Wednesday 19 March, Chelmsford Cathedral
We were delighted to have participated in Britten Sinfonia’s exciting concert, which was supported by Anglia Ruskin University. The concert aimed to give both first-timers and regular classical concert-goers an uplifting and unforgettable experience. Instead of formal rows of seats facing a stage, the audience was invited to sit or lie on mats and cushions, or on seats scattered around the building, while the musicians and singers performed an unbroken sequence of short works from different locations, with each seamless transition accompanied by a dramatic change of lighting.
We, together with the Cathedral Choristers and the Waltham Singers, joined forces with the Britten Sinfonia and one of the world’s top chamber choirs – Tenebrae – in performances of Handel’s Zadoc the Priest, and Hubert Parry’s anthem, I Was Glad.
The Cathedral was packed, the atmosphere was electric, and it was clear from the audience’s reaction and subsequent feedback that the event was a tremendous success.
Britten Sinfonia Surround Sound Playlist
Wednesday 19 March, Chelmsford Cathedral 7pm
ChelmsfordSingers are delighted to have been invited to participate in this ground breaking event in Chelmsford Cathedral.
Whether you love classical music, or you’ve never thought it was for you, Britten Sinfonia’s Surround Sound Playlist offers an inspiring and unforgettable experience.
You’re lying or sitting in a cathedral, looking up at the soaring arches and beautiful ceiling above.
Lighting states shift and capture the mood as a seamless musical sequence fills the magical space from all directions..live and all around you, with orchestral drama, solo virtuosity and heart-bursting moments of choral beauty.
From the beloved and instantly recognisable to add-to-playlist new favourites, there will be orchestral, choral, solo and chamber music by Bruckner, Copland, Ēriks Ešenvalds, Handel, Morten Lauridsen, Parry, Prokofiev, Caroline Shaw, Vivaldi and many more.
Performers
Britten Sinfonia orchestra
Tenebrae choir
Amy Dickson saxophone soloist
Joseph Tawadros oud soloist
with Chelmsford Cathedral choristers, Chelmsford Singers, Waltham Singers and Thundersley Brass Band
Options for how to experience the event
We think the ideal way to experience this event is to sit, stand or lie on a mat or cushion on the floor. We will provide mats, and you are welcome to bring an additional cushion or beanbag. However, if you are not able to sit on the floor, there will be plenty of chairs set against cathedral walls and around pillars. All tickets are unreserved, and places will be allocated on the day on a first-come, first-served basis.
How much does it cost?
We want this experience to be accessible to everyone, and tickets are Pay What You Can, starting from just £5! Adult and child prices are the same.
Booking: https://www.brittensinfonia.com/events/surround-sound-playlist
Join us and Felsted Choral Society for a fabulous performance of Handel’s ‘Israel in Egypt’. We’ll be performing in Thaxted Church with double choir, six soloists and a large orchestra…so this is not a concert to be missed!
at 7pm on Saturday 5th April, 2025.
Tickets £20 Adult Under 18’s here.
Rehearsals begin Tuesday January 7th 2025 !
After our successful Christmas Concert we begin work
on Israel in Egypt ready for April
Saturday 7th December 7pm
St. Andrew’s Church, Church Road, Hatfield Peverel CM3 2LE
A joyful seasonal concert of music and readings.
Tickets available here.
On Sunday 13th October a group Singers, friends and family met up in Woodbridge. We then set off in various groups to visit the Tide Mill, the Long Shed, Museum, or walk upriver to HMS Vale or down river. Some visited shops or pubs and coffee shops. We all met later at St Mary’s Church where James told us about its history and showed us more interesting things we might have missed on our own. He then played several pieces on the organ for us before we crossed the road for late Sunday lunch at The Bull. Food and service were excellent and it was great to be out relaxing together. Photos of the day here.
We have a full and exciting term of singing ahead with a number of local performances planned for November and December. The first of these will be a welcome return to Chelmsford Cathedral on 17th November, 7pm to celebrate the centenary of Charles Villiers Stanford. We are keen to broaden our membership in all parts so if you are a singer with previous musical or choral experience considering joining a choir, do come along . You can find details of rehearsals here.
Tickets available here.
Musical Director’s thought after Summer concert
Excellent concert with The Chelmsford Singers, Tim Carey, and Geoff Clapham. Stanford’s Songs of the Fleet getting a really sensitive and powerful performance, amongst a wealth of other goodies; Geoff’s solos gave the evening a great rollicking twist and a particularly well-turned out ‘Old Joe has gone fishing’ was worth the blood, sweat and tears of rehearsals…! Nice audience too – thanks all!
On the first weekend of May the Chelmsford Singers made a welcome return to St
Luke’s Church in Tiptree for a late Spring concert of sacred choral works by Felix
Mendelssohn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The choir was joined by four superb soloists: Jessica Edom-Carey, Alexander
Pullinger, Tom Stapleton, and Theo Perry, accompanied on St Luke’s fine organ by
Stephen King, organist of Brentwood Cathedral.
The programme included two organ solos by Stephen. In the first half the
Consolation in D flat by Franz Liszt separated the ebullient Regina Coeli K 276 by
Mozart (with its coincidental echoes of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus) and the rarely performed Lauda Sion by Felix Mendelssohn, a tuneful and substantial work that
delighted the audience and showed off both choir and solo quartet to great effect.
The second half began with Bach’s Prelude and Fuge in C major, after which the
choir launched without further introduction into Mozart’s much-loved Solemn
Vespers K 339.
The Vespers contains the famous Laudate Dominum, for solo soprano and choir, one of two solo movements for Jessica Edom-Carey in the concert, and her warm and powerful voice filled the church to stunning effect, especially in the Mozart where she was accompanied gently by the choir.
The choir was on very fine form throughout, employing expressively soft singing and
commanding power with a great variety of colours in between, and the reaction of
the audience paid a fine tribute to the hard work that went into a sparkling concert.
