Choir sing their Christmas socks off to end year on a high

WEYMOUTH Choral Society ended its year in triumph on Saturday with a delightful Christmas concert at St Aldhelm’s Church in Weymouth.

Musical director Helen Brind chose and conducted an imaginative programme which allowed scope both for the skills of the choir and the enthusiastic participation of audience.

St Aldhelm’s was packed to capacity on a cold winter’s night, with a number of local dignitaries present, including Weymouth and Portland Mayor Kate Wheller. The audience was encouraged to join in their favourite carols, from Hark the Herald Angels Sing to O Come All Ye Faithful.

These were interspersed with stylish renderings by the choir of lesser known works, including beautiful performances of John Rutter’s Candlelight Carol and Alan Bullard’s delicate, mellow carol Scots Nativity.

One of the highlights of the concert was the participation of the Wyke Regis Junior School Choir who almost stole the show.

The children were well-prepared and hugely confident. Directed by their teacher, Helen Rewse and accompanied by David Payne, they performed a number of pieces with great enthusiasm and expertise, skilfully handling changes of tempo and key and remaining word perfect. Throughout their performances they were disciplined yet clearly enjoying themselves.

The concert also featured three special pieces composed by friends of Weymouth Choral Society. The first was a brand new carol, Christmas King, composed by the choir’s long-established piano accompanist, Louise Dukes. This was a vigorous celebratory piece, sung joyously by the choir.

After that, the choir tenderly rendered Show Me the Place, a winter lullaby by Dorset composer, Vanessa Young, who was present in the audience as a special guest.

The third friend was the Choral Society’s ever-supportive president and distinguished organist David Bruce-Payne who was accompanying the choir on the organ for much of the concert.

His Christmas piece, Good Cheer, was sung with vigour by the choir to his own stirring accompaniment.

In a night when youth blended comfortably with age, another special guest was a youthful organist Katie Ninham, a student at The Thomas Hardye School.

Katie played several organ solos with aplomb. Especially impressive was her playing of an organ piece by the German composer Friedrich Wilhelm Zachau followed by a spirited work for organ by Jean Langlais entitled Bells.

The conclusion of the concert was a dynamic rendering by the choir of a range of pieces set to look forward to the forthcoming year.

Congratulations are due to Helen Brind who sent the audience home well-fortified with good tidings of comfort and joy and clearly impressed by a hugely successful evening.

NORMAN HARTLEY