Busy times in Horsham for West Sussex Philharmonic choir

Sean said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with an established choir and see it flourish again after the setback caused by the pandemic. Over the past three years we have performed works by composers ranging from Bach to Bob Chilcott and I have been very pleased with the way the singers have responded to the challenges they have been set. “Audience members regularly comment on the high standard of singing and in September we faced our biggest challenge yet when we joined forces with two other choirs to perform Elgar’s choral masterpiece The Dream of Gerontius in the magnificent setting of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the presence of The Duke of Edinburgh.”

The choir is always keen to welcome new members and details of how to join along with dates and times for all their concerts can be found on their website: www.westsussexphilharmonicchoir.org.uk

“On November 16 the choir will return to St Mary’s church in Horsham to perform an evening of French music featuring Fauré’s Requiem in a setting by David Hill, accompanied by harp, organ, cello and violin. French songs by Debussy will be performed by local soprano Kitty Casey, who was runner up in last year’s Sussex Young Musician of the Year competition. Formerly a student at Hurstpierpoint and Lancing College, Kitty is currently studying for her Vocal Master’s degree at The Royal Northern College of Music.

“Only three weeks later the choir will be back at St Mary’s on December 7 for a carol concert accompanied by Surrey Brass.”

Sean describes this concert as “a wonderful opportunity for the choir to perform Christmas music old and new in Horsham’s beautiful parish church, with the chance for the audience to join us and the band to sing some favourite carols”.

Next spring will see the choir’s first performance of Handel’s Messiah for several years on April 26 when they will be accompanied by the Orpheus Sinfonia. To round off a busy season they will also perform a summer afternoon concert on July 12, featuring music by Stanford entitled Sea Fever.