Summer 2007

Sat 7th July at Faringdon Junior School (as part of the Faringdon Festival)

We sang “Hiawatha” by Coleridge Taylor, with Prologue and Epilogue read by Meg Greenwood, with John Oxlade (piano) and Philip Fine (tenor), who also sang some songs by Britten, Vaughan Williams and others. There were also choir and piano pieces by Elgar to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth in 1857 and Negro spirituals to celebrate the abolition of the slave trade in 1807. Maggie and Sandy sang the Flower Duet.

Sat 14th July at Elderbank Hall, Brize Norton

A repeat of the previous Saturday’s concert. This time we had additional instrumental solos: a movement from Neruda’s Trumpet Concerto in Eb, played by Lorna Bumford and accompanied by Debra, and Handel’s Chaconne in G for 2 violins, played by Stewart and Nicola Attwood: it turned out that Stewart was a direct descendant of Thomas Attwood.

Elgar Anniversary Concert – Sunday October 28th 2007 in the Holywell Music Room, Oxford with John Oxlade (piano), Claire Barratt (sop) and Philip Fine (tenor). The first half was devoted to music by Elgar: Songs and a suite from ‘The Starlight Express’, second half: Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast by Coleridge-Taylor (a young contemporary of Elgar), with Prologue (Epilogue read by Meg Greenwood) and a very eye catching programme notes and poster by Sjoerd Vogt. There was only a small audience, but a wonderful experience in this historic concert hall with excellent soloists and accompaniment. The choir sang well and very much enjoyed the music on this, its third airing.