10 May 2025

Dear Singers,

"Hip hip hooray for our blooming choir!"
"I've sung the Mozart quite a few times but this was by far the most exhilarating and enjoyable performance."

Hear hear to these comments from choir members (more below). Well done everyone and congratulations on a spectacular concert with superb performances on Saturday. You can feel proud, exhilarated, and exhausted - I know I was!
The warmth of the audience applause demonstrated the impact your singing had on them and how much they were entertained. Job well done.
You couldn't have worked harder or delivered any more, and I am grateful for your dedicated devotion in response to my demands over the last five months to achieve what we did. Thank you! I enjoyed it, which  important for a conductor too.
I am aware, as you are, that some moments were not perfect, but the performance definitely peaked in all areas.

The Hummel has been a challenge to learn, I'm aware of that. It is an unusual piece, which I don't feel shows Hummel - a pianist and principally an instrumental composer - at his most fluent. However, we gave a secure and musical performance, and brought it off well. Several members have said it was nice to be introduced to the piece and how enjoyable it was to perform. SO much easier with an orchestra! 

The Mozart was stunning - bravo! It demands greater physical stamina than the Hummel, but is a more satisfying piece to sing. It is emotional and dramatic, and the musical lines have more structure and shape to them which demand full engagement, giving you the  opportunity to really sing- which you did!  There was power and strength in your performance and I am delighted with the results. I hope that new members have enjoyed this term - thank you for being with us. Do return in September for a very different programme with its own thrilling and enjoyable hoops to jump through! 

"Just wanted to say thanks for a tremendous concert. You really squeezed the best out of us! "
"This is the most joyful and friendly choir I have ever sung with."

The soloists  WOW!  They were sublime singers, and lovely people to work with. They helped so much with the evening's success, and enjoyed it a lot. Olivia (soprano) wrote: "We were made to feel so welcome by you and the choir and the music making was superb. Thank you so much for everything!"
It is always worth investing in good soloists as they contribute so much to the high quality of our concerts, and I was proud to offer them a platform in the South West, adding to their national and international itineraries!

The orchestra: Led by Julie Hill who fixed the players. They were excellent and a pleasure to work with too. Most of them play regularly with various groups in the SW, and some with ECS over many years. I hope they feed back to their colleagues in idle moments how much they enjoy playing for us!

A note from Matt Cann on Sunday: "Hope last night went well. There are a couple of girl chorister mums who said it went really well."

The Committee: We have rightly thanked the members many times for everything they do 'behind the scenes' to manage the non-musical aspects of the organisation, and this always steps up a gear on concert day. I would like to thank Yvonne particularly for her work with finances, both managing and excellent reporting. She also manages tickets, programmes and publicity materials, and I am delighted she is prepared to continue this valuable work, and any offers of help will be welcomed. Our finances are healthy due to capacity audiences - so thank you for selling tix - and publicity income, which Juliet has managed very successfully again this term. Thank you both.

Concert stage management: Huge thank you to Iain and his team for setting up/striking the concert platform, and to Ted (for the last time!) for seating you all. The challenges of so many singers, and growing, are always accommodated with equinimity......
Finally, thank you to Mary for being so welcoming and supportive at St David's - it's a venue we like and respect, and look forward to many more concerts.

BACK TO THE FUTURE THEN....
We start on September 2, with a concert on December 6, and a workshop on November 15 in The Mint (Fore St). The main works, as you know are Navidad Nuestra (a folk drama of the nativity based on the rhythms and traditions of Hispanic America) by Argentinian Ariel Ramirez, and Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Vaughan Williams, being the main focus of each half with other pieces linked by the theme of popular/folk music finding its way to the concert platform. I am delighted to be in contact with the Bristol Choro Group (courtesy of soprano Jo Smitheman, thanks) who are contributing to the development of the programme and providing instrumentalists.

Until the next exciting season kicks off, have a well-deserved break, reflecting on some great achievements. I will be spending three weeks in Crete, celebrating a significant birthday which is coming my way, with the whole family. Enjoy the summer. Take care, go well, and if you do any - happy singing.

"I'm just so grateful to have joined this amazing choir, which produces such a high standard of singing, full of joy and fun."

Very best wishes,
Peter