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Witham Choral Society


For the new term we are rehearsing for our Christmas Concert which will be performed at Hatfield Peverel Church.

We will be learning Haydn’s St. Nicholas Mass & also brushing up on some carols, some for the audience to join in. If you have any requests, why not come along to a rehearsal!

We rehearse on Tuesday evenings 7.45pm – 9.45pm at Witham United Reformed Church in Newland Street, Witham, CM8 1AH The Church is just beside Holts the Butchers in the main high street. Everyone is welcome to come along for a visit, why not give us a try!

For more details, get in touch with our Conductor Ashley Thompson by Email: dajthompson@hotmail.co.uk or phone our Chair, Rev Stephen Northfield on 01245 380958.

If you would like to join the choir or support us by becoming a Friend, follow the link here to the page all about this on our website, click here

This term our Director of Music Ashley Thompson and our accompanist Emma Nash will be continuing to work with the choir, and encourage us to keep recruiting new members so that we can widen our repertoire.

Covid 19:

Things are more relaxed now, just a reminder to everyone attending rehearsals to take care of each other and not to come to choir if they feel unwell or have symptoms of Covid. We want to keep each other safe, especially our more vulnerable members.

To keep informed with our news – don’t forget to head over to our Facebook page here and don’t forget to ‘Like’ us while you are there!

Witham Choral Society is a registered charity No. 261704

BACKGROUND OF WITHAM CHORAL:

For 60 years the Society has grown progressively under the leadership of seven Music Directors, the most recent Ashley Thompson, took over the reigns in April 2022. Patrick McCarthy joined us in 1995 and retired at Easter 2022. Each has contributed enthusiastically to the Society’s musical life and development and, together with the warmth and passion for singing of the members, the Society has developed and maintained an integrity which has kept it in the fore of choral tradition in the area.

The Society was formed in 1957. In the early years the members enjoyed singing madrigals and short choral pieces suitable for the small group, and occasionally joined with the Essex Musical Association and other societies, including the Ipswich Singers, to perform larger scale works.

Some of our most notable performances

These have included a much praised performance of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius at the renowned Snape Maltings Concert Hall, when we combined with the Ipswich and Colchester Bach Choirs and the Colchester Philharmonic. In 2007 we celebrated our 50th Anniversary Year with a full programme of choral works. These included performances of the Verdi and Brahms Requiems and later in the year, in our exchange with the Evangelische Singgemeinde of Weinheim, two performances of Beethoven’s Mass in C and Christ on the Mount of Olives.

Other works performed include Handel’s Solomon and Israel in Egypt singing with the Ipswich Bach Choir & Dovercourt Choral Society, bringing together some 170 singers. As well as singing at Snape Maltings, we have appeared several times at the Harwich Festival, in G&S HMS Pinafore, Faure Requiem, Haydn Creation, Orf Carmina Burana and a Last Night of the Proms.

PATRICK’S FAREWELL CONCERT 2022: Read all about the concert in our News section – click here.

In rehearsal

Next Concert

Saturday 1st July 2023
Witham United Reformed Church
7.30 pm

Folk Songs of the British Isles, including the Sprig of Thyme and Six Irish Folk Songs by Stanford & music by Chilcott.

Saturday 1st July, at Witham United Reformed Church (next to Holts the Butchers in the main high street (Newland Street). Please note there is no parking at the church, but nearby on the street and in Newland’s Carpark.

Time 7.30pm.

Ticket Price £12: under 16s free.

Programmes, by donation.

NEXT CONCERT DATE AND DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES, 2023

Fund-raising concert given by our pianist Emma Nash and her group, at St Andrew’s Church, Hatfield Peverel on Saturday October 7th – why not put it in your diaries!

Saturday December 2nd. Haydn’s St. Nicholas Mass & carols.

Venue: St Andrew’s Church Hatfield Peverel.

PICTURE BELOW: Witham Choral in concert at Witham URC, summer 2023

Singing at Witham URC

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT US:

Find more news about the choir on our Facebook page by clicking here We always try to keep you up to date with news from ‘Making Music’, of which we are member.

Keeping up to date for choir members:

Go directly to our members page click here where you will find up to date news about the choir this term and links to rehearsal aids for the music.

For access information please see your voice rep or Christine Hall in the Altos.

FUNDRAISING EACH TERM:

BRING & BUY STALL every third Tuesday of the month, very popular with our members, and if you are lucky there will be some home-made goodies. Our last one raised £37 towards concert expenses: thank you everyone!

COFFEE BAR we have our coffee bar at half time during rehearsal, a chance to catch up with friends and have a chat before getting back to rehearsals. Make sure you sign up to take your turn at serving, and help raise much-needed funds for the choir.

PENNIES FOR WITHAM CHORAL save any spare pennies and put them in the pot at rehearsal.

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