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The Town Mayor of Haywards Heath and his consort were thrilled to attend the special Sussex Chorus Opera Gala Concert that celebrated the group’s centenary.

The evening took place at at St Andrew’s Church, Burgess Hill, on Saturday, June 25.

Mayor Howard Mundin said: “What a fantastic evening Margaret and I had, full of superb music in a beautiful setting.

“We felt very privileged to be invited to celebrate this special centenary with Sussex Chorus, who in spite of being decimated by Covid, put on such a marvellous gala concert which also raised funds for the St Peter & St James Hospice.”

Haywards Heath town mayor Howard Mundin and consort at the Centenary Opera Gala Concert with Charne Rochford (tenor soloist), Zita
Syme (soprano soloist) and Stephen Anthony Brown (director of music) — Haywards Heath town mayor Howard Mundin and consort at the Centenary Opera Gala Concert with Charne Rochford (tenor soloist), Zita Syme (soprano soloist) and Stephen Anthony Brown (director of music)

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Stephen Anthony Brown led the choir, supported by the Kent Sinfonia and the voices of soloists Charne Rockford (tenor) and Zita Syme (soprano).

Mr Mundin said the soloists brought tears to everyone’s eyes with the emotion they put into their performances.

He said: “It was marvellous to meet all the fantastic performers and members of Sussex Choir after the concert and quite an honour to meet the composer, conductor and pianist Howard Blake OBE, whom many of us know so well through his most famous score for The Snowman.”

Soloists Charne Rochford and Zita Syme in duet

The mayor added: “Congratulations to Sussex Choir on achieving this brilliant milestone and thank you so much to Sussex Choir chairman John Welch and to all the members and performers on the evening for a simply stunning gala concert.”

To find out more about Sussex Chorus’s history, as well as its plans for the future visit www.sussexchorus.org.

Find out more about St Peter & St James Hospice at stpjhospice.org.

Haywards Heath town mayor congratulates Sussex Chorus after 'simply stunning' centenary concert