Upcoming Concerts
22nd June 2024 8pm, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer Concert
Summer concert. "A night at the opera". Selection of choruses from operas.
Musical Director: Cole Bendall; Accompanist: Suzy Ruffles
Join Holmbury St Mary Choral in a delightful evening of operatic masterworks! With a program featuring popular works by Mozart, Wagner, Verdi and Purcell alongside lesser known exciting works by Borodin and John Adams. this cross-continental cabaret of choral classics is guaranteed to delight, entertain and inspire! As ever, the choir is joined by the musical director Cole Bendall, there are accompanist Suzy Ruffles and a duo of exceptional and talented soloists alongside other surprises. Not to be missed!
Previous Concerts
13th April 2024 7:30 pm, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
Holmbury Choral will be competing with Beare Green & Newdigate, Bookham, Buckland and Betchworth, Horsley, Mickleham choirs - as usual - in the Leith Hill Music Festival. Pieces include:
Festival Conductor: Jonathan Willcox
Lauridsen – Lux aeterna
Puccini – Messa di Gloria
Conductor: Cole Bendell
Sure on this shining night - Barber
Concord - Britten
The rose - Gjeilo
14th December 2023 Holmbury St Mary Church
Christmas Concert: Winter
Conductor: Cole Bendall; Piano: Suzy Ruffles; Soprano: Hannah Dienes-Williams
A celebration of festive past, present and future, Holmbury Choral returned to their winter home to perform a selection of exciting Christmas works. Clive Osgood’s Magnificat is a thrilling new work for choirs, rooted in the classical tradition but injected with the rhythmic vitality of Latin America and the harmonic shifts of American big band music.
Veni, Veni, Emmanuel - arr. Philip Lawson
Magnificat - Clive Osgood
Gabriel's message - arr. Edgar Pettman
A spotless rose - Herbert Howells
The rose - Ola Gjeilo
Sans Day Carol - John Rutter
Ding dong! merrily on high - arr. Charles Wood
O come, all ye faithful - Wade arr. David Willcocks
A merry Christmas - arr. Arthur Warrell
1st July 2023 St James Church Abinger Common
Summer Concert: Blue Zoo
Conductor: Cole Bendall; Suzy Ruffles (piano), Ben Essenhigh (drums), Mike Pratt (bass); Soprano: Rosanna Harris
The church of St James' in Abinger Common was once more the venue for our summer concert, and it was pleasingly full for a programme that presented challenges for both choir and audience.
The concert opened with Captain Noah and his Floating Zoo, written in the early 1970s, with music in a light, jazzy, music-hall style by Joseph Horovitz, with suitably comic lyrics by Michael Flanders, perhaps better known for his many collaborations with Donald Swann. Captain Noah is a re-telling of the Old Testament story designed to appeal to children as well as adults. It presented no particular challenges for the choir, and our musical director, Cole Bendall, had no difficulty in combining the roles of conductor and tenor soloist. This was but a light amuse-bouche, so to speak, before the main course: the much more substantial and challenging Mass in Blue by Will Todd.
A setting of the traditional Mass, in Latin, Mass in Blue is a serious and complex piece of jazz music, with a mixture of blues styles from the slow and serene Sanctus to the fast and furious Et Resurrexit section of the Credo. The combination of syncopated rhythms, unfamiliar harmonies and at times the fast pace, all presented considerable challenges to the choir. Undoubtedly, this performance was nowhere near note-perfect, but it was a spirited and convincing one that made us all feel that we had got somewhere close to the composer's intention, greatly helped by the confident support provided by the professional jazz trio: Suzy Ruffles (piano), Ben Essenhigh (drums), Mike Pratt (bass). Mezzo-soprano Rosanna Harris was very secure in the solo sections, especially evident in the languid opening section of the Credo.
Nevertheless, some of the audience at least would have found this performance challenging to listen to, not only because they would be used to Holmbury Choral serving up a diet of largely traditional, classical choral music, but also because of the sheer volume of sound that the choir and trio together succeeded in producing – some in the front rows of the audience may have at times wished that they had chosen to sit further back! However, the audience showed warm appreciation at the end, and Cole Bendall had yet again shown that he was capable of encouraging the choir to move out of its comfort zone and produce a memorable performance.
14th April 2023 Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
This year’s Festival was an important test in many ways, both for the Festival as a whole and for Holmbury Choral in particular. Would the new competition format work? Would the concert audience return to pre-pandemic levels? Would Holmbury St Mary Choral Society, under its new musical director, Cole Bendall, be able to repeat its competition success of previous years?
The new competition format passed the test pretty well. Some minor adjustments will probably be necessary but overall, allowing choirs to choose their own recital programme (with clear constraints) seems to have worked well, enabling choirs to feel more comfortable in performance, as well as providing greater variety for those listening.
As for our own performance, any initial nerves were soon dispelled once we were on stage. We settled well into our first piece, Requiem by Eliza Gilkyson, helped by the reassuring piano accompaniment provided by Jordan Theis. For our second piece, We shall walk through the valley by Undine Smith Moore, Cole had persuaded us to move position to mix the voice parts, as well as to sing off-copy. Interestingly, the process of moving around seemed to help our preparation. For our final recital piece we returned to our original positions to sing Eric Whitaker’s The Seal Lullaby. Later in the morning some of us were back on stage to perform The Hills in the ensemble class.
The competition results were very satisfying, with four trophies won:
- the Diana Pledge Award, for the accompanied piece (Requiem)
- the Holmbury St Mary Challenge Egg, for the unaccompanied piece (We shall walk through the valley)
- the Carey Druce Mary Wakefield Memorial Medal Replica, for the highest aggregate of the day excluding ensemble
- the New Dorking Choral Society Bowl, for the highest aggregate over the two days of the Festival.
These were great results for Holmbury Choral, and particularly for Cole Bendall in his first Festival. It is perhaps worth noting that our highest mark (88) was for We shall walk through the valley, suggesting that singing off-copy and mixing up the vocal parts will be worth repeating in future. A possible area of improvement would be in the ensemble class, which we have failed to get close to winning for many years: more rehearsal time, maybe?
The concert on our day went well. We had feared that the audience would be thin, but, as we stood for the National Anthem, the hall felt reassuringly full. In the first half Handel’s coronation anthem Zadok the Priest, sung with gusto, was followed by a sublime performance by Southern Pro Musica of Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, with their lead violinist Sophie Langdon playing the solo beautifully. Cecilia McDowall’s Laudate came next: this exciting and challenging work, performed well by the orchestra and chorus, unfortunately proved too much of a challenge for the soloist, although the complexity of the work (sung in Latin) probably meant that only those familiar with the score would have realised that anything was amiss. Before the interval the Festival president, Brian Kay, regaled us with amusing stories of past Festival presidents, before awarding the trophies.
The second half of the concert was completely devoted to the main work, Haydn’s Missa in augustiis (Mass for troubled times), commonly known as the ‘Nelson Mass’. The chorus gave an energetic performance with which the Festival conductor, Jonathan Willcocks, seemed well pleased, and the four soloists were excellent. It will surely have helped that many singers from Bookham and Holmbury had performed this work in the 2002 Festival. The final generous applause from the audience concluded a long but satisfying day.
In conclusion, the Leith Hill Musical Festival appears to have successfully negotiated the uncertainties about its immediate future. Cole Bendall has passed a notable milestone by leading Holmbury Choral to a fine result in competition. Holmbury Choral has yet again demonstrated its enduring strengths: a friendly village choir, continuing to set itself high standards and determined to give its best performance.
15th December 2022 St Mary’s Church, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Concert: Peace on Earth
Conductor: Cole Bendell, Piano: Suzy Ruffles
2nd July 2022 St Mary’s Church, Holmbury St Mary
Summer Concert: Stage & Screen
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Piano: Helen Wharmby
Porgy & Bess medley - Gershwin
Let's do it - Porter arr. Blackwell
I got rhythm - Gershwin arr. Clapham
Over the rainbow - Arlen arr. Turner
Ain't misbehavin' - Waller/Brookes arr. Gritton
Va pensiero - Verdi
West side story medley - Bernstein
16th December 2021 St Mary’s Church, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert: A New Heart:
Jesus Christ the apple tree - PostonAway in a manger - arr. Willcocks
Start carol - Rutter
Still, still, still - arr. Ledger
Annunciation; The gold of straw - Manning
Ding dong merrily on high - arr. Willcocks
A new heart - Assersohn
Christmas carol - Bebbington
Sing my child; The parting glass - Quartel
God rest you merry gentlemen - arr. Wiullcocks
Shepherd's pipe carol - Rutter
Sans day carol - arr. Rutter
Hark The herald angels sing - Mendelssohn
13th December 2019 St Mary’s Church, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert: - News of Great Joy
Conductor: Sarah Burston; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
Despite some minor technical issues (trying and not fully succeeding to enable the conductor to make eye contact with the organist), the concert in Holmbury church went without any obvious hitches in front of an appreciative audience. Congratulations and thanks to our guest conductor, Sarah Burston, for her skilful direction of the choir on the night and for excellent preparation work - she had clearly built a good rapport with the choir over the course of the autumn term. The guest organist, Andrew Harrap, and regular pianist, Helen Wharmby, provided secure and sensitive accompaniment throughout. The evening rounded off with festive conversations fuelled by food and drink provided by the choir.
