Mass in Bb Major by Hummel & Requiem by Mozart - May 2025
“Just wanted to say what a great concert last night. You are all to be congratulated on your splendid performances.
It seemed strange to be on the other side, but I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, particularly the Hummel, a new one for me.” A.P.
— Audience Member
“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.”
— Our MD
"Hip hip hooray for our blooming choir!" C.W.
“I still have the "ear worms" of the music going round and round. What an amazing evening, it was such a wonderful event to be involved in, and the addition of such brilliant soloists and of course the wonderful musicians just made it terrific. Not forgetting our extraordinary MD whose efforts into cajoling us into being a very acceptable! choir with his unique sense of humour makes my Tuesday evenings just so special.
And Matt our wonderful accompanist.” S.F.
"I've sung the Mozart quite a few times but this was by far the most exhilarating and enjoyable performance." Y.F.
— Our Members
Creation by Haydn - May 2024
“Sitting in the audience for ECS’s performance of Haydn’s Creation on Saturday night, I found it impressive to witness people performing complex, challenging tasks with such professionalism, competence and elan. From a purely technical standpoint, to see everyone performing with such technical ability, and such a level of commitment, and taking such joy from it, was extremely moving.
I was sitting in the best seats at St David’s, sufficiently close to the performance not just to hear the music but to feel it emotionally, also physically through the literal compression of the air from being so near the front. We were six feet away from the soprano Anna Cavaliero, and found her technique, control, and power extraordinary to witness. From my perspective it was an unexpected blessing to be able to experience her skill and artistry, her mix of serenity and strength. The orchestra created a sound that belied its modest size. I had a very clear view of the flautist whom I thought was absolutely terrific, and it was a delight to watch her.
It was also fascinating and very moving to watch Peter Hunt conduct with such sensitivity, precision, and rapport. I was fascinated to watch how the choir responded to him, and noticed how the sopranos in the front row were responding to his signals. The attention was absolute, and their response, not just in the quality of their singing but in the way they brought their entire bodies to bear on their expression, was highly impressive. His relationship with all the musicians - soloists, orchestra and choir was incredibly strong. The impact on the audience was huge, and I was happy to lead a spontaneous standing ovation at the end. (MJ)”
— Audience Member
“The Creation concert was absolutely brilliant … The standing ovation was fully deserved! The singing had energy and life, and the hard work on technique enabled you to sing with a wide range of dynamics and expression, really capturing the drama of the work. Tuning was excellent all round. So really well done and thank you. The orchestra was perfect and so responsive, … [thanks to] Julie Hill for finding such good players for us. The soloists were a dream. They gave us such delightful performances, [and] were wonderful to work with … I think the audience left fully entertained and very impressed with the standards they can expect from an evening with ECS!”
— Our MD
“Exeter Choral Society is functioning and performing at a much higher level than it was at the workshop five months ago: there is better musical interpretation..... There seems to be a greater self-confidence and higher aspiration in each of the sections. That's how I see it as someone who came new to ECS…”