Christ’s Hospital Choral Society join annual gala concert

Spokeswoman Esther Clark said: “From time to time we are reminded of the benefits of singing. This may be because we had a particularly successful tune under the shower or because some of the benefits are featured in the national news as happened recently.

“Singing improves your posture, your sensory development, memory, mood and breathing; it makes you feel happy, allows for good social bonds, it reduces stress levels – you get the gist. In short, singing makes you feel better in body and mind. This is of course old news to those who sing in choirs – of which this country has approximately 2.8 million!

“Amongst those happy singers are the members of Christ’s Hospital Choral Society. At the moment we are rehearsing for the annual Angus Ross Gala Concert where we will join the school’s musicians in a performance of Karl Jenkins’s The Armed Man (A Mass For Peace).

“The singers will be accompanied by an impressive array of musicians. All these singers will be joined by the CH Symphony Orchestra, the Chapel Choir, the professional Orchestra-in-partnership, the English Chamber Orchestra and three amazing instrumental soloists.”

Tickets (£7, £6 or free for under 16s) for the 7pm start are available through the box office on 01403 247434.

“Next on the programme is the summer concert which will feature French music, think Duruflé’s Ubi Caritas, Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine and Villette’s Hymne à la Vierge.

“New singers are warmly invited to join the Tuesday evening rehearsals starting April 16 and be part of the concert in June. They might be amazed by what you can achieve in a single term!

“Before then the choir will host an all-day workshop on Haydn’s stunning The Creation on May 4. The day will be led by musical director of the school James Bartlett who, by the by, is an MD at the National Youth Music Theatre too. All singers are warmly invited to take part in the workshop. Musical scores will be provided. Further details nearer the time but to register your interest please contact [email protected].”

More details on www.chchoralsoc.org. The venue for the concerts and The Creation workshop on Saturday, May 4 is Christ’s Hospital, Horsham, RH13 0LJ.

Angus Ross was a distinguished Old Blue, benefactor and governor. When he died in 1984 his family set up a fund to support an annual concert to enable the pupils to perform with professional singers and musicians. The chapel choir and CHCS were able to put on major works with full orchestra and soloists, the first concert being Carmina Burana in 1987 and in 1990 a fully staged performance of the opera Boris Godunov with soloists from Covent Garden.