Thomas Rossin conducts Händel's masterwork in concert. Andrew Barrett, Tenor, Robert Sunderin, Bass, Lea Kirdatt, Alto, Sarah Zimmerman, Soprano

Formed by four ladies from a Choir that was closed. We are meeting the challenges of starting afresh. We have a superb choral director who is getting the best out of us. The is no audition: just a love of singing. We are a mixture of very experienced to ...  moreFormed by four ladies from a Choir that was closed. We are meeting the challenges of starting afresh. We have a superb choral director who is getting the best out of us. The is no audition: just a love of singing. We are a mixture of very experienced to none. The Choir is bilingual English and Spanish with a truly international membership. Formado por cuatro mujeres de un coro que cerró. Estamos afrontando los retos de empezar de nuevo. Tenemos un director coral magnífico que está sacando lo mejor de nosotras. No hay audición: solo amor por cantar. Somos una mezcla de personas con mucha experiencia y otras sin experiencia. El coro es bilingüe inglés y español con una membresía verdaderamente internacional.  less

This is a transposed version of Malcolm Sargent's "Zither Carol". It is based on a Czech Furiant (a fast dance with metre shifting between duple and triple time) called "Sedlák, sedlák", which was also sung as a light-hearted and frolicsome song gently po...  moreThis is a transposed version of Malcolm Sargent's "Zither Carol". It is based on a Czech Furiant (a fast dance with metre shifting between duple and triple time) called "Sedlák, sedlák", which was also sung as a light-hearted and frolicsome song gently poking fun at a corpulent farmer. The words of the carol are by Malcolm Sargent himself. Girls and boys, leave your toys. make no noise, Kneel at His crib and worship Him. At Thy shrine, Child divine, we are Thine, Our Saviour's here. "Hallelujah!" the church bells ring, "Hallelujah!" the angels sing, "Hallelujah!" from ev'rything. All must draw near. (etc)  less

"Ancor che col partire" is a four-voice Italian-language madrigal with music by the Italy-based Flemish composer Cipriano de Rore (1515 - 1565). The madrigal became de Rore's most popular work, one of the most widely distributed madrigals of the entire 16...  more"Ancor che col partire" is a four-voice Italian-language madrigal with music by the Italy-based Flemish composer Cipriano de Rore (1515 - 1565). The madrigal became de Rore's most popular work, one of the most widely distributed madrigals of the entire 16th Century Ancor che col partire io mi senta morire, partir vorrei ogn'hor, ogni momento: tant'e il piacer ch'io sento de la vita ch'acquisto nel ritorno: et cosi mill'e mille volt'il giorno partir da voi vorrei: tanto son dolci gli ritorni miei. Although when I leave you it is as if I were dying, I would wish to leave you every hour, every moment, I am so very happy when life comes back to me when I return: and so I wish I could leave you many thousand times a day because my heart leaps with joy when I return.  less

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   Men and women’s voices are different.     Obvious really, but it’s something many singers find it difficult to come to terms wit...

[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I had a girlfriend who believed that we are all capable of anything if we just put enough effort in.   Photo by _foam   She believed that ...

Cantate is widely recognised as one of the UK's leading Youth Choirs. Cantate is a mixed-voice youth Choir based in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire. It is open to all young singers, whatever their background and musical upbringing. Cantate comprises th...  moreCantate is widely recognised as one of the UK's leading Youth Choirs. Cantate is a mixed-voice youth Choir based in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire. It is open to all young singers, whatever their background and musical upbringing. Cantate comprises three Choirs for children and young people which all perform to an exceptionally high standard. Cantate performed at the Royal Albert Hall, both in the BBC and Schools Prom Concerts, the Royal Festival Hall, the Barbican, the Guildhall London, 10 Downing Street, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi, St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, and in many local and regional venues. Cantate has gained many national and international awards. In 2008 we achieved international acclaim at the world’s largest choral event – the World Choir Games in Graz, Austria – in which over 430 Choirs from some 90 countries competed. Cantate won gold and silver medals, and was the only UK Choir to win a gold medal in the finals.  less

[this is a version of a post which first appeared on my blog From the Front of the Choir]   I used to lead a women’s singing group. We tried a Bob Marley song once. One of the singers used to say: “If it sounds like the Women’s In...