JThe choir’s Christmas concert was a joyful and wide-ranging evening that showed just how much care and hard work had gone into the programme. From the opening Bach chorale Zion hört die Wächter singen, sung with confidence and clarity, through to the familiar excitement of Ding Dong! Merrily on High, the choir tackled some demanding music while keeping the festive spirit firmly alive.
There were moments of quiet beauty, such as What Sweeter Music and I Sing of a Maiden, alongside lighter, more playful contrasts — Do You Want to Build a Snowman? raised smiles, while audience carols like O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and Good King Wenceslas brought everyone warmly into the evening. Solo items were a particular highlight, with choir members bravely stepping forward to sing, adding colour and variety to the programme; their willingness to do so was clearly appreciated. The music moved easily between the reflective and the joyful without ever feeling heavy.
After the interval, the mood deepened and sparkled in equal measure, with richly atmospheric performances of The Rose and Glow. Throughout the concert, the Salieri String Quartet provided sensitive and stylish accompaniment, adding an extra layer of polish and depth, and Camilla Jeppeson’s powerful singing in Glory, Glory, Glory to the Newborn King was a real show-stopping moment. The concert ended on a high with fun, upbeat favourites that sent the audience home smiling.
With tea, refreshments and a raffle in the interval, the evening felt as much a community celebration as a concert. It was festive, varied and full of heart — and a thoroughly enjoyable reward for the choir’s hard work.
