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We are delighted that our rehearsals have resumed at 7.45pm on Tuesday 7th September at Witham United Reformed Church, Newland Street, CM8 1AH.
We are now working towards our Christmas Concert programme, with parts of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and carols for our audience to join in.
We hope to see you there!
We will encourage everyone attending rehearsals to take care and protect each other by wearing masks when not singing and hand sanitising on arrival to keep each other safe, especially our more vulnerable members. More instructions will be provided – contact us for details.
Vacancies available: Accompanist and Musical Director – if you are interested please get in touch for details. Contact Revd Stephen Northfield on 01245 380958.
Sad news, Tony Mortimer 1946-2021
We were sad to share with you all, the news of the loss of our dearest friend and accompanist, Tony Mortimer earlier in the summer. Our condolences to Tony’s family. He is greatly missed.
Patrick made an unexpected announcement earlier in the summer
He told the committee and then the choir to tell us that this will be his final year with us as our wonderful conductor. Patrick and the choir have been ably supported as always by our dear friend Mary McCarthy, who has kept the choir and committee going in so very many ways. Sadly we must begin to turn our minds to what happens next to find our way forward next year following Patrick and Mary’s retirement. They will always be our much loved friends.
But …. until then
We have plenty more music making to enjoy with Patrick before then, beginning with our concert at Christmas and leading up to Easter – so watch this space for more news soon!
To keep informed with our news – don’t forget to head over to our Facebook page here
For details about joining the choir or becoming a Friend here
We rehearse on Tuesday evenings in term time at Witham United Reformed Church in Newland Street, 7.45 to 9.45 p.m.
“This is a friendly, non-auditioned choir,” conductor Patrick McCarthy told us, “but some knowledge of music would be helpful.” To find directions to the church where we rehearse click here
For 60 years the Society has grown progressively under the leadership of seven Music Directors, with Patrick McCarthy joining us in 1995. 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.
You can read about how Patrick stepped up to save the Prom at the Royal Albert Hall go to our Personnel Page(bottom right article) follow the link here to the page.
BACKGROUND OF WITHAM CHORAL:
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. See a photo of the choir singing at the Public Hall in December 1974 by CLICKING HERE
SOME OF OUR MOST NOTABLE CHORAL CONTRIBUTIONS
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 most recently performed in a Last Night of the Proms.
Witham Choral Society is a registered charity No. 261704
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