Singing together for Community Festival Choral Day
On Saturday 13 May singers from Crowborough and beyond, including members of Crowborough Choral Society, took part in two highly successful singing workshops as part of the Crowborough Community Festival. In the morning, Mark Beesley (newly appointed to the post of Musical Director of CCS) worked on improving singing technique. After lunch, leading composer and musician Alexander l’Estrange led a session which built on the techniques practised in the morning and working on Alexander’s own compositions.
At a well-attended concert in the evening at All Saints, Crowborough, people who had participated in the workshops performed one of the pieces they had worked on and five local singing groups showcased what they do. The evening was opened by the Crowborough InChoir group, followed by the Langborough Singers and Singing for Fun (of which Mark Beesley is also MD), and the Hartfield Singers. The concert was rounded off by Crowborough Choral Society, performing
under the baton of Mark Beesley for the
first time.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, for those who took part and for those in the audience. Above all, it showed that there is a singing group for you in the Crowborough area, whatever style of music you prefer.
Photos: Richard Cook and Keith Harcourt
CCS performs Bach St John Passion for 50th Anniversary
On Saturday 8 April 2017, Crowborough Choral Society celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its founding by Colin Moore with a performance of the Bach St John Passion at All Saints Church in Crowborough. Joining the choir for what was Colin Moore’s last concert before retiring as Musical Director was a large group of singers from our twin choir from Germany, the Rellinger Kantorei, as well as many past members of Crowborough Choral Society. Patron Dame Felicity Lott was in the audience, and Patron Serena Kay was one of the soloists, alongside Nick Pritchard, Lawrence Wallington, Julian Empett, Mark Curtis and Angela Hicks.
After the concert, a party was held to mark Colin’s retirement. He was presented with a number of gifts from both choirs and several of speeches of appreciation were given to thank him for the commitment he has shown to the choir over the last fifty years.
The handshake between Colin and the Choral Society’s new Musical Director, Mark Beesley, on the stage at the party represented a positive link between the choir’s first fifty years and the future.
Photos: Nigel Cassford
Brahms in Rellingen
On 8 October 2016, ten singing members of CCS travelled to Germany and were privileged to take part in Rellinger Kantorei’s performance of the Brahms German Requiem in the Rellinger Kirche, under the baton of Kantor Oliver Schmidt. In a detailed review of the performance, the local newspaper, the Pinneberger Tageblatt, noted that together the choirs ‘produced a very harmonic, balanced sound’, which at times ‘made the Rellingen church quake.’ (To read a translation of the review in full, click here. To read the original German article, click here.)
As ever, the visiting singers and their partners were looked after wonderfully by our Rellinger Kantorei hosts. Their hospitality was, as ever, legendary.
Photos: Keith Harcourt and David Trotter