Triumphant winter performances
Pictured above, our Music Director, Ben Sawyer, with choir, soloists and orchestra, leads the final movement in a highly acclaimed performance of Handel's Messiah.The November performance of Messiah was followed in December by our now traditional Christmas concert, both given to near full houses in St James's Church Dursley.
Audience member and retired professional musician Terry Barter said: "Messiah may be well known, but it needs to be sung as if it's fresh out of the box, and the choir and soloists certainly achieved that. The whole thing was tremendous."
Soloists were: soprano Catriona Holsgrove, alto (and friend of the choir) Elisabeth Irvine, tenor Deryck Webb and bass Will Stevens. The Regency Sinfonia orchstra and continuo player Christopher Guild completed the line up.
The Christmas concert once again featured interludes from local young musicians coached by Kim Ward. Congratulating members on the choir's performance, Music Director Ben Sawyer said: "It really put the icing on the cake of a fantastic musical year for the choir."
The choir is now taking its winter recess. 2026 rehearsals start on 16 February, when work will begin on our summer perforemance of Haydn's Creation.