Voices in the mist - Chydenius
This endris night - Randall Stroope
Once in royal David's city - arr. Willcocks
Sussex carol arr. Willcocks
Candlelight carol - Rutter
O little town of Bethlehem - arr. Vaughan Williams
Hush my dear - Hutchings
A spotless rose - Howells
In dulci jubilo - arr. pearsall
Hark! The herald
Allelujia! A new work is come on hand - Reeves
Ding Dong! - arr. Wilberg
The twelve days of Christmas - arr. Rutter
O come all ye faithful
Sunday 7th July 2019, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer concert: Carry me home
This was another highly successful summer concert in front of a packed audience. The choir was ably supported by baritone Tom O’Kelly and accompanist Anthony Merriweather. The main items were highlights from Alan Bullard’s Travelling Tales, which we had first performed at this year’s Leith Hill Musical Festival, and Tom O’Kelly’s performance of The Vagabond and Youth and Love from Songs of Travel by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Other items included: Irish Blessing, Buffalo Gals, Home, sweet home and Ev’ry time I feel the Spirit, all arranged by Bob Chilcott; Shenandoah arranged by James Erb; Orpheus in the Underground, Offenbach’s famous can-can arranged by Cantabile; I do like to be beside the seaside arranged by Andrew Carter; Swing low, sweet chariot arranged by Andrew Pryce Jackman; I want Jesus to walk with me arranged by Roderick Williams; I’m gonna sing ’til the spirit by Moses Hogan; and The Road Home by Stephen Paulus.
Friday 12th April 2019, Leith Hill Musical Festival Green Division: Dorking Halls
Another competition, and yet again we felt that our winning streak must surely come to an end. Carmina Burana is an energetic work (“rhythmic shouting” is one unkind description), and we were not sure that we could do it justice with our relatively modest forces, especially in the selection for the Lower Voices class: ‘In taberna’. Alan Bullard’s Travelling Tales provided a welcome contrast, but was not without its challenges. But yet again we were surprised: wins in all classes except for the Ensemble (in which, bizarrely, we were awarded the lowest mark) and Own Choice classes. While it’s gratifying to have won yet again, it clearly is not much fun for the other choirs to see their hard work come to nought with such monotonous regularity. It is to be sincerely hoped that the deliberations of the Festival Committee will result in a competition that produces more equitable results in the future.
The evening concert went very well, although the decision to replace the usual orchestral accompaniment for Carmina Burana with two pianos and percussion nearly came unstuck, as one of the pianos drifted dangerously out of tune during the performance (no fault of the excellent pianists, Jean Douglas Tutt and Alan Brown). We were delighted that Alan Bullard was able to be present to hear the combined choirs perform his work and to acknowledge the much-deserved applause of an appreciative audience; he also gave out the prizes and make a speech that was exemplary in both content and length.
Thursday 13th December 2018, St Mary’s Church, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert: Noël
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
The choir faced several challenges at this concert: the venue (the church, instead of the usual Village Hall) was unfamiliar; accompaniment by a brass ensemble, with only a single, short rehearsal before the concert, was equally a novelty; not least, the choir had to work a bit harder than usual to follow their conductor, Amy Bebbington, who had completely lost her voice and was therefore having to communicate by rudimentary sign language and through intermediaries. In spite of (or perhaps because of) these challenges, the choir rose to the occasion and gave a disciplined, musical performance of every item on the programme. The professional brass ensemble, Dorking-based Martineau Brass, proved a successful addition to the mix: the choir and brass ensemble were well balanced, the latter being situated in the side-chapel, elevated as if in a minstrels' gallery. Helen Wharmby provided her usual excellent accompaniment, both on the organ and on the piano. The performers were warmly applauded by a larger-than-usual audience, who joined in carols with gusto when given the opportunity. A great way to herald the Christmas season. The programme was (audience joined in those marked *):
O come all ye faithful *
The angel Gabriel - arr. Pettman
Adam lay ybounden - Ord
The first nowell - arr. Willcocks *
O magnum mysterium Victoria
Blessed be that maid Marie - Bebbington
There is no rose - Joubert
A maiden most gentle - arr. arter
God rest you merry gentlemen - arr. Willcocks *
O magnum mysterium - Lauridsen
Jingle Bells - Pierpot arr. Willcocks
Hark! The herald - Mendelssohn *
We wish you a merry Christmas - arr. Warrell
Saturday 7th July 2018, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer concert: Carmina Iocunda – songs for the season
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
On a very warm evening the choir performed a varied programme to an appreciative audience. The choir was joined by the harpist Gabriella dall’Olio, who accompanied much of the programme and also contributed a piece for solo harp (El Picaflor by John Marson). The main items, mostly with harp accompaniment, were: a selection of four pieces from Carmina Iocunda by Sarah Deere-Jones; Hymn to Vena, one of the third group of Gustav Holst’s Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda; and A Fancy of Folksongs by Cecilia MacDowell. Other items were: a setting by our conductor Amy Bebbington of the traditional English folksong The Cuckoo; Holst’s arrangements of the folksong I love my love and the shanty Swansea Town; and two pieces that the choir had sung so successfully in competition at this year’s Leith Hill Musical Festival: a setting by Stephen Chatman of Shakespeare’s song The Cuckoo from Love’s Labours Lost; and Wide Open Spaces by Sarah Quartel, with the harp replacing the usual piano accompaniment.
This may not have been a vintage performance – the heat was largely to blame – but it was a pleasing one nevertheless, with much fine music added to the choir’s repertoire. The sopranos and altos in particular are to be commended for a very creditable performance of Holts’s Hymn to Veda. Many of the choir’s finer qualities were on display, including excellent diction.
Thursday 12th April 2018, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Musical Festival: Green Division:
We approached this year's competition with considerable trepidation. The re-organisation of the Divisions meant that there could be no certainty as to how we would match up to the other choirs (Bookham, Dorking and Mickleham). The choice of main work proved to be particularly challenging, as the chorus contributions to The Kingdom are more fragmentary than in many choral works, and Elgar's constantly shifting dynamics, keys and idiosyncratic tempo markings inevitably caused particular difficulties for those less confident in reading music.
It is therefore a considerable tribute to Amy's persistence and skill as a musical director, that we performed well by our own standards in every class, and won all classes except for the Upper voices (runners-up) and Own choice (runners-up). A score of 92 in the Madrigal class earned us two extra awards for the highest mark not only in that class but in any class.
With a successful competition behind us, we were able to enjoy the evening concert, although not everyone agreed with Jonathan Willcocks' decision to exclude the competition pieces from the programme, and (according to some in the audience) the otherwise excellent orchestra (Southern Pro Musica) sometimes drowned out the chorus in the Elgar.
Francis Cave
Thursday 14th December 2017, Holmbury St Mary Village Hall
Christmas Carol Concert: There’s a song in the air
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
For those lucky enough to get tickets the choir put on one of its best Christmas performances of recent years. Our programme this year comprised: O come, all ye faithful (audience carol) JF Wade, v 6 arr Philip Ledger, Hodie Christus natus est, JP Sweetlinck, What child is this?, Thomas Hewitt Jones, A little child there is yborn, Malcolm Archer, My Lord has Come, Will Todd, O come, O come, Emmanuel (audience carol), 15 cent French, arr Paul L Wright, The Shepherd’s Carol, Bob Chilcott, Nova, Bob Chilcott, The Trees, Sarah Johnson Manning, Ding dong! Merrily on high (audience carol), 15 cent French arr Mack Wilberg, There’s a song in the air, John Hearne, Wassail, Jonathan Wilcocks, See amid the winter’s snow (audience carol), John Goss, arr Paul Leddington Wright, Santa Claus is comin’ to town, Fred Coot, Johnny Marks, arr Chris Mallinson.
Francis Cave
Saturday 1st July 2017, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer concert: Serenity
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby; Cello: Léonie Adams
The choir was on good form for its summer concert, despite misgivings about their readiness for the performance. The audience was very appreciative of this challenging programme of music, mostly by living composers. The choir was accompanied by Helen Wharmby on the piano with her usual aplomb. The ’cello accompaniment and exquisite solo interludes were provided by Léonie Adams—a real treat. As one member of the audience put it: “The overall tranquility of the music seemed so fitting for a church sitting in the middle of fields on a beautiful summer evening.”
Francis Cave
Friday 7th April 2017, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Musical Festival: Division One
Mendelssohn’s Elijah is a huge work, and it dominated this year’s programme for our Division. The competition passages were deliberately selected to be challenging. We also knew that both Oxshott and Buckland & Betchworth choirs were going to give us a run for our money. In the end we did as well as we could have hoped to do, winning all classes except for the Lower Voices class and the Ensemble class, and we also won prizes for the highest score (88) in the Madrigal class across all three Divisions and (with Leatherhead) the joint highest score (89) in the Main Chorus class across all Divisions. It’s a huge tribute to our conductor, Amy Bebbington, that we were so well prepared and were able to give a really consistent performance across most of the classes.
This was the first Festival to be conducted by our new Festival Conductor, Jonathan Willcocks, so both the final afternoon rehearsal following the competition and the evening concert were eagerly anticipated. This was also the first opportunity to sing with the Southern Pro Musica orchestra. In the event the concert went very well. The length of Elijah meant that not only was this the only work performed at the evening concert, but Jonathan Willcocks took it at a brisk pace, to which the combined choir responded well; the result was much enhanced by a fine performance as Elijah by bass soloist Marcus Farnsworth.
Thursday 15th December 2016, Holmbury St Mary Village Hall
Christmas Carol Concert: New Light, New Hope
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
A capacity audience greatly enjoyed the traditional evening of carols and other festive fare. Our programme this year comprised:
Hark! The herald - arr. Willcocks
New boy born - Manning
A little child there is yborn - Archer
My Lord has come - Todd
Silent night - arr. Chilcott *
Away in a manger - arr. Chilcott
Softly - Todd
A maiden most gentle - arr. Carter
Good king Wenceslas - arr. Chilcott *
O little town of Bethlehem - Chilcott
Lord of the dance - arr. Willcocls
Joy to the world - arr. Wilberg *
New year - Rutter
Scots Nativity - Bullard
Mirabile Dictu - Manning
We three kings - arr. Wright *
Saturday 2nd July 2016, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer concert: Shakespeare in song
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby; Double bass: Malcolm Creese
The choir presented George Shearing’s set of Songs and Sonnets from Shakespeare and three of John Rutter’s delightful set of Birthday Madrigals (It was a lover and his lass, Come live with me and When daises pied). Interspersed with appropriate Shakespeare readings, the programme also included: Will Todd’s It was a lover and his lass; Bob Chilcott’s The isle is full of noises; Full fathom five in two versions, by Charles Wood and by Jaakko Mantyjaarvi (Finland); Caliban’s Song by David Hamilton (New Zealand); and the set of three songs An Elizabethan summer (Cuckoo, Golden slumbers kiss your eyes and Come away, sweet love) by Stephen Chatman (Canada).
