Varied programme skilfully performed
Chichester Observer, 8th December 2005
The Shopywhyke Singers,
Westbourne House School
Review: GILLIAN HOOKER
THE Shopwhyke Singers' autumn concert was a treat. This choir is thriving - it has nearly doubled its size and is now over 50 strong. The lines are well balanced and the singing commmitted and responsive to the conductor Alexander Dichmont.
The programme was interesting and varied.
The main work of the evening was the curious but ever-popular Carmina Burana. Westbourne House School Choir joined forces for this work and the combined chorus had great power and strength, and sang with energy and on the whole rhythmic precision. The tongue twisters in the strange words were crisp.
The soloists were superb. Lisa Swayne – a former pupil at Westbourne House – was a sparkling and mellifluous soprano, with wonderful coloratura in the Dulcissime.
David Brown, tenor, was lyrical and heartfelt and Robert Rice, baritone, not only sang magically but introduced more than a hint of opera in his solo in the Tavern section by being a drunken abbot – to the amusement of all.
The whole was superbly accompanied by Matthew Cooke on the piano and Gerry Berkley and Eleanor Steinitz on percussion.
The first half of the programme was more gentle. Tippett’s lovely Five Negro Spirituals worked well, the soloists singing from within the choir.
Highlights from the selection of Percy Grainger songs were David Brown’s sensitive Brigg Fair, a charming rendition of Willow Willow by four young stars of the future – Millie Ashworth, Bethan Gibb, Harry Lighton, and Henry Woods from Westbourne House – and a humourous delivery of Country Garden by eight hands on two pianos (Matthew Cooke, Sue Hawkins, Jonathan Ling and Alex Dichmont).
The enthusiastic audience filled the Millennium Hall at Westbourne House School. It was a warm and comfortable venue – a great bonus on a very cold night - where choir and audience seemed to feel at home.
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Let Christmas begin
Newbury Weekly News, 8th December 2005
Newbury and District Cancer Care Trust and Macmillan Cancer Relief Concert, at St Nicolas’ Church, on Saturday, December 3
READINGS AND MUSIC
Review: PATRICK COGSWELL
WHILE we have only had to ignore the onset of Christmas since about September, Susannah Whittaker, Eric Tipton, and a dedicated group of organisers have been spending the best part of the whole year in planning their fourth join concert on behalf of Newbury Cancer Care Charities. The result was a packed St Nicolas’, in which more than 580 people crowded together to celebrate what must now be regarded as the start of Christmas proper in Newbury.
This is a truly local event, with the theme of mixing the traditional with the new. After the introduction from Lord Hurd of Westwell, carols alternated with readings from modern sources given by John Madejski, Garry Richardson, (BBC sports presenter) and Lady Eliza Mays-Smith, all with their strong roots in the area. Joining forces was Pam Ayres, fresh from her sell-out performance at The Corn Exchange, who vastly entertained with the doll story familiar to readers of Winifred Foley’s A Child in The Forest.
The powerful soprano voice of Suzy Bishop was the first two contributions from talented young local musicians. Her Benedictus from Carl Jenkins’ Armed Man, without a microphone, stood out against the full might of the organ played by Clive Grant.
The second was from Lucinda Dalton (oboe), supported by Anthony Ingham on piano adding a sinuous and dramatic rendering of Poulenc. Holding the whole concert together was a parish choir from St Thomas-on-the-Bourne Farnham, under its musical director Jonathan Lane. A bold stroke, considering the presence of many other local contenders. The Farnham choir did not stray from the seasonal, but their timing and dynamics gave the well-known a very enjoyable and surprising freshness. The bold stroke paid off well.
Matthew Cooke took command of the St Nic’s organ. He played us in with some appealing re-arrangements of traditional Christmas music, and played us out triumphantly with a Vierne symphony. The Bishop of Reading, the Rt Rev Steven Cottrell, brought the service to a close with his imposing reading from St Matthew.
Charities cannot operate without well-known personalities and the organisers are particularly grateful to the Lord Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire, Philip Wroughton, for his support and counsel. His presence, along with the others in the distinguished guest-list, meant that the money raised was truly significant. This concert, with generous support from many Newbury businesses, expects to bring in more than £14,000.
So, let Christmas begin, and a date for your new diaries is the fifth concert, already in planning, for Saturday, December 2, 2006.
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Contrasting moods effectively highlighted
Chichester Observer, 2nd June 2005
The Shopywhyke Singers,
Boxgrove Priory
Review: MAUREEEN HAINES
THE Shopwhyke Singers' presented a challenging programme of music at Boxgrove Priory.
The concert opened with the Stabat Mater from Verdi’s Four Sacred Pieces and set the tone for the evening with their well disciplined singing highlighting the contrasting moods of this work.
Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms followed and the choir successfully negotiated the complex rhythms and harmonies helped by a wisely chosen slower tempo than is usually selected. The treble Harry Lighton entranced the audience with his confident singing and purity of tone.
The final work was Puccini’s Messa di Goria and the choir reveled in the operatic melodies though there were some unstable moments and the dynamic range (so effectively displayed in the Verdi) was less apparent. The two soloists David Burrows and Jonathan Brown were the icing on the cake (though Jonathan was obviously not on top form vocally) with their dramatic interpretation of their arias.
The organist was Matthew Cooke who is to be congratulated with the way in which he effectively coped with playing the complex orchestral arrangements. The Singers were efficiently conducted by Alexander Dichmont.
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