December, 2008: Family Carol Concerts At Guildford Cathedral And Christchurch, Woking.

The ever-popular carol concerts were performed to large audiences on both occasions and the choir again welcomed as its guest stars to the ChristChurch concert, the Susan Robinson School of Ballet. The Epworth Youth Choir entertained the audience on both occasions with a selection of modern carols and, as usual, the audiences ‘raised the roof’ with their enthusiastic singing of ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’ and many other Christmas favourites.

Epworth Choir wish to thank their audiences for their generous support of Woking DebRA at the ChristChurch concert and AGE CONCERN Surrey at Guildford Cathedral.

Saturday 8th November 2008: Royal British Legion Festival Of Remembrance At The Royal Albert Hall

The EPWORTH CHOIR, in partnership with the Wimbledon Choral Society, formed the FESTIVAL CHORUS at the ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Festival of Remembrance in the presence of the Royal Family.

Sunday 19th October 2008: Carmina Burana, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

The Epworth Choir continued their series of 50th Anniversary events with a concert at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford on Sunday 19th October. The concert opened with Bob Chilcotts’ SONGS AND CRIES OF LONDON TOWN’ followed by the World Premiere of Alan Simmons’ new work for adult and massed children’s choirs based on Samuel Pepys’ diaries – ‘THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON’.

This exciting and atmospheric cantata was performed to great audience acclaim by a choir of 180 voices including many children from the Woking and Spelthorne area. The concert concluded with Carl Orffs’ CARMINA BURANA, the dramatic portrayal of the ‘merry’ lifestyle of medieval monks with it’s well-known ‘O Fortuna’ chorus.

The Epworth Choir,conducted by Neil Ferris were joined on this occasion by the Epworth Youth Choir, Spelthorne Young Voices, soloists Helena Dix, soprano, Marcus Hopkin, bass and Richard Scott, counter-tenor, the percussion section of the Chameleon Arts Orchestra and accompanists Alexander Chaplin and Christopher Cromer who also played a selection from Leonard Bernstein’s ‘West Side Story’.

” The concert was brilliant in every way……”

The Retiring Collection raised close to £500 in aid of Woking MIND

Saturday 26th April 2008: Verdi Requiem, Guildford Cathedral

** 50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA CONCERT**

The Epworth Choir opened their 50th Anniversary Season with a Gala performance of Verdi Requiem. Epworth Choir were joined by two guest choirs, Cardiff Polyphonic Choir and Concordia Voices and the Salomon Orchestra led by Tara Persaud. The soloists were Helena Dix – soprano, Emily Bauer-Jones – Mezzo Soprano, Shaun Dixon – Tenor and Jacques Imbrailo – Bass. The Conductor was Neil Ferris – Epworth’s Musical Director.

‘Verdi’s glorious Requiem with its operatic style was performed with sensitivity, verve and enjoyment by the 200 voices blending so well together, the excellent Salomon Orchestra and the superb soloists.’

‘The ‘Sanctus’ and the ‘Agnus Dei’ showed the choir at its best for me. There were 200 voices but when I closed my eyes during the ‘ Sanctus’ it could have been just one and the ‘Agnus Dei’ brought tears to my eyes’. The ‘Libera Me’ brought the work to a breathtaking and magical climax.’

‘It was a night to remember and Epworth Choir and their fellow performers can be justifiably proud of a wonderful performance.’

The Retiring Collection Raised £875 In Support Of The Guildford Samaritans.