The Emsworth-based Renaissance Choir presents its German Classical Masters concert on Saturday, March 29 at 7.30pm at St Peter’s Church, Petersfield, GU32 3HS (conductor: Peter Gambie; organ: Mark Dancer).

Chairman Simon O’Hea said: “Come and join the Renaissance Choir to hear music written in what is now Germany from four historical eras – Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic. Following Martin Luther’s campaigning in the sixteenth century, the Reformation led to the majority of German churches putting more emphasis on the importance of singing by the congregation and of having an understanding of the services. Many of the great German composers such as Bach, Handel, Schütz and Beethoven followed in this Protestant tradition. The works the choir is singing in this concert all have a sense of a clear, direct link between the ordinary person and their God.

“The choir will be singing Bach – Komm Jesu Komm; Beethoven – Mass in C; a selection of Bruckner’s Motets and Hassler – Deus, Deus meus.”

Full price tickets are £15 until Saturday, March 22, then £17, and under-25s pay £2. These are available from TicketSource via www.renaissancechoir.org.uk, from One Tree Books in Petersfield or on the door.

“We’re a group of around 34 singers from West Sussex and Hampshire who enjoy the challenge and fun of singing a cappella, though some of our singing is accompanied. We also like to split our singers into separate choirs so to achieve additional effects.

“We put music of the Renaissance period at the heart of our repertoire. We generally try to perform lesser-known music or to premiere new works or arrangements, some of which are written for us.

“In our programming, we try to make our music accessible by performing something for everyone – we like variety. And we often seek to place the works we are performing in a historical context and establish links between the music and the artists and art that are contemporaneous with it.”