbio and the Candlelight Carol. Both choirs then performed two joint pieces, ‘Stable Carol’ which required the children to make animal noises at the appropriate time - which they clearly enjoyed, also a Bavarian arrangement, Schneewalzer (Snow dance) sung in German which was suitably festive and melodic. The concert was finished off with a congregational carol, Hark the Herald Angels sing, with an amazing descant from our top soprano section. The Christmas concert supported ‘George’s marvellous medicine fund’ which collects money for children with cancer and leukaemia. A collection after the concert raised £116 for the charity. Our next concert will be a charity event on 12th March 2012 at Pearson Hall in Sonning, all proceeds will go to ‘Younger people with Alzheimer’s’. The Christmas 2012 concert will be in Wokingham Town Hall on 15th December.
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Christmas Concert– 10th December 2011 |