Review: Rutland Ladies’ Choir’s Celebration of Christmas in Uppingham
When it comes to classy performances at Christmas, a choir with only a couple of years under its belt is proving hard to beat.
Rutland Ladies’ Choir held its first Christmas concert last year, and returned - with even more members - for a second festive performance on Saturday evening (December 16).
For reasons that weren’t announced, the concert had changed venue, from the rather lovely setting of Uppingham School Chapel last year, to the more functional and less enchanting Memorial Hall next door.
Thankfully the quality of the singing was enough of a distraction for the 340-strong audience, and the various works being performed were introduced articulately and often amusingly by the two male soloists who accompany the choir, director of music at Uppingham School Andrew Kennedy, and professional tenor Matthew Sandy.
Their patter included the revelation (for me at least) that ‘Do You Hear What I Hear?’ was written as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Incidentally, I had caught this song being played on Santa’s sleigh by Stamford Lions Club the previous evening, and now feel it was an even more interesting choice to entertain children.
Delivered by the choir, the piece was suitably haunting, and provided contrast to the humour of ‘The Twelve Days After Christmas’ - a spoof on the similarly named Christmas song that begins with the lines: ‘The first day after Christmas my true love and I had a fight, And so I chopped the pear tree down and burned it just for spite.’
The choir’s songs were interspersed with congregational carols, allowing us to all have a go, and helping to highlight the talent of those we’d really come to hear.
The young players in the Jazz Ensemble added variety and slid seemingly effortlessly through their festive mix, while operatic tenor Andrew Kennedy - conducting the choir for the most part - joined the ladies and sang ‘O Holy Night’ in a simply perfect fashion.
A raffle towards the end of the evening raised money for The Harley Staples Cancer Trust, set up in memory of eight-year-old Harley, who lost his battle with leukaemia in 2009. His parents, Katherine and Jamie, live in Whissendine.