Hellingly & Horsebridge

CHORAL SOCIETY: Heathfield Choral Society has members from a wide area, including Hellingly. Its next concert will take place on Saturday May 21 at the State Hall, Station Road, Heathfield starting at 7.30pm. The programme features two works by modern British composers: Karl Jenkins - The Armed Man and Howard Goodall's Every Purpose Under the Heaven. Conducted by Brian Newman, the concert will also feature the Camerata of London, the soprano Claire Lees and the tenor Gary Marriott. Described by Karl Jenkins as A Mass for Peace, the Armed Man is a poignant and moving mix of classical and contemporary choral music which was commissioned by the Royal Armouries Museum for the Millennium celebrations and dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo Crisis. The work chronicles the horror and destruction of modern warfare before ending on a note of hope, and takes its text from a variety of sources including the Catholic Mass, the Bible, works of Tennyson, Kipling, Dryden, Swift, the Mahabharata, and a traditional French 15th Century song, L'homme Armé, from which it takes its title. In contrast, Goodall's Every Purpose under the Heaven was commissioned to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, and uses ten of the most evocative biblical texts including those from Genesis, the Psalms and Revelations. First performed in 2011, this Oratorio combines soaring harmonies with exciting and challenging rhythms. This is a marvellous opportunity to hear a performance of this new and highly acclaimed work. Tickets cost £14 from members of the choir or £18 at the door, or can be purchased from www.wegottickets.com/event/354319 or telephone: 01435 863414.