Author Archives: vhk10

this blog’s first Mozart Requiem

Posted on March 21, 2019 by vhk10

It was gratifying to sing once again to a full Cathedral for Bristol Choral’s most recent concert. Our first half was a piece I’d never sung before: Handel’s Dettingen Te Deum. I recall this being quite popular on concert programmes … Continue reading →

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a view of the marina

Posted on March 5, 2019 by vhk10

The song room at Christchurch Priory must have one of the nicest views of all: across to the inlet of the river Stour where there is a marina full of yachts. I’d never been to the Priory (or indeed the … Continue reading →

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a coachload come to the Bachfest

Posted on February 25, 2019 by vhk10

Stile Antico’s concert at the 2019 Bach Festival in Bath was very well attended. I noticed a coach outside St Mary’s Church afterwards to take people away, and have learned that some local tour companies block-book at popular concerts. This … Continue reading →

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an icy trip to the Abbey

Posted on February 9, 2019 by vhk10

I picked my way through the icy and barely thawed streets to go and sing evensong at Bath Abbey with the choir of St Peter’s Caversham, visiting for the day. As in October, we were in temporary stalls in the … Continue reading →

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a new chapter for the South West Festival Chorus

Posted on January 26, 2019 by vhk10

I used to sing quite regularly with this choir, which puts on ‘all-comers’ concerts preceded by intensive rehearsal twice a year. But I haven’t done so since 2013. I dropped out partly because various friends no longer sang in the … Continue reading →

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one-church denominations

Posted on January 21, 2019 by vhk10

I apologise in advance that this isn’t really about music, although there is a slight musical angle to it. On my way to a Lord’s Test match last year I walked along the Regent’s Canal and noticed a handsome church … Continue reading →

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my top 10 big choral works

Posted on January 14, 2019 by vhk10

January is always a quiet month for performance (although I have one new venture I’ll write about fairly soon) so time to write some more general posts I’ve been saving up for a while. Singing Mahler 2 near the end … Continue reading →

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Lichfield dedications

Posted on January 2, 2019 by vhk10

For the last few years Lichfield Cathedral Choir have set a themed quiz at Advent and Lent, with a question each day. I have in the past had fun identifying Cathedral choir stalls and music setting the word ‘star’, though … Continue reading →

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Review of the year: 2018

Posted on December 31, 2018 by vhk10

I don’t think that this was a particularly vintage year, though there was one obvious highlight: singing in Mahler 8 at the Proms. For public exposure that is hard to beat! If there was a theme to the year, it … Continue reading →

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keeping that candle going

Posted on December 31, 2018 by vhk10

Back in St David’s for Christmas again, and this time we arrived at the Cathedral for 9 Lessons and Carols soon after the doors opened and were able to sit at the back of the nave (next to someone who … Continue reading →

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