There was much of the choir’s performance to be pleased with, and it was clearly enjoyed by the audience, but some of the less familiar music was slightly under-rehearsed and there were (for the choir, at least) some anxious moments. Malcolm Creese was a great asset in the Shearing and Rutter (hardly surprising, given his close association with these works from their first performance), and Helen Wharmby provided excellent accompaniment that kept the choir out of serious trouble on several occasions. One or two members of the choir (including the writer!) need to remember not to sing if they're not sure of the right note or the right words...
Thursday 14th April 2016, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Musical Festival: Division One
Despite misgivings about how well prepared we were, especially in the Haydn, we yet again performed well in competition, winning four of the main classes, including the Main Chorus class, and comfortably achieving the highest aggregate in our Division. Most of the choir sang the Madrigal and Part Song from memory, which undoubtedly helped. Particularly pleasing was our success in winning the Own Choice class with a version of Ubi caritas composed by the contemporary Norwegian-born composer Ola Gjeilo. Yet again we failed to impress the adjudicator with our single entry in the Ensemble class, so there's still room for improvement there. The evening concert went well, in Brian Kay's last Festival as Festival Conductor. We look forward to Jonathan Willcocks taking over the baton for the 2017 Festival.
Thursday 17th December 2015, Holmbury St Mary Village Hall
Christmas Carol Concert: Sing Alleluia
The Carol Concert was as popular as ever. The programme was chosen to be a celebration of John Rutter's 70th birthday and of the life and work of Sir David Willcocks, who had died in September. Our programme comprised:
Once in Royal David’s City (audience carol) HJ Gauntlet arr David Willcocks,
O Come Emmanuel 15th Ct French arr Andrew Carter,
Nativity Carol words and music by John Rutter,
O Come all ye faithful (audience carol) JF Wade arr David Willcocks,
Jesus Child words and music by John Rutter
Wexford Carol Trad Irish arr John Rutter
Sussex Carol Trad English arr David Willcocks
God rest you merry gentlemen (audience carol) Trad English arr David Willcocks
Star Carol words and music by John Rutter
Softly words and music Will Todd
Birthday Carol words and music David Willcocks
Away in a Manger (audience carol) WJ Kirkpatrick arr David Willcocks
Mary’s lullaby words and music by John Rutter
Lord of the dance Trad Shaker song adapted Carter, arr David Willcocks
Greensleeves arr Bob Chilcott
Hark the Herald Angels Sing (audience carol) Mendelssohn arr David Willcocks.
Saturday 20th June 2015, Holy Trinity church, Guildford
Summer concert: Fortyssimo
Our conductor Amy Bebbington had conceived this year's summer concert to celebrate a significant birthday, and hence the title: Fortyssimo! Four choirs performed separately in the first half of the programme, then came together after the interval with the mezzo soprano Melanie Marshall to perform John Rutter's cycle of spirituals Feel the Spirit. Holmbury Choral were, of course, one of the four choirs involved, the others being Dorking Camerata, Nota Bene (the Guildford office choir of Stevens & Bolton LLP) and Choros Amici (Choir of the Year in 2000).
Inspired by the sense of occasion, and possibly also by the challenge of performing with Melanie Marshall and a professional-standard choir (Choros Amici), Holmbury Choral gave a clean and spirited performance which delighted its supporters in the audience, especially in what has become our signature work, Morten Lauridsen's Sure on this shining night. Both the other amateur choirs gave good performances, with Dorking Camerata skillfully articulating the tricky Sing a song of sixpence from John Rutter's collection Five Childhood Lyrics, and Nota Bene giving an impressive performance of Adiemus from Karl Jenkins' Songs of Sanctuary. Choros Amici, under their conductor Chris Mallinson, concluded the first half of the concert with some stunning choral acrobatics, and were particularly sublime in Holst's Nunc dimittis.
In the second half Chris Mallinson gave Amy a short break by conducting the combined choirs in a convincing performance of Rachmaninov's Bogorodytse Devo. Finally there was Rutter's Feel the Spirit, in which we had the immense privilege of singing with Melanie Marshall, who had inspired John Rutter to write the work and had sung the solo in the first performance with John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers at Carnegie Hall, New York, in June 2001. The performance was further enhanced by a hugely talented and experienced ensemble of professional instrumentalists.
Friday 10th April 2015, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Music festival: Division One
Another fine year for the choir in the competition, winning all the main classes and winning the Division overall. Much of our success is, of course, down to the skill and dedication of our conductor, Amy Bebbington, who steered us through the competition, in spite of suffering from tonsilitis. The concert was a huge success, with great performances of Bob Chilcott's commission and the Mendelssohn, assisted by the Surrey Festival Orchestra on fine form and an excellent clutch of soloists.
Dances of Time, Chilcott
Hymn of Praise, Mendelssohn
Fire, fire!, Morley
O mistress mine, Carter
May , Gibbs
All through the night, arr. Christopher
As water to the thirsty, Barnard
Bogoroditse Devo, Rachmaninov
Thursday 18th December 2014, Holmbury St Mary Village Hall
Christmas Concert
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
A packed Village Hall heard the choir perform a particularly successful programme. Amy taught the audience to sing a Christmas round and interludes between the carols included a particularly moving reading by Sam Henderson of the poem The Christmas Truce by Carol Ann Duffy, the Poet Laureate. The programme included the following plus congregational carols:
Manchester Carol No 9: Mirabile Dictu - words by Carol Ann Duffy set to music by Sasha Johnson Manning
Manchester Carols Nos 8 & 1: The Gold of Straw, New Boy Born - words by Carol Ann Duffy set to music by Sasha Johnson Manning
Remember, O thou man - words by Thomas Ravenscroft set to music by Bob Chilcott
Bogoroditse Devo - Sergei Rachmaninov
O come, O come Emmanuel - Andrew Carter
Ceremonies - Patrick Larley
Christmas-tide - Lewis arr. Chilcott
Mid-winter - C. Rossetti arr. R. Chilcott
Silent Night - Franz Gruber
Jingle Bells - J. Pierpont arr. David Willcocks
We wish you a merry Christmas - Traditional arr. A. Warrell
Tuesday 16th December 2014
Appearance on The One Show, BBC 1
In the edition of The One Show broadcast on BBC 1 on Tuesday 16th December Holmbury St Mary Choral Society sang Ralph Vaughan Williams' setting of the well-known Christmas hymn O little town of Bethlehem, which we recorded in Holy Trinity church, Forest Green, on Monday 1st December. Conducted by Amy Bebbington, with Helen Wharmby providing organ accompaniment, we had great fun making the recording with Giles Brandreth, Andrew Gant (composer and author of the book Christmas Carols: A Celebration) and an appreciative local audience.
Saturday 5th July 2014, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer Concert: Everyone Sang
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
Baritone: Mark Nathan
This was yet another really successful summer concert devised and conducted by Amy Bebbington; some members of the audience described it as the "best ever". The programme, inspired by the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, caught the imagination of the choir at an early stage in rehearsal and the performance reflected a genuine enthusiasm for the music.
To open the programme, Mark Nathan, currently studying for a Masters degree in singing at the Royal College of Music, sang the baritone solo with great gusto in a performance with the choir of Charles Stanford's Songs of the Fleet. The choir then sang the first three of C Hubert Parry's Songs of Farewell: My soul there is a country, I know my soul hath power and Never weather-beaten sail. Following a short interval, the choir gave its second public performance of Picnic: July 1917, the work commissioned from Mike Sheppard, which had been our successful Own Choice piece at the Festival earlier in the year. Mark Nathan then sang a selection of three songs from Ralph Vaughan Williams' Songs of travel, with a sensitive piano accompaniment provided by the ever-dependable Helen Wharmby: The vagabond, The roadside fire and Whither must I wander. There were then two choral arrangements of Siegfried Sassoon's poem Everyone sang, the first by Honey Smith and the second by Bob Chilcott (from his song series Singing by numbers). Mark Nathan then sang the solo in a performance with the choir of Howard Goodall's Do not stand by my grave and weep (from Eternal Light: A Requiem).
The programme ended with Ian Assersohn's arrangements of two well-known First World War songs: There's a long, long trail a-winding and It's a long way to Tipperary. Helen Wharmby's piano-playing throughout the evening was superb, and there were excellent poetry readings from Sam Henderson, Hilary Swift and Phil Thomas.
Thursday 10th April 2014, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Music festival: Division One
Another successful year for Holmbury St Mary Choral Society, winning in all classes except for the part song and the ensemble. Division 1 was joined for the first time by Buckland & Betchworth, who were impressive and were deservedly runners-up overall. It was a particular pleasure to win the own choice class with our commissioned work composed by Mike Sheppard - there will be another chance to hear it at our summer concert. The Division 1 concert that evening was widely recognised as one of the best choral performances from this Division for many.
