CHRISTMAS CONCERT – In memory of Ro Rickett 3 December 2022 Both the Singers and an appreciative audience enjoyed a memorable Christmas concert dedicated to Rosemary Rickett. An enthusiastic singer in the second sopranos, past chairman and committee member, and long-standing friend to many, Ro was influential in the development of the choir. She died in 2020. The Singers were accompanied by organist Andrew Millington in a programme of festive music. Several members of Ro’s family were able to attend, some coming from as far afield as Cambridge. The Revd Sue Astbury read a touching tribute, ‘Memories of Ro’, and the choir sang one of her favourite pieces of music, Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus. Leon Winston gave a short talk describing the work of the Helen Foundation, and £530 was raised for the charity in the retiring collection. Many thanks to the audience for their generosity. The programme included two contemporary works: Eric Whitacre’s Seal Lullaby, an enchanting setting of words by Rudyard Kipling, and Ola Gjeilo’s Northern Lights, a musical evocation of the patterns of the aurora borealis. A highlight was Andrew Millington’s two seasonal organ solos, a chorale prelude by JS Bach and a thrilling chorale and variations by Flor Peeters. Jean Palmer read the poem ‘Just doing my job’ by Clare Bevan, and choir and audience joined together singing some favourite carols. Chairman Ann Pardoe said: ‘When Ro became Chairman in 2001, she had a clear vision of how she wanted the Singers to develop as a choral society. The choir flourished under her watchful eye, and she was the leading light in the development of the Singers. In her final report as Chairman in 2007, Ro said that since she had joined the choir, she had seen the Singers treble their membership and grow from strength to strength in their performances. This was in a great part due to her inspiration. ‘Her great enjoyment was always evident in the enthusiastic way that she sang. When she became gravely ill, one of her wishes was to be remembered by all of us singing together, particularly in the carols for choir and audience.’ Everyone in St Peter’s Church was happy to fulfil her wish. THANK YOU from The Helen Foundation Annie and Roger Kirk, on behalf of the Trustees, write: We were very honoured that Shaldon Singers nominated The Helen Foundation to benefit from the collection at their very successful Christmas concert. Thank you for making possible the donation of £530. We are truly grateful for the support. Thank you to everyone in the choir for all that they do for so many charities. Over the last 40+ years, they must have raised many thousands of pounds for good causes. In 2022, The Helen Foundation benefited over 2,000 young people across Teignbridge, through 34 school-based arts workshops, individual bursaries, THF Awards and special arts projects in and out of schools. The Singers' donation will help the Foundation in 2023 to maintain its encouragement of young people to experience the excitement and challenges of the arts. Thank you again for your support of the charity. We really appreciate it! A letter from Ro's family We so enjoyed the concert at St Peter’s, and wanted to write to thank you, and the choir so very much for such a moving tribute to Ro. It was lovely to be back in Shaldon and to be part of the audience on such a special night. It brought back so many warm memories - the choir was such a strong part of her life and she valued so much the continuity and the friendships she built. It was a beautiful programme, a lovely emotional range, and we loved the chance to join in after the interval - exactly what she wanted. So nice to be able to do that, now that the restrictions have been lifted. We also loved Sue’s tribute - the stories captured our mum’s mischievous sense of humour that was so special. It really was a vivid occasion - in our minds' eyes, she was present and that made it all the more moving. So wonderful to have the chance to join in - exactly what she had asked for!! Please pass our heartfelt thanks to the Singers - so very wonderful to see and hear them in such good voice. It was a beautiful tribute - moving, joyful and fun. Thank you. JUBILEE CONCERT – 21 May 2022 The Singers presented a celebratory programme to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Anna Cockroft led the Shaldon Sinfonietta and the concert featured three excellent soloists – Jenny Abbott, Jonathan Waterworth and James Quilligan. The highlight was Puccini’s Messa di Gloria. A composer famous for his operas, it is clear from this early work where Puccini’s future direction lay, and his operatic instincts were obvious particularly in the Gloria movement – the major part of the work. Schubert’s popular Mass in G showed a mix of classical and earlier styles, while Warlock’s Capriol Suite for string orchestra, a set of six dances written in the twentieth century but in the style of music in the sixteenth century – the first Elizabethan era – completed the programme. Chairman Ann Pardoe described the concert as ‘a double celebration, with the Queen’s Jubilee and our return to a May concert after three years. We are looking to the future and would love to have more singers joining us now the difficulties of Covid are retreating.’ David Cox gave a short talk on the work of HITS – Homeless In Teignbridge Support – and a retiring collection in aid of the charity raised £420. Many thanks to our audience for their generosity and support. CHRISTMAS CONCERT – 4 December 2021 We returned to performing live on 4 December at St Peter’s Church. For Tim Crompton, the concert was his first since taking over as MD in April 2020. Andrew Millington provided excellent organ and piano accompaniment. Despite the cold, an appreciative audience turned out for a varied programme: Handel, Vivaldi, Howard Goodall and John Rutter, along with a selection of Christmas carols. Readings were presented by choir members Vivienne Thorn and Richard King, and there were two brilliant organ solos from Andrew Millington. Robert Meadows from Devon Freewheelers gave a short introduction to the work of the charity – a voluntary courier service providing out of hours emergency deliveries for Devon hospitals, also known as Blood Bikes. The retiring collection in aid of the Freewheelers raised £360. |
Past Concerts
December 2023 Vivaldi: Gloria Rachmaninov: Bogoroditse devo Joubert: There is no rose Poston: Jesus Christ the apple tree May 2023 Handel: Messiah December 2022 Elgar: From the Bavarian Highlands Mozart: Ave verum corpus Eric Whitacre: The Seal Lullaby Ola Gjeilo: Northern Lights May 2022 Schubert: Mass in G Puccini: Messa di Gloria December 2021 Handel: The King shall rejoice Vivaldi: Credo John Rutter: All things bright and beautiful & For the beauty of the earth Howard Goodall: Psalm 23, The Lord is my shepherd December 2019 Bach: Jesu, joy of man's desiring Monteverdi: Beatus vir Karl Jenkins: Laudamus te Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas carols May 2019 Purcell: Come ye sons of art Laura Rossi: Song of the Teign Elgar: As torrents in summer; My love dwelt in a northern land Sullivan: The long day closes Gounod: St Cecilia Mass December 2018 Haydn: Little Organ Mass Parry: Blest pair of sirens Howard Goodall: Psalm 23; Love Divine May 2018 Handel: Messiah December 2017 Bruckner: Ave Maria Pergolesi: Magnificat John Rutter: Gloria May 2017 Dvorak: Stabat Mater December 2016 Stanford: Magnificat and Nunc dimittis in C Handel: Chandos Anthem 'O praise the Lord' May 2016 Puccini: Gloria Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man December 2015 Morten Lauridsen: O magnum mysterium Vaughan Williams: Five English Folk Songs & Five Mystical Songs May 2015 Mozart: Requiem Finzi: God is gone up Ireland: Greater love hath no man Balfour Gardiner: Evening Hymn December 2014 Handel: Messiah excerpts Stanford: Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in B flat Bruckner: Locus Iste Fletcher: Ring out, wild bells May 2014 'We will remember them' Purcell: Funeral Music for Queen Mary Tavener: Song for Athene Haydn: Nelson Mass December 2013 Fauré: Requiem May 2013 Haydn: Creation December 2012 Vivaldi: Gloria Britten: excerpts from Ceremony of Carols May 2012 Jubilee Prom in Shaldon Handel: Hallelujah Chorus Parry: I Was Glad Edward German: excerpts from Merrie England ‘Jerusalem’, ‘Land of Hope of Glory’, and ‘Rule Britannia’, etc. Christmas 2011 Elgar: From the Bavarian Highlands Parry: Blest Pair of Sirens May 2011 Mozart: Coronation Mass and Vespers December 2010 Schubert: Mass in G Karl Jenkins: 'Benedictus' from The Armed Man May 2010 Stanford: Songs of the Sea Orff: Carmina Burana December 2009 Handel: Coronation Anthems Handel: Hallelujah Chorus May 2009 Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle December 2008 Bach: Sleepers Wake Randall Thompson: Alleluia May 2008 Rutter: Gloria Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms & Pater noster December 2007 Haydn: Missa Sancti Nicolai Britten: A Ceremony of Carols excerpts May 2007 Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man Faure: Cantique de Jean Racine Parry: I was glad December 2006 Vivaldi: Gloria May 2006 Coleridge-Taylor: Hiawatha's Wedding Feast December 2005 Handel: Messiah Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on Christmas Carols Tavener: The lamb May 2005 Finzi: God is gone up Mozart: Ave verum corpus Faure: Requiem & Cantique de Jean Racine December 2004 Bach: Christmas Oratorio Fletcher: Ring out, wild bells May 2004 Parry: Blest pair of sirens Orff: Carmina burana December 2003 Charpentier: Messe de minuit May 2003 Rutter: Requiem Haydn: Nelson Mass December 2002 Handel: Messiah Tavener: The lamb Rutter: A Gaelic blessing May 2002 Stanford: Te Deum in B flat Purcell: Come, ye sons of art Vaughan Williams: Five Mystical Songs & English Folk Songs Extracts from Merrie England and Oliver! December 2001 Handel: The King shall rejoice; Zadok the priest |
SHALDON SINGERS is a charity with a Registered Charity Number of 1164387