Author Archives: vhk10

hymn karaoke

Posted on November 10, 2021 by vhk10

On a half-term break in East Anglia, I attended the Sunday Eucharist at a nearby church. There I encountered for the first time something which I knew happened in places where no organist could be found: singing hymns to a … Continue reading →

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a 30th birthday present

Posted on October 30, 2021 by vhk10

The Erleigh Cantors began in 1990, and for their 30th anniversary an anthem was commissioned from Andrew Millington, formerly of Exeter Cathedral. Our October visit to Bristol Cathedral was our first opportunity to perform his setting of My spirit yearns … Continue reading →

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a rare visit by the LSO

Posted on October 26, 2021 by vhk10

Sir Simon Rattle brought the London Symphony Orchestra to the Bath Forum to play Martinů’s Rhapsody-Concerto and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony. Orchestral concerts here outside the two music festivals are a rarity. This one was organised as a gift to care … Continue reading →

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a feelgood piece to return with

Posted on October 20, 2021 by vhk10

I returned to the concert platform with Gloucester Choral Society in a performance of Haydn’s Creation. This is a piece that comes round every few years, and I’ve done it with a variety of groups. My records tell me that … Continue reading →

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RIP Joanna

Posted on October 15, 2021 by vhk10

I was sorry to learn this week of the death of Joanna Wiesner at the age of 96. You couldn’t be very involved in choral music in Bath without coming across her, in my case mostly through the South West … Continue reading →

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a choir which should have existed years ago

Posted on October 15, 2021 by vhk10

Ever since moving here I’ve been frequently asked ‘Do you sing in Bath Abbey?’ And for a long time I not only didn’t, but couldn’t, as there was no Abbey choir containing adult women. But that has changed with the … Continue reading →

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Laysplaining

Posted on September 27, 2021 by vhk10

Given my interests shown here, it’s won’t come as a surprise that I follow various church and choral music groups on Facebook. I had to give up one when my feed filled up with (rather bad) hymns with words and … Continue reading →

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Portsmouth pointing: 2

Posted on September 14, 2021 by vhk10

We returned from our dumb day (in our case, a first visit to the Isle of Wight) to the second half of the Portsmouth week. This had delighted the script/diacritical mark nerd in me (I update the choir’s website) as … Continue reading →

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Vote for us!

Posted on September 9, 2021 by vhk10

It is an autumn of awards seasons, and Bristol Choral Society covered itself with glory at the Making Music awards, winning Best Project with a Focus on New Music for our carol competition in December 2020. Our conductor Hilary Campbell … Continue reading →

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Portsmouth pointing: 1

Posted on September 3, 2021 by vhk10

Finally I got to sing my first choral evensong in 18 months. The Cathedral Chamber Choir was in residence at Portsmouth Cathedral (rearranged from Salisbury) for a week, many of us staying in Rees Hall towards Southsea. It’s a very … Continue reading →

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