Sir John Rutter joins New Sussex Singers for Come And Sing day

They are promising a unique opportunity to take part in a day of uplifting choral singing under the baton of one of the UK’s most cherished composers.

Sir John Rutter will lead singers through some of his best-loved compositions, a brand-new work and pieces by other composers that he has chosen for the occasion.

Singers of all ages and experience are welcome (age guidance 16 upwards), although the day will be geared to those who have at least some choral experience and music-reading ability.

Participants will sing the music just for fun, no advance preparation is expected and no performance is given at the end of the day. The pace will be relaxed and informal, New Sussex Singers promise. Sir John will share stories from his extraordinary career and you’ll pick up some vocal tips along the way, says New Sussex Singers music director Seb Charlesworth.

The venue on Saturday, June 7 is All Saints, The Drive, Hove, BN3 3QE. Tickets £25, under 21s £18 (all music included). Doors open: 10am (registration & collection of music); morning session: 11am-12.45pm (with no break); lunch break: 12.45pm-2pm; first afternoon session: 2pm-approx 3.25pm; tea break: 3.25-approx 3.45pm; final session: approx 3.50pm-4.45pm. Tickets on https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/76409

As Seb says, it ties in beautifully with the New Sussex Singers’ Utterly Rutterly concert on June 28 from 6pm at TRINITY St John's-sub-Castro, Lewes, again in celebration of Sir John Rutter's 80th birthday year.

As Seb says: “For us it was a bit of a shot in the dark but the main impetus in asking him was that we had planned a programme to celebrate his birthday. Since I have been MD and more traditionally going back a bit further, the choir has always done a lighter programme in the summer, something perhaps a bit more jazzy or from the musicals, and the idea is that we are going to do his Birthday Madrigals on June 28.

“We knew that Sir John does lots of workshops so we approached him to see if he would be interested. He said yes and offered a few dates and it was quite a surprise that it all fell into place and that we were able to programme a workshop with him before our concert.

“I think a lot of our singers have done workshops with him in the past because he is quite a prolific workshopper. He has such a great reputation and he is hugely energetic for a man that is just about to turn 80. And to do a workshop with him is such a good way to experience someone who is arguably the greatest choral composer in UK from the last 50 years at least. He has offered us a mixture of repertoire that he will be doing and it is a great mixture. The quality of the music that he has produced over the last 60 years has been amazing but it is also the level of the detail that he likes to go into, the insight that we will get, the insight that he has into his own music, and it is especially interesting that he is a composer who is also a conductor. We will get lots of anecdotes. He is very amusing and quick-witted and it will be be a great experience to work with a legend especially on a brand-new piece as well which is still in its infancy, The Dancing Tree (which received its premiere in April).

“I took over (as music director) in 2018. I hope they won't mind me saying that at the time they were a group of singers rather than a functioning choir that had its own individuality and identity as an ensemble. My main aim, which was slightly interrupted by Covid, was to find that identity and get them to sing as an ensemble, and they have definitely achieved that. It has grown in size and we now attempt a huge repertoire. There is pretty much nothing that I would not choose. They are really exciting to work with and they're pretty gung-ho if I challenge them with some crazy ideas! I just love working with them and I feel incredibly proud of what we have achieved.”