Event listing:
After our sell out Messiah in March, the choir of WPS are now offering something rather different: a relaxed evening of light music, all on the themes of life and love.
We’ll be exploring as many genres as there are kinds of love, we even have a “roll in the hay” to watch out for. With musical highlights from Les Miserables, South Pacific and Mamma Mia, side-by-side with Shearing and Rutter’s settings of Shakespeare sonnets there’s sure to be something for everyone.
Join the choir of Watford Philharmonic at Bushey Arena at 7pm on 25th June for this fabulous celebration of music in the summertime. Tickets £20 and £5 for under 19s. Book online at: https://watfordphilharmonic.co.uk/wp2019_B/buy-tickets/
News article:
New Challenges for Watford’s oldest choir
Following a sold-out performance of Messiah in March, the choir of Watford Philharmonic Society will be presenting a concert of selected light music on 25th June.
For choir members with a long history of performing large scale choral works, such as Verdi’s Requiem and Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, tackling jazz pianist, George Shearing’s madrigals and contemporary choral giant John Rutter’s Birthday Madrigals has been an exciting challenge.
Long-standing choir member Frances Pyatt says, “How great it is to belong to a choir which can move seamlessly from Handel’s Messiah to the music of Battersea-born George Shearing and his dear friend John Rutter. The jazz-swing tempo can be challenging but so exciting, there’s been lots of foot tapping and finger clicking at rehearsals. Absolutely fabulous!”
During the multiple lockdowns the choir and orchestra continued to meet weekly online. Adapting to remote rehearsals also led to the choir experimenting with new, smaller works than they have generally performed, as well as keeping spirits high with some musical theatre showstoppers.
Musical Director, Michael Cayton says “During the lockdown we were able to explore repertoire we might not ordinarily look at for both the choir and orchestra. The choir have taken to the new repertoire beautifully and have really engaged with the George Shearing songs and sonnets not to mention the selection from Abba! We have some excellent singers in the choir and I’m delighted this concert gives us an opportunity to give solos to members of the choir. It’s going to be great fun.”
The Choir of Watford Philharmonic Society will be performing a selection of madrigals, jazz songs and Broadway hits on Saturday 25th June at 7:00pm, at the Bushey Arena. Tickets £20 for adults, £5 for under 19s. Tickets can be purchased online at https://watfordphilharmonic.co.uk/wp2019_B/buy-tickets/ or by phone on 07843 192016.
About Watford Philharmonic Society:
Based in Watford, with over 100 members and our own orchestra we are one of Hertfordshire’s largest and oldest amateur choral societies – founded in 1935 by Leslie Regan in association with the great Sir Henry Wood of BBC Proms fame. Our repertoire features works by all the great composers from Bach to Bernstein and includes challenging classical masterpieces alongside Broadway, West End and easy listening favourites.
Musical Director – Michael Cayton. Patron, international baritone – Andrew Shore. Patron, international French Horn player and soloist – David Pyatt. President, director of professional ensemble London Voices and former Chorus Master of the Royal Opera – Terry Edwards.
