Workshops (Singings)

We met for Singings in July 1996, November 1996, March 1997, July 1997 and November 1997. These Singings were choral mini-workshops where we got together to sing for about three to four hours with a half-hour break in the middle for tea and gossip. The repertoire had a discernible leaning towards music of the Renaissance and music from the golden age of English music (Tallis, Byrd, Sheppard, Purcell). There was also, however, music from a much wider spectrum than this, and we usually included some music from our own times.

There was another Singing on 28th June 1998 at the church; this was followed by a party with food and refreshments, to which friends and family were invited. The repertoire was rather more frivolous than our usual fare: part-songs, arrangements of songs from the shows, etc. At the party, we sang some of the music rehearsed, and other party pieces were presented.

During the first weekend of the year 2000 we held a Workshop on Rachmaninov's All Night Vigil, also known as the Vespers. We recruited singers from further afield on this occasion, indeed people came from as far away as Bedford and Witney; we had a very-well balanced choir of about 28 singers including 7 tenors! This was a very satisfying way to celebrate the arrival of the new year.

Once the existence of the Singers had been formalised -- as member of Making Music, and as a Registered Charity -- we held our first AGM on 22nd September 2002: the meeting was preceded by a Workshop (celebrating anniversaries in 2002: Duruflé, Walton, Stanford, Elizabeth Regina II).

There was a Lent Workshop in March 2003. We sang: Josquin Stabat mater, Rubbra Tenebrae Responses, Tukapsky Lenten motets, Tallis In jejunio et fletu

And we also held a similar event in March 2004, singing Ecco mormorarl'onde by Montverdi, Laissez moy planter le may by Bouteiller, Stabat Mater by Josquin, and Miserere mei Deus by Byrd.

On Sunday 7^th October 2007, after the AGM, we held a most enjoyable workshop of Gospel music, led by led by British Gospel Arts (see their website here). To hear some of the singing, click here. Please find a couple of photos below.

On Sunday 12^th October 2008, after the AGM, we sang Pierre de la Rue: My heart has always longed for you -- a love song, originally in Dutch, but we sang an English version, and Josquin des Prés: sections from the Mass Pange Lingua, in Latin.

On Sunday 5^th June 2011, we organized a workshop to experience the pleasures of learning social dances popular in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It was led by Robert and Jane Huggett, who are members of Renaissance Footnotes, a re-enactment group specialising in portraying the domestic pastimes - particularly the music and dance - of past periods, and primarily the Tudor age. 

Last updated: June 5, 2011