17 March 2026

Dear Singers,

We are nearly at the end of the term, just two rehearsals until the Easter break. You all deserve a week's break after a successful term of great progress. Thank you all for the hard graft. We made an excellent start to the Sanctus and every one coped well with the 8 part chorus.  

David Ford (sole male on the committee!) made a plea for some new members, which I supported. With only one meeting a term, and some reading, it is a small commitment and everyone's voice and input is much-valued. Like any organisation, the choir is better for having a small, diverse bunch of good people helping to shape its course, and as MD I really appreciate this guidance and support to assist with the non-musical aspects of the organisation. 

Next week we will have flyers for the Come and Sing Day on April 18. If everything goes according to plan, we should be able to sing through the whole Requiem, a useful yardstick for our concert preparedness!

Our Stage Manager Alan and I visited the UNITED REFORMED CHURCH to scope out concert seating last week. It will be cosy on stage, wrapping around the two pianos! All of the instrumentalists are booked and I am currently chasing their biographies.......

WHAT WE DID ON 17.03.26
Fantastic work on the Sanctus pages 92 to 97, at a slow pulse. Once walking accurately, we will run! Two things for attention - the quick upbeats (or 'pick ups') e.g. bar 33 onwards ('Hosanna'), and longer sustained notes e.g. S1 bar 29, S2 bar 44. Important to keep these going fully to keep the texture consistent.
Libera me  (p117/8). Great start! This must sound like one voice, flexible and naturally in speech rhythm. NB: In the concert, after page 116, you must turn to page 118 and SING THE CHANTING ON 117 & 118 FROM MEMORY. This will be very dramatic and effective!
Opening Requiem (pages 1-16): We hadn't seen this for several weeks, and it was reasonably confident, with some good attention to detail (placing final consonants!). Well done.

WHAT WE WILL DO ON 24.03.26
Sanctus: Start at bar 57.
Dies irae: Pages 25-37. Please note the quiet unison 'dies irae's on pages 30, 31, 33 & 34
Lacrymosa

Good work, thank you, happy singing!
Peter