Review of Rutland Voices Christmas Concert ‘Joy to the World’ at Uppingham School Chapel

Ambitious arrangements brought a creative twist to a carol concert in a traditional setting.

Rutland Voices is the new name for Rutland Ladies’ Choir, now notorious for its classy Christmas event held at Uppingham School.

This year the sell-out performance was back in the school’s beautiful chapel, having been temporarily relocated in 2023 to the somewhat less atmospheric hall across the way.

And while the setting was steeped in history, the Christmas songs included jazzy arrangements of Go, Tell It on the Mountain and Frosty the Snowman, as well as a version of In Dulci Jubilo that had plenty going on.

Cosier adaptations were Walking in the Air (the main theme from The Snowman), Ding Dong Merrily on High, and Santa Baby, while audience participation numbers - The First Noel, Away in a Manger, Hark the Herald and O Come All Ye Faithful - also stuck to familiar, slippers-on-by-the-fire styles.

While Rutland Voices is an all-women outfit, its joint founder the tenor Andrew Kennedy sang a couple of solos, including Ave Maria backed by the choir and a small band of instrumentalists.

While Andrew and the choir members have strong voices, their words were occasionally lost under the sound of the instruments.

That’s not to say the musical accompaniment wasn’t equally polished, with talented pianist Anne Bolt, Samantha Read sounding melodic on flute and sax, and masterful organ playing by Joshua Davis who must have been one of the youngest people in the chapel.

Rutland Voices faltered a little earlier this year when its musical director stepped down, but is now back with renewed vigour with Peter Davis as conductor.

The concert, which included a choice of two good wines in the interval, had a retiring collection for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance.

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