Missa Brevis in B-flat, Mozart;
Requiem for an Angel, Carr;
Now is the gentle season, Morley;
Feasting I watch, Elgar;
Charles Augustus Fortescue , Bullard;
Ching-A-Ring Chaw, Copland;
The long day closes, Sullivan;
Picnic: July 1917, Sheppard
Thursday 19th December 2013, St Mary's Church, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert: Mirabile Dictu
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
A large and appreciative audience gathered in Holmbury church to hear the choir sing its Christmas programme, somewhat depleted by seasonal colds (particularly in the alto section) but determined to uplift and entertain as usual. The size of choir meant that the majority were on the chancel steps, or just below that, but most of the basses were behind the chancel screen. This presented some challenges for achieving a good ensemble at times, but overall the programme provided a successful mix, with Sasha Johnson Manning's Manchester Carols being particularly warmly received by the audience. Hilary Swift, Sam Henderson and Phil Thomas provided appropriate and amusing interludes (the “readings” were in fact delivered from memory), and special thanks must go to Cindy Frostick for her flute acrobatics in The Gold of Straw, to Helena Wharmby for her usual impeccable accompaniment and not least to Amy Bebbington for helping us achieve our best (and for her forebearance when occasionally our best wasn't perhaps quite as good as she would have liked).
The concert included the following plus congregational carols:
Once in Royal David's City - HJ Gauntlett
Adam lay ybounden - 15th Century English carol arr. Boris Ord
The Little Road to Bethlehem - Words by Margaret Rose set to music by Michael Head
Manchester Carols Nos 1, 8 & 9: New Boy Born, The Gold of Straw, Mirabile Dictu -
Words by Carol Ann Duffy set to music by Sasha Johnson Manning
A New Year Carol - Benjamin Britten
Blessed be that Maid Marie - Words by G.R. Woodward set to music by Amy Bebbington
In Dulci Jubilo - Old German carol arr. R.L. Pearsall / W.J. Westbrook
I saw Mummy kissing Santa Claus - Words and music by Tommie Connor arr. Richard Allain
I saw Three Ships - English carol arr. Ian Humphris
Torches - Galician carol set to music by John Joubert
Saturday 6th July 2013, St James' church, Abinger Common - Summer concert: Light, Liberation, Love
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
Soloists: Cindy Frostick, Karan Humphries, Sarah Burston, Tim Brine, David Finnigan, Francis cave, Philip Rawlings
An appreciative audience were treated to a fine concert on a glorious summer's evening in Abinger Common. The choir were accompanied for most of the programme by an ensemble comprising a string quintet (Mihkel Kerem and Björn Kleiman, violin; Thomas Leate, viola; Tae-Mi Song, violoncello; Kristina Edin, double bass) and regular accompanist Helen Wharmby on piano. The string ensemble sounded just right in Michael Higgins' arrangement of Fauré's Requiem for choir, string quintet and organ (with piano substituting for organ), making one hope that the composer would have approved. The strings definitely enhanced the exotic atmosphere of Eric Whitacre's Five Hebrew Love Songs with judicious uses of decoration and portamento. To mark this year's Britten centenary celebrations a sub-choir gave a solid performance of Britten's song The Evening Primrose (from Five Flower Songs), and this was followed by the Waltz form Britten's Three Divertimenti for string quartet. The concert ended with a rousing performance of Tippet's Five Negro Spirituals (from A Child of Our Time), arranged for choir, piano and string quintet by Mike Sheppard (who was in the audience).
Many in the audience commented afterwards that this had been one of the most successful summer concerts for several years.
Saturday 13th April 2013, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Musical Festival: Division One
This was yet another successful year for Holmbury St Mary Choral Society. The competition was thankfully more balanced than in some past years, with Oxshott winning three of the seven classes, but our performances in the Madrigal and Main Chorus classes in particular helped to give us the edge. We won - outright on this occasion - the Keith Willis trophy for the highest mark in the Madrigal class across all three Divisions. The evening concert was a great success.
Coronation Mass, Mozart; Lux Aeterna, Lauridsen; To shorten winter's sadness, Weelkes; Sing as one, Assersohn; It was a lover and his lass, Willcocks; The farmer's boy, Vaughan Williams; Linden Lea, Vaughan Williams; Here comes the sun, Harrison.
Thursday 13th December 2012, Village Hall, Holmbury St Mary
Carol Concert
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
Yet another memorable evening singing carols to a packed village hall. The evening started with a slightly hesitant performance of Victoria's O Magnum Mysterium, but the choir soon warmed up after that, giving a sensitive rendition of the Vaughan Williams arrangement of The truth from above. The duet A dream of Christmas, sung by Elizabeth Dobson and Hilary Swift, was particularly effective. The audience were particularly appreciative of Winter's Promise by local composer Anna Tabbush, sung by a semi-chorus, which takes a satirical look at the commercialisation of Christmas, particularly the obsession with food. The singing ended as it began, with O Magnum Mysterium, but this time as set by American choral composer Morten Lauridsen – his music seems to suit the choir, and this was no exception. A fitting end to a highly successful year, for which much of the credit must go to our conductor Amy Bebbington and accompanist Helen Wharmby.
O Magnum Mysterium - T.L. de Victoria;
Sans Day carol - Traditional Cornish arr. J. Rutter
The truth from above - Traditional English arr. R. Vaughan Williams
Ding,dong! merrily on high - arr. G.R. Woodward / D. Willcocks
Jazz Gloria - Anon
Jesus Christ the apple tree - E. Poston
Sir Christemas - W. Mathias
Winter's Promise - Sung by a semi-chorus A. Tabbush
Santa Baby - J. Javits / T. Springer arr. R. Allain
Jingle Bells - J. Pierpont arr. D. Willcocks
Wassail Song - Traditional English arr. R. Vaughan Williams
O Magnum Mysterium - M. Lauridsen
Friday 1st June 2012, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer concert: Jubilate
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Ed Sutton
The summer concert this year was brought forward from its normal occurrence in early July to the Jubilee weekend at the beginning of June. This meant a restricted series of rehearsals, especially for those choir members who weren't able to attend the away weekend of rehearsals and informal concert at Eype church in Dorset at the beginning of May. In the event, the choir delivered an excellent performance to a packed and appreciative audience. The final programme was as follows:
Zadok the Priest - George Frederic Handel
Ave Maria - Franz Biebl
Ubi caritas et amor - Maurice Duruflé
Ubi caritas et amor - Paul Mealor
The Hills - John Ireland
The Turtle Dove - Ralph Vaughan Williams
Five Mystical Songs - Ralph Vaughan Williams
Londonderry Air - Bob Chilcott
Hine e hine (Maori lullaby) - David Hamilton
Asakhi Thali / Hamba Lulu / Mangwani (African songs) - Mike Brewer
Gloria - John Rutter
Friday 13th April 2012, Dorking Halls -
Despite some uncertainties about our preparedness for this year's Festival, we achieved a Festival "first" by winning every class in Division 1. We also shared the new Keith Willis trophy with Leatherhead for the highest score in the Madrigal class across all Divisions. A vintage year indeed, for which we are hugely indebted to our conductor, Amy Bebbington.
The competition schedule was:
Requiem, Brahms (in English)
Mother, I will have a husband, Vautor
Londonderry Air, arr. Chilcott
Peter Piper, Bridge
To the ploughboy, Vaughan Williams
The Younger Generation, Ira Gershwin / Copland
Ain't misbehavin', Waller / Brooks arr. Gritton
Thursday 15th December 2011, Village Hall, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert: Joy to the world
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
The Carol Concert provided plenty of variety for a capacity audience. There were rather more solo opportunities than in previous years, which enabled us to show off some of the fine individual voices we have, And it was also the first opportunity for our accompanist, Helen Wharmby, to perform with us, including in some duets with Amy Bebbington.
A maid most gentle - French traditional arr. A. Carter
I wonder as I wander - Appalacian carol arr. J. Rutter
I saw three ships - English traditional arr. J. Rutter
A spotless rose - H. Howells
Piano duets: Away in a manger, Good Christian men rejoice - Perfomed by Amy Bebbington and Helen Wharmby arr. G.M. Martin
When Santa got stuck up the chimney - J. Grafton arr. M. Martin
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day - English traditional arr. D. Willcocks
Bethlehem Down - P. Warlock
Birthday carol - D. Willcocks
In the bleak midwinter - H. Darke
We wish you a merry Christmas - Traditional arr. A. Warrell
Sunday 23rd October 2011, Dorking Halls
ABCD Gala Concert: Five by Five
We were pleased to join four other choirs to perform an evening of varied choral music, organised by the Association of British Choral Directors. Each choir sang five pieces from their repertoire. We sang: My spirit sang all day (Finzi); It was a lover and his lass (Shearing); Il est bel et bon (Passereau); Sure on this shining night (Lauridsen); Ev'ry time I feel the spirit (arr. Chilcott). The four other choirs taking part were Crawley Youth Choir, JuSSt Voices, London Latvian Choir and Cantatrice.
Saturday 2nd July 2011, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer concert: My spirit sang all day
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Helen Wharmby
The summer concert was particularly successful. A large audience was treated to a programme of madrigals and part-songs, almost all taken from the Oxford ‘Madrigals and Partsongs’. As a change from previous years, the concert was all choral music and was performed without an interval, allowing refreshments to be enjoyed at the end without time constraints.
Bonjour mon coeur - Orlande de Lassus
My bonny lass she smileth - Now is the month of maying (ensemble)
Thomas Morley - Fair Phyllis I saw sitting all alone - John Farmer
Il est bel et bon - Pierre Passereau
The blue bird - Charles Villiers Stanford
As torrents in summer - Edward Elgar
My spirit sang all day - Gerald Finzi
The evening primrose - Benjamin Britten
La nuit froide et sombre (ensemble) - Orlande de Lassus
Lay a garland - Robert Pearsall
The long day closes - Arthur Sullivan
Sleep - Eric Whitacre
Thursday 14th April 2011, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Musical Festival:Division One:
Another successful year, As in 2010 we won the Division overall and won all but three classes: Part Song, Ensemble and Own Choice. The concert in the evening went very well, with a good performance of both the Beethoven and the Vaughan Williams, and a memorable performance of the Brahms.
The competition schedule was:
Mass in C, L. van Beethoven
In Windsor Forest, R. Vaughan Williams arr. for SSAA Foote
Alto Rhapsody, J. Brahms
Fine knacks for ladies, J. Dowland
Come live with me, W. Sterndale Bennett
With a voice of singing, M. Shaw
Wedding Chorus (from In Windsor Forest), R. Vaughan Williams
The Water of Tyne, arr. W. Gillies Whittaker
Rock-a my soul, arr. K. Shaw
Thursday 16th December 2010, Village Hall, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert: The time of Snow
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: John Philpotts
With snow falling as the concert got under way, the title could not have been more appropriate. The slippery conditions outside meant that the hall wasn't completely packed, but full enough to create a good atmosphere, encouraging the choir to give of its best to an appreciative audience.
The programme was:
Adam lay ybounden - Traditional arr. B. Ord
Masters in this Hall - W. Morris / Traditional arr. D. Willcocks
The Saviour of the world is born - Traditional arr. G. Holst
The Three Kings - P. Cornelius arr. I. Atkins
The time of snow - R. Chilcott
Mid-winter - C. Rossetti arr. R. Chilcott
Te Harinui - Macky / New Zealand Traditional arr. I. Assersohn
See amid the winter's snow - Caswell / Goss arr. O'Donovan
Never do a tango with an Eskimo - Connor arr. O'Donovan
Saturday 10th July 2010, The Steyning Centre, Steyning, West Sussex; Sunday 11th July 2010, Belmont School, Holmbury St Mary
Summer concert: Much Ado About...
Conductors: Amy Bebbington, Zoe Peate; Accompanists: Lesley Starr, Laura Skuce
The summer concert in collaboration with the Kaleidoscope Singers was a great success. The two choirs are of a comparable standard and blended well. We hope very much to collaborate with the same choir again at some future date.
The programme included the following arrangements of songs and sonnets by William Shakespeare.
Sung by Kaleidoscope
O mistress mine
Shall I compare thee - Lindberg
Blow, blow thou winter wind
Sigh no more, ladies - Clausen
Sung by Holmbury
Live with me and be my love - G. Shearing
When daffodils begin to peer - G. Shearing
It was a lover and his lass - G. Shearing
Fie on sinful fantasy - G. Shearing
Hey, ho, the wind and the rain - G. Shearing
Sung by the combined choirs
Who is Sylvia? - B. Finn
Kate (Men's song) - R. Morris Gray
Spring (Ladies' song)
The cloud-capped towers - R. Vaughan Williams
Over hill, over dale - R. Vaughan Williams
It was a lover and his lass - J. Rutter
Saturday 17th April 2010, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival: Division One
Despite the disappointment of not winning the Own Choice and Ensemble classes, we could hardly be disappointed by another overall win, and by a good margin. The evening concert was particularly memorable, the English Festival Orchestra being on fine form and Anna Stéphany providing us with a real treat in her singing of Elgar's Sea Pictures, before joining the combined chorus in a creditable performance of The Music Makers.
The competition schedule was:
The Music Makers, E. Elgar
Three Songs of Praise, G. Dyson
See, see the shepherd's Queen, T. Tomkins
A Poet's Hymn (No. 3 from Three Songs of Praise), G. Dyson
Come, let's be merry, N. Stone
An Eriskay love lilt, arr. G. Arch
Sweet Day, R. Vaughan Williams
Black is the colour, traditional arr. A. Bebbington
Thursday 17th December 2009, Village Hall, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert: Te Harinui
Conductor: Ian Assersohn; Accompanist: Lesley Starr; Flute; Chris Hammond
A packed village hall - despite the icy roads - was treated to a vintage carol concert. Ian Assersohn, nursing a thick cold, brought his brief tenure as stand-in conductor to a suitably jolly and satisfying conclusion. In addition to the choral programme we were treated to a Dylan Thomas Christmas story, read by Jean Ridgers, and the more-or-less obligatory piano duet played by Ian Assersohn and our accompanist, Lesley Starr. Special mention should also go to Chris Hammond, who added a flute obligato to several of Ian Assersohn's compositions.
Te Harinui - Macky arr. Assersohn
In dulci jubilo - Traditional arr. Jenkins
Silent Night - Gruber arr. Jenkins
Lullay - Jenkins
Go, tell it on the mountain - Traditional arr. Jenkins
Sleep, Child of Winter - Jenkins
Son of Maria - Traditional arr. Jenkins
Deck the hall, stairs and landing - Assersohn
O Holy Night - Adam arr. Assersohn
Sans Day Carol - Cornish traditional arr. Rutter
Christmas-tide - Lewis arr. Chilcott
For Him all stars have shone - Jennings arr. Chilcott
The Twelve Days of Christmas - Traditional
Saturday 4th July 2009, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer Concert: My Luve's like a Melodie – a celebration of American Music
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Lesley Starr; Violin: Neil Ferris
On a balmy Independence Day evening we presented a programme of American choral music, with something for everyone. A surprise addition to the programme was a song set to music by Philip Glass, sung by a small ensemble. An audience of around 100 made St James' church feel comfortably full. The choir gave a solid performance all round, and the audience were warmly enthusiastic about the whole programme: it was a great way to round of the 2009 season. The programme was as follows:
Deep River - Spiritual; arr Paul Hart
Shenandoah - American folksong; arr James Erb
Ride the Chariot - Spiritual; arr. William Henry Smith
Rock-a My Soul - Spiritual; arr Kirby Shaw
Thou Lovely and Beloved (1923) - Robert Young (b 1923) Words: Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Choose Something Like a Star - Randall Thompson (1899-1984), Words: Robert Frost
O My Luve’s Like a Red, Red Rose - Rene Clausen (b 1953), Text: Robert Burns
And So It Goes - Words and Music: Billy Joel, arr Bob Chilcott
Quands les hommes vivront d'amour - (performed by vocal ensemble) Philip Glass, Words: Raymond Lévesque
Sure On This Shining Night - Morten Lauridsen, Words: James Agee
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot - Spiritual, arr Andrew Pryce Jackman
Ev’ry Time I Feel The Spirit - Spiritual, arr. Bob Chilcott
Friday 17th April 2009, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Festival: Dision One
What a day! We assembled for our private warm-up at 8:10 am, before joining the other choirs in Division 1 for a combined warm-up, the Festival Song and announcement of test pieces. The part song was the first class to be performed, followed by the madrigal, followed by the women's and men's songs in the Martineau Hall. It had already become clear that Oxshott were very well prepared and were going to give us a run for our money. So at the mid-morning break we were delighted to find ourselves with wins in all four classes.
After the break we were first on stage to sing the test pieces. We never really got settled into the extract from the Foundling Hospital Anthem, but gave a pretty solid performance of The Storm from Willcocks' A Great and Glorious Victory. Then over to the Martineau Hall again for the ensemble class, with our Ensemble No 1 favourites but with rumours that Ensemble No 2 could mount a challenge. In the event we weren't surprised to lose the main chorus class to Oxshott – and nor were we particularly surprised that Ensemble No 1 continued its winning streak. We felt that Ensemble No 2 were judged rather harshly coming equal-fourth out of eight.
So we had won the Division overall, missing out only on one of the main classes. But perhaps the sweetest success of all came in the Own Choice class, which we not only won with Sure on this shining night (despite having a point deducted for being slightly over time), but much to our surprise we were asked to sing it again during the evening concert. Several of us are of the opinion that this had as much to do with the marvellously sensitive accompaniment from our regular accompanist, Lesley Starr, as anything else.
The concert was a great occasion, with Brian Kay wielding the baton as usual and Jonathan Willcocks distributing the banners and cups. The soloists Rhona McKail (soprano), Stephanie Lewis (mezzo) and Andrew Staples (tenor) were all excellent, and the English Festival Orchestra was on fine form. The only blemish was that the part song went off the rails, mainly because of a false start in the alto section and the inability of the sopranos to hear the piano accompaniment, resulting in poor tuning.
The competition schedule was:
A Great and Glorious Victory, J. Willcocks
Foundling Hospital Anthem, G. Handel
Zadok the Priest, G. Handel
Hark all ye lovely Saints, T. Weelkes
The Gift to be simple, R. Chilcott
False Phyllis, E. Thiman
How lovely are Thy Dwellings, H. Smart
A Sweet Country Life, I. Holst
Sure on this shining night, J. Agee / M. Lauridsen
Thursday 11th December 2008, Village Hall, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert: Sure on this Shining Night
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Lesley Starr
This was one of the best-attended carol concerts of recent years, and the audience were not disappointed. The choir gave solid performances of pretty much everything on the programme. The two pieces destined to be sung at the Leith Hill Musical Festival in 2009 were well received. A success all round. The programme was:
Have yourself a merry little Christmas - Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane arr. Peter Gritton Follow that star - Peter Gritton
Jesus Child - John Rutter
A maiden most gentle
Blessed be that Maid Marie - Amy Bebbington
Winter wonderland - Dick Smith and Felix Bernard
Santa Claus is coming to town - Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coot
Sussex Carol - English traditional arr. David Willcocks
The gift to be simple - Traditional Shaker tune arr. Bob Chilcott
Sure on this shining night - James Agee / Morten Lauridsen
Saturday 12th July 2008, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer Concert: Summer Chansons
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Lesley Starr; Cello: Michael Wigram
The rain held off. The setting sun smiled on St James' Church and the singers, musicians and audience within. A packed church was rewarded with a (somewhat depleted) Choral Society giving one of its best performances outside the Festival for many years. The quality of music was much enhanced by Michael Wigram, ’cello, and Lesley Starr (our regular accompanist), piano – as well as by the generous acoustics – but most of the credit for the choir's performance, and the overall success of the event, must surely go to our conductor, Amy Bebbington, whose efforts in selecting the right programme for the resources available, and in voicing and training us so meticulously, resulted in confident performances throughout the programme. Michael Wigram's superb rendition of Après un Rêve will linger long in the memories of many who were there.
The programme was:
Panis Angelicus (choir, piano and ’cello) - César Franck
Quatre Motets sur des thèmes grégoriens: Ubi caritas, Tota pulchra es, Tu es Petrus, Tantum ergo - Maurice Duruflé
Habañera (’cello and piano) - Maurice Ravel
Ecce Fidelis (soprano, baritone, ’cello and piano) - Gabriel Fauré
Après un Rêve (’cello and piano) - Gabriel Fauré
Sancta Maria(choir, soprano, baritone and piano) - Gabriel Fauré
Cantique de Jean Racine (choir, piano and ’cello) - Gabriel Fauré
I love my love (Cornish folksong) - Gustav Holst
Ffrom Five English Folk Songs: The dark eyed sailor , The spring time of the year , Just as the tide was flowing - Ralph Vaughan Williams
Thursday 10th April 2008, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival: Division One
This was a vintage year for Holmbury St Mary Choral Society! We won all the main classes and the Ensemble class. It was with a mixture of disappointment and relief that we didn't win the Own choice class, because to have "swept the board" would have been something of an embarrassment. The judge felt that we didn't quite "pull it off" with Tea for two, and I don't think there would be any serious disagreement about that. There was perhaps most disappointment that Ensemble 1, who (in this writer's opinion – and I was conducting!) put in their best performance, were not awarded a higher mark.
The ladies put in the best performance of the day, with a very moving performance of Bob Chilcott's The Lily and the Rose, and deservedly shared the prize for the highest mark (90) in any class in any Division over the three days. The men surpassed themselves by winning their class ("we never do!"). The Vaughan Williams arrangement of Down Among the Dead Men suited our forces, but it is to be hoped that Bob Chilcott can be persuaded to write something as beautiful as The Lily and the Rose (for which he rightly received an ovation in the concert) for the men to sing in a future competition!
The concert in the evening was also a great occasion, with a particularly fine quartet of soloists in the Haydn. Brian Kay exhibited all his usual passion, commitment and sense of fun. The English Festival Orchestra was generally on excellent form – especially in the Haydn Paukenmesse and the Mozart Serenata Notturno – but there were some comments that they somewhat overwhelmed the chorus towards the end of the Vaughan Williams (there was no shortage of sound on the chorus side of the proscenium arch, so the poor acoustics of the hall must be partly to blame).
A good set of photographs taken during our day can be browsed on the Leith Hill Musical Festival website.
The Division One programme for 2008 was:
Paukenmesse, J. Haydn
Towards the Unknown Region, R. Vaughan Williams
Shoot False Love I Care Not, Pearsall
Never Weatherbeaten Sail, C.H. Parry
Down Among the Dead Men, R. Vaughan Williams
The Lily and the Rose, R. Chilcott
My Love's an Arbutus, C.V. Stanford
Tea for two V. Youmans / I. Caesar, arr. P. Gritton
Thursday 13th December 2007, Village Hall, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert
Conductor: Amy Bebbington; Accompanist: Lesley Starr
This year's programme deliberately saw an increase in audience participation over previous years. One of several highpoints was provided by the (ultimately) successful attempt of our conductor, Amy Bebbington, to teach the audience and choir the round 'Freezing Fingers', complete with hand-movements. A packed hall enjoyed the usual diet of Christmas favourites, sacred and (especially in the case of 'Jingle Bells') profane, as well as the usual interval refreshments. Amy is to be congratulated on putting together a programme that the choir enjoyed singing as much as the audience enjoyed hearing.
The programme was:
O come, O come Emmanuel - French 15th C / Anon.
O little town of Bethlemen
O Magnum Mysterium - Victoria
Blessed be that Maid Marie - Amy Bebbington
Good King Wenceslas - Piano duet performed by Amy Bebbington and Lesley Starr - Gilbert M. Martin
Good King Wenceslas
For Him all stars have shone
Mid-winter - Bob Chilcott
Here we come a-wassailing
Winter wonderland - Dick Smith and Felix Bernard
Freezing fingers - Participatory round for choir and audience!
Gabriel's message - Basque carol, arr. David Willcocks
Isaw three ships
What child is this?
Sussex Carol - Bob Chilcott
Sleigh ride - Piano duet performed by Amy Bebbington and Lesley Starr - Leroy Anderson arr. Pamela Wedgwood
Santa Claus is coming to town - Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coot
O come all ye faithful
Jingle Bells - James Pierpont arr. David Blackwell
Saturday 13th October 2007, Dorking Halls
Mole Valley Arts Festival Concert: Leith Hill Unleashed
We contributed to a varied programme that featured several choirs representing all three Divisions of the Leith Hill Musical Festival, singing separately but not in competition. The concert also featured one of the winners of the Youth Choirs competition this year, and the Festival's regular accompanist, Alan Brown, gave a stunning performance of piano works by Chopin and E J Moeran.
Our contributions were:
All my trials, Lord arranged by Bob Chilcott
Let's do it by Cole Porter
Saturday 23rd July 2007, Holy Trinity Parish Church, Westcott
The programme was much the same as for the concert on 7th July, but included extracts from Palestrina's Missa Brevis and the motet by Stanford Justorum animae.
Saturday 7th July 2007, Morchard Bishop, Devon
Summer Tour Concert
Conductor: Tim Uglow; Accompanist: Lesley Starr
This was the last event at which the Choral Society was conducted by Tim Uglow, before his move from Surrey to Worksop. We sang a varied programme of mostly sacred music in the first half, followed after the interval by madrigals, songs from Broadway musicals and finishing with a series of spirituals. The choral contributions to the programme (there were organ and piano interludes provided by Tim Uglow and our accompanist, Lesley Starr) were:
Exultate Deo - Palestrina
Abendlied - Rheinberger
Ave Verum Corpus - Mozart
Psalm 23 - Goodall
Il est bel et bon - Passereau
Com gentle swains - Cavendish
Water and wine - Haydn
Somwhere over the rainbow - Arlen
Blue Moon - Rodgers
All my trials Lord - Chilcott
Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel - Hart
Deep River - Hart
Ev'ry time I feel the spirit - Chilcott
Saturday 14th April 2007, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Music Festival: Division One
The 2007 competition started disappointingly for us. At the mid-morning break we had achieved two second-places and two third-places, leaving us trailing 10 points behind the leaders, Oxshott. Perhaps knowing that we had nothing to lose – catching Oxshott would be practically impossible – helped us to feel more relaxed in the remaining three classes, all of which we proceeded to win (Full chorus, Ensemble and Own choice). In the Ensemble class it was gratifying to gain an extra accolade by achieving (with two other choirs) the highest mark awarded in this year's competition (90 points). So, in the end, we had much to be satisfied with.
The concert was a great success. Encouraged by the baton of Brian Kay, the superb playing of the baroque ensemble Canzona, and the equally superb singing of five soloists, the combined choirs gave of their best and contributed to memorable performances of the Purcell and C.P.E. Bach in front of a packed house. With the composer, David Stone, in the audience, the women were obliged to sing Up in the morning twice – and did so in sparkling fashion.
The Division One programme for 2007 was as follows:
Magnificat C.P.E. Bach
Ode on St Cecilia's Day (1692),H. Purcell
Come gentle swains, M. Cavendish
Water and wine, J. Haydn arr. Jacobson
Polly Perkins, N. Gilbert
No. 4 from Winter: Up in the Morning, D. Stone
I Drew my Ship, D. Austin
Blue Moon Rogers and Hart
Thursday 14th December 2006, W.I. Hall, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert
The choir had put on an ambitious programme with something for everyone. The selection from Britten's Ceremony of Carols. proved particularly successful. The Poulenc motets probably needed one or two more rehearsals to have sounded really confident, but the first half ended well with a very atmospheric rendering of Chilcott's Lully, lulla. After the usual excellent mulled wine and nibbles in the interval, recollection of the remainder of the programme is somewhat hazy... A particular mention should be made of the splendid piano duets performed by our conductor Tim Uglow and – stepping in at short notice – Lesley Starr, who normally sings Alto but is for the time being filling the gap left by the departure of our regular accompanist.
The main programme was as follows:
A selection from the Ceremony of Carols: Procession, Wolcum Yule!, There is no Rose, As dew in Aprille, This little Babe, Deo gracias, Recession - Benjamin Britten
O Magnum Mysterium, Hodie Christus Natus Est - Francis Poulenc
Piano duet: Sonata for four hands - Francis Poulenc
Christmastide, Lully, lulla, though little tiny child, Mid-winter - Bob Chilcott
Jesus Christ, the apple tree - Elizabeth Poston
Piano duet: From foreign lands (Spanish dance) - Moritz Moszkowski
Away in a manger
Coventry Carol
Gaudete!
Still, still, still
Sussex Carol
Where riches everlasting
Saturday 11th November 2006, Holy Trinity Parish Church, Westcott
Remembrance Day Concert
In the first half of the concert the theme of remembrance ran through the programme from Richard Farrant's lovely Call to remembrance written in the 16th century to Bob Chilcott's very contemporary carol Remember, O thou man. The chronological journey included works by Purcell, Duruflé and Puccini – Puccini's rarely heard Requiem was splendidly accompanied by Myfanwy Walters on the viola, and Purcell's When I am laid in earth was beautifully sung by Lucy Cronin.
The most challenging piece in the first half was Purcell's Jehova quam multi hostes mei - a setting in 5 parts of Psalm 3. The choir brought out well the changes of mood and tempo, and two of the choir members, Francis Cave (tenor) and David Futcher (bass) gave convincing solos.
The second half of the concert consisted of Faure's Requiem. This delicate and demanding work sounds much easier than it is. The performance overall was sensitive and well phrased and articulated, both by the choir and by Lucy Cronin and David Futcher as soloists.
The large audience was rightly very appreciative of the performances, and the choir and soloists, Timothy Uglow as conductor and Gavin Roberts as organ accompanist were long and warmly applauded.
Richard Frost
The final programme was as follows:
Call to remembrance - Richard Farrant
Remember not, Lord, our offences - Henry Purcell
Voluntary in D – Timothy Uglow, organ, Henry Purcell
Jehova, quam multi sunt hostes mei – Henry Purcell. Soloists: Francis Cave, tenor, and David Futcher, bass
When I am laid in earth (from Dido and Aeneas) – Lucy Cronin, soprano, Henry Purcell
Prelude from Suite, Opus 5 – Gavin Roberts, organ. Maurice Duruflé
Requiem - Giacomo Puccini – Myfanwy Walters, viola
Repose - Mansell Thomas – Timothy Uglow, organ, Myfanwy Walters, viola
Preludio from Sonata in E flat minor, Opus 119, No 6 - Josef Rheinberger, Timothy Uglow, organ
Remember, O thou man - Bob Chilcott
Requiem - Gabriel Faure: Introit; Kyrie; Offertorium,;Sanctus; Pie Jesu – Lucy Cronin, soprano; Agnus Dei; Libera me – soloist: David Futcher, bass; In Paradisum
Saturday 24th June 2006, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer concert
This concert was judged a success by all concerned. The church was packed. The weather was kind. The interval food and wine helped to create a mellow atmosphere for the lighter second half after more serious business of the first half. The idea of singing as we processed to our places at the start of each half worked very well. The choir gave some very good performances throughout and the Holywell String Quartet and vocal soloists Abigail Boreham (Soprano), Annalise Roy (Alto), Anirban Roy (Tenor) and Richard Hooper (Bass) performed superbly and contributed greatly to a memorable evening. This was our programme.
Mass in G - Franz Schubert. Kyrie; Gloria; Sanctus; Benedictus; Agnus Dei
Popular Verse Anthems and Fantasias for Strings - Henry Purcell. Rejoice in the Lord; Fantasia Upon One Note; O God, Thou Art My God; Fantasia No. 6; Jehova Quam Multi sunt hostes mei; Fantasia No. 7; Thy Word is a Lantern; Fantasia No.8; O Sing Unto to the Lord
All my trials Lord - Bob Chilcott
Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel - Paul Hart
Deep River - Paul Hart
Ev'ry time I feel the spirit -Bob Chilcott
Friday 21st April 2006, Dorking Halls - Leith Hill Musical Festival: Division One
This year's Division 1 competition provided a nail-biting finish! At the mid-morning break the results of four classes had been declared: we had won the madrigal class, but Oxshott had won the part song, men's and women's song classes, and they were three points ahead! With only one more class to determine the winner of the highest aggregate score, we didn't fancy our chances. So it was with some surprise, as well as obvious delight, that we beat Oxshott by four points in the full chorus class and so won the highest aggregate score by just one mark! Nevertheless, our marks were somewhat lower that we might have hoped to achieve, and there were salutory lessons in this year's competition about the value of preparation and the value of learning as much of the music as possible by heart.
The evening concert for our Division contained several memorable highlights, started with the English Festival Orchestra, who gave a scintillating performance of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and were on top form throughout the evening. The competition trophies were presented by Richard Blackford, who gave us a fascinating insight into the process of composing Mirror of Perfection. This was followed by the performance of Mirror of Perfecfion, which proved extremely popular with the audience, much enhanced by some divine singing by the bass and soprano soloists and some equally divine playing by the orchestra. It was a rare privilege to perform such a beautiful work with the composer in the audience.
The programme of music for our Division was:
Vesperae Solennes de Confessore (K339), W.A. Mozart
Mirror of Perfection, R. Blackford
Il est bel et bon, Passereau
Buffalo Gals, arr. R. Chilcott
Oh Sally, my dear, arr. A. Foster
Listening, E. Thiman
Art thou troubled?, G.F. Handel arr. Chambers
Loquebantur variis linguis, T. Tallis
Thursday 15th December 2005, W.I. Hall, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert
Always an extremely popular event with which to start the Festive Season, this year's Carol Concert at the W.I. Hall was no exception. The appreciative audience was treated to the usual diet of sweet and savoury items, both in musical and culinary terms, washed down with some excellent mulled wine. On the musical front the highlights of the programme were:
O Magnum Mysterium; Hodie Christus Natus Est - Francis Poulenc
I Sing of a Maiden - Patrick Hadley
The Three Kings - Peter Cornelius
Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Martin & Blane, arr. Gritton
Winter Wonderland - Felix Bernard, arr. Gritton
Mary's Boy Child - Jester Hairston, arr. Gritton
Follow That Star - Peter Gritton
Es ist ein' ros' - trad. / Praetorius
O Magnum Mysterium - Victoria
Christmastide; Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child; Mid-winter; Nova, Nova; Remember, O Thou Man; Where Riches is Everlasting - Bob Chilcott
Thursday 14th April 2005, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Musical Festival
2005 was the Centenary year for the Leith Hill Musical Festival. All were agreed that the major works on the programme (Poulenc and Vaughan Williams) were challenging, to say the least. Success in any part of the competition was by no means assured. Yet, to the surprise of some and the delight of all, we succeeded in winning the Full chorus, Men's song, Part song and Own choice classes, as well as a result achieved the highest aggregate score.The combined choirs concert in the evening went well. Dona nobis pacem was particularly moving, in no small part due to fine performances from the soloists Lucy Crowe (soprano) and William Berger (baritone). The English Festival Orchestra were on their usual exemplary form, and as usual we all enjoyed singing under Brian Kay's baton.
The full competition programme was as follows:
Dona nobis pacem, R. Vaughan Williams
Gloria, F. Poulenc
Unkind oh stay thy flying, J. Wilbye
The Isle is full of Noises, R. Chilcott
When icicles hang by the wall. E.J. Moeran
Windy nights, R. Quilter
In youth is pleasure, W. Cole
Hymne à la Vierge, P. Villette
Thursday 16th December 2004, W.I. Hall, Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Carol Concert
This annual event was as enjoyable for all concerned as ever.
Friday 25th June 2004, Woodhouse Copse, Holmbury St Mary
Music for a Midsummer Evening
Conductor: Timothy Uglow; Piano: David Hinitt;
Soloist: Michael Pearce
By kind permission of Monika Saunders and Music at Woodhouse we gave a concert at Woodhouse Copse as part of the 125th anniversary celebrations for the village of Holmbury St Mary. In the beautiful setting of the Woodhouse Copse concert hall and garden we sang a varied programme to an appreciative local audience. Conducted as usual by Timothy Uglow, we were accompanied by David Hinitt and were joined by the baritone Michael Pearce for a performance of Vaughan Williams' Five Mysical Songs. Timothy Uglow and David Hinitt provided two piano duet interludes. The full programe was as follows:
Missa Brevis - G.P. da Palestrina: Kyrie; Gloria; Sanctus; Benedictus; Agnus Dei I & II
Dolly Suite - G. Fauré, Opus 56 (piano duet): Berceuse; Mi-a-ou
Three Songs of Praise - G. Dyson: Praise: Lauds; A Poet's Hymn
Close thine eyes; Evening Prayer; Such sweet desires - M. Plumstead
Five Mystical Songs - R. Vaughan Williams: Easter; I got me flowers; Love bade me welcome; The Call; Antiphon
The Silver Swan - O. Gibbons
My bonny lass she smileth - T. Morley
Weep, O mine eyes - J. Bennet
Fyer, fyer! - T. Morley
Adieu, sweet Amarylis - J. Wilbye
Now is the month of maying - T. Morley
Country gardens (piano duet) - P. Grainger
My true love hath my heart - J. Rutter
Over the rainbow - H. Arlen arr. Turner
Blue moon - R. Rodgers arr. Blackwell
Ain't misbehavin' -
T. 'Fats' Waller / H. Brooks arr. Gritton
Saturday 17th April 2004, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Musical Festival
Conductor: Tim Uglow. The full competition programme was as follows:
Elijah - Mendelssohn
Turn back O man - arr. G Holst
Adieu sweet Amaryllis - Wilbye
Ave Maris - Robert Parsons
Ad Infinitum - Harold Noble
Friday 25th April 2003, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Musical Festival
Conductor: Tim Woodford. The full competition programme was as follows:
There was such beauty - Shephard
Requiem - Faure
Adieu ye city-prisoning towers - Tomkins
The drummer and the cook - arr. Tomlinson
A song of Autumn - Elgar
Thou soul of the universe - Mozart
Love is a sickness; O mistress mine - Vaughan Williams
December 2002
Christmas Concert
Once in Royal David's City
Bethlehem Down
The Three Kinqs
Good King Wenceslas
The Lamb
Jesus Christ The Apple Tree
Twleve Days of Christmas
God Resy Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Fantasia on Christmas Carols
While Shepherds Watched
O Magnum Mvsterium - Victoria
ln The Bleak Mid - Winter
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
The Hollv and the lvy
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Saturday 15th June 2002, Newton St Cyres, Devon
Patronal Festival Concert
Gloria (Nelson Mass) - Haydn
O Magnum Mysterium - L Victoria
Cantique de Jean Racine - G Faure
Requiem (parts) - M Durufle
John Dory - R Vaughan Williams
Beati Quorum Via; The Bluebird - C Stanford
Three Folksongs - A Bullard
A brisk young widow
Willow, willow
Cob a'coalin'
The Heavenly Aeroplane - J Rutter
Christopher Robin - A Carter
Old McDonald had a farm - G Mitchell
Sourwood Mountain - J Rutter
Easter 2002
Requiem - M Duruffle
24th June 2005?, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Summer Concert
Conductor: Timothy Uglow; Piano: David Hinitt; Holywell String Quartet
Soloists: Abigail Boreham, Annalise Roy, Anirban Roy, Richard Hooper
Rejoice in the Lord - Purcell
Mass in G - Schubert
All my Trials, Lord - Chilcott
Didn't My Lord deliver Daniel - Paul Hart
Deep River - Paul Hart
Ev'ry time I feel the spirit - Chilcott
December 2003
Christmas Concert
Conductor: Timothy Uglow
Matin Responsory - Palestrina
Fuit homo missus - Palestrina
Ecce concipies - Handl
While shpeherds watched their flocks
Rejoice in the Lord - Anon
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5 - Brahms
As with gladness men of old - Kocher
This is the truth sent from above - Trad. arr. Vaughan Williams
How beautiful upon the mountains - Stainer
All this time - Walton
Once in royal David's city - Gauntlett
The three Kings - Cornelius
Angelus ad virginem - arr. Carter
The twelve days of Christmas - arr. Rutter
Sans day carol - arr. Rutter
Hark! The herald angels sing - mendelssohn
Sleigh ride - Anderson
O come all ye faithful - Wade
The Carol S ingers - Sterdale-Bennett
Jingle Bells - arr. Roberts
December 2003
Christmas Concert
Conductor: Timothy Uglow
Matin Responsory - Palestrina
Fuit homo missus - Palestrina
Ecce concipies - Handl
While shpeherds watched their flocks
Rejoice in the Lord - Anon
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5 - Brahms
As with gladness men of old - Kocher
This is the truth sent from above - Trad. arr. Vaughan Williams
How beautiful upon the mountains - Stainer
All this time - Walton
Once in royal David's city - Gauntlett
The three Kings - Cornelius
Angelus ad virginem - arr. Carter
The twelve days of Christmas - arr. Rutter
Sans day carol - arr. Rutter
Hark! The herald angels sing - mendelssohn
Sleigh ride - Anderson
O come all ye faithful - Wade
The Carol S ingers - Sterdale-Bennett
Jingle Bells - arr. Roberts
Thursday 11th April 2002, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
Conductor: Tim Woodford
Nelson Mass - Haydn
Requiem - Duruffle
John Dory - arr. Vaughan Williams
On the plains - Weelkes
O magnum mysterium - Victoria
A tall story - Benjamin
The heavenly aeroplane - Rutter
Notre pere - Duruffle
December 2001
Christmas Concert
Once in Royal David's City
Ding Dong Merrily on High
The Shepherd's Cradle Song
The First Nowell
What Sweeter Music
Susani
Twelve Davs of Christmas
See Arnid the Winter's Snow
Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
Good King Wenceslas
A Babe is Born
Coventry Carol
Hark the Herald
Deck the Hall
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Friday 20th April 2001, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
Conductor: Tim Woodford
In Windsor forest - Vaughan Williams
Mass in E flat - Weber
Weep o mine eyes - Bennet
God is gone up - Finzi
O can ye sedw cushions - arr. Granville Bantock
Elegy for himself - Corp
Ring the bells - Larsen
Back and side go bare - Vaughan Williams
21st December 2000, WI Hall Holmbury St Mary
Christmas Concert
22nd June 2000, Woodhouse Copse, Holmbury St Mary
Music for a Summer Evening
Conductor: Andrew Daldorph
Almight and everlasting God - Gibbons
O quam gloriosum - Victoria
Ave verum corpus - Byrd
Begone dull care - arr. Jacob
Fair Phyllis - Farner
Weep O mine eyes - Bennet
Amyntas with his Phyllis fair - Pilkington
Never weather beaten sail - Campion
Margot, labourez les vignes - Arcadelt
Cantique de Jean Racine - Faure
I once loved a lass - arr. Neaum
Linden Lea - Vaughan Williams
Beati quorum via - Stanford
Locus Iste - Bruckner
Non nobis Domine - Quilter
Geistliches lied - Brahms
Chorus of the Hebrew slaves - Verdi
Dashing away with the smooting iron - Rutter
Sourwood mountain - Rutter
17th June 2000, Barneville-Carteret
Conductor: Andrew Daldorph
Almight and everlasting God - Gibbons
O quam gloriosum - Victoria
Ave verum corpus - Byrd
Begone dull care - arr. Jacob
Fair Phyllis - Farmer
Weep O mine eyes - Bennet
Amyntas with his Phyllis fair - Pilkington
Never weather beaten sail - Campion
Margot, labourez les vignes - Arcadelt
Cantique de Jean Racine - Faure
I once loved a lass - arr. Neaum
Linden Lea -Vaughan Williams
Beati quorum via - Stanford
Locus Iste - Bruckner
Geistliches lied - Brahms
Chorus of the Hebrew slaves - Verdi
Dashing away with the smooting iron - Rutter
Sourwood mountain - Rutter
Friday 28th April 2000, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
Conductor: Andrew Daldorph
Juda Maccabaeus - Handel
Amyntas with his Phyllis fair - Pilkington
Linden Lea - Vaughan Williams
Sanctus from Missa Brevis - Palestrina
Begone dull care - arr. Jacob
I once loved a lass - Neaum
Non nobis - Quilter
Saturday 10th April 1999, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
Conductor: Andrew Daldorph
Messe de Minuit - Charpentier
Mass in C - Beethoven
My bonny lass - Morley
My bonny lass - German
Ching a ring chaw - Copland
Dashing away with the smoothing iron - arr. Rutter
Sound sleep - Vaughan Williams
A cradle song - Ireland
Ward the pirate - Vaughan Williams
Thursday 16th April 1998, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
Conductor: Andrew Daldorph
Hiawatha - Coleridge-Taylor
Canticle of joy - Ridout
Va Pensiero - Verdi
Sourwood Mountain - arr. Rutter
Fair Phyllis - Farmer
False Phyllis - Thiman
Tis time I think by Wenlock town - Armstrong
The lamb - Taverner
Friday 19th April 1997, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
Conductor: Andrew Daldorph
Mass in G - Schubert
Sleepers awake - JS Bach
The farmer's boy - Vaughan Williams
The violet - Scarlatti
Never weatherbeaten sail - Campian
Who shall win my lady fair - Pearsall
13th April 1996, Charterhouse, Godalming
Leith Hill Music Festival
Conductor: John Philpot; Organ: John Finch
Messa da Gloria - Puccini
Festival Te Deum - Vaughan Williams
The long day closes - Sullivan
Sing we and chant it - Morley
Fair and ugly, False and true - Travers
Younger generation - Copland
We hasten, O Jesu - Bach
Friday 21st April 1995, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
Dido and Aeneas - Purcell
Three songs of courage - Dyson
The forest - Blower
Salt beef - Wood
My love dwelt in a northern land - Elgar
O stay sweet love - Farmer
Boby Shaftoe - arr. Whittaker
April 1994, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival
Conductor: John Philpot
St Nicholas Mass - Haydn
To Cecelia singing and dancing - Adams
Lullaby for Lucy - |Maxwell Davies
Awake sweet love - Dowland
The mare and the foal - arr. Morris
My soul there is a country - Parry
Severn Meadows - Gurney
Brother Will, brother John - Sacco
Brightly dawns our wedding day - Sullivan
21st March 1991, St James' Church, Abinger Common
Spring Concert
Conductor: John Philpot; Organ: John Finch
Oyez! Has any found a las - Tomkins
There is no rose - Britten
A farmer's son so sweet - arr. Vaughan Williams
When Mary thro' the garden went - Stanford
Ave verum corpus - Gounod
Mass in C - Mozart
8th April 1988, Dorking Halls
Leith Hill Music Festival Division II
20th March 1986, Holmbury WI Hall
Spring Concert
Conductor: John Philpot; Organ: John Finch
All creatures now - Bennet
Hide not thy face - Farrant
The evening rondeau - Purcell
To all you ladies - Calcott
The blue bird - Stanford
Benedicite - Vaughan Williams
From the Bavarian Highlands - Elgar
28th March 1985, Holmbury WI Hall
Spring Concert
Conductor: John Philpot; Piano: Fay Richardson; Soprano: Margaret Hughes
Phyllis farewell - Bateson
Diaphenia - Stanford
Orpheus with his lute - German
When icicles hang by the wall - Moeran
Down by the Sally gardens - arr. Vine
Begone dull care - Jacob
O praise the Lord - Bach
Ode on St Cecilia's day - Handel
29th March 1985, Holmbury WI Hall
Spring Concert
Conductor: John Philpot; Piano: Fay Richardson
Mass in D major - Dvorak
Now every tree - Weelkes
Lock up fair lids - Peerson
Suo-Gan - arr. Davies
Love on my heart - Holst
Come sirrah Jack ho - Weelkes
Long time ago - Copland
2nd April 1981, Holmbury WI Hall
Spring Concert
Conductor: John Philpot; Piano: June Wyatt; Soprano: Margaret Hughes; Contralto: Sheila Bowers
In Windsor forest - Vaughan Williams
Folksong arrangements - Britten
Gloria - Vivaldi
30th October 1980
Recital of Music in aid of the Theodore Waterhouse Memorial Fund
Conductor: John Phillpot; Piano: June Wyatt
I love all beautious things - Le Fleming
Fain would I change that note - Vaughan Williams
Music when soft voices die - Wood
My spirit sang all day - Finzi
Herachitus; Diaphenia - Stanford
Phyllis farewell - Bateson
Adieu, sweet Amarillis - Wilbye
Amintis with his Phyllis fair - Pilkington
Zadock the priest - Handel
1951
Festival of Britain Concert
Conductor: Arthur Potter; Soprano: Jane Winser; Tenor: Arthur Potter; Contralto: Bessie Jarvis; Piano: Margaret Mather
Sweet day - Vaughan Williams
Hob a Derry Danno - arr. Wood
A little pretty bonnie lass - Furmer
In dulci jubilo - arr. Pearsall
Mirth and melancholy - Handel
White summer rose - arr. Holst
Breathe soft ye winds - Paxton
Art thou troubled - Handel
Pastoral - Holst
The ploughman - Vaughan Williams
The beggars opera - arr. Jacohsen