Welcome to the Harleston Choral Society Website
We are a non-auditioning community choir so why not come along once we restart on Monday 5th September at 7pm? To any potential tenors and basses, our choir needs you!
Further details about the choir are in the Location and Contact and About Us sections or from Stella Brownsea at heidihouse@btinternet.com
Stop Press: Please come to our fundraising quiz evening on Friday 19th August!
Summer Concert Saturday 25th June 2022
On Saturday 25th June, we performed our first summer concert since 2019 and our first under the baton of our new Musical Director, Justin Bindley. In the first half, the choir gave a beautiful performance of Fauré’s Requiem. Of particular note was the very precise coming in on and the ending of phrases and the use of dynamics. The soloists, soprano Laura Morgan and baritone Aleksi Koponen, sang wonderfully and greatly added to the experience for the audience.
The second half was a mixed programme of further pieces sung by the choir, including the very moving O Magnum Mysterium by Lauridsen, solo pieces by both Laura and Aleksi, and solos from the harpist, Lucinda Pennick, and our piano accompanist, Karen Smith. Throughout the concert, we were also brilliantly accompanied by Emily Sheldrake on violin and Ingrid Perrin on cello.
It was a fabulous evening with something for everyone to enjoy.
Summer Social Events
On Monday 27th June, we met for coffee at the Broken Egg in Harleston and on Saturday 16th July, we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon garden party together courtesy of our alto member Caroline.
Our next social event is the Quiz Evening with two-course supper on Friday 19th August. Please see the poster above.
Our New Musical Director
In March of this year, we were delighted to welcome Justin Bindley as our new Musical Director. Justin has a wealth of singing and conducting experience and we are looking forward to very exciting times ahead under his direction. You can read more about him on the website here
Magic Little Grant
We received a Magic Little Grant through the partnership between Localgiving and Postcode Places
Trust. Postcode Places Trust is a grant-giving charity funded by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
Localgiving is the UK’s leading membership and support network for local charities and community
groups. Our project received £500 towards our Christmas choir concert.
You can donate to the Harleston Choral Society through our Local Giving page and you can find out more about how to play and support more charities with the People’s Postcode Lottery here
We were not idle during lockdown and were able to sing together online
Despite all the difficulties, there was so much enthusiasm from members to find a way to sing together that we set up zoom sessions online led by our accompanist, Karen Smith. We practised short pieces such as Ave verum Corpus by Mozart, Franck’s Panis angelicus, Locus iste by Bruckner, O Jesus when I come to die by Bach and If ye love me by Tallis and sang together for the first time at our picnic in August.
Choir Picnic at John and Julia’s 1st August 2021
Click here to see a video and pictures from the choir picnic on 1st August 2021
Read a Guardian article here about how singing in a choir has become the cool thing to do!
View some images from our rehearsals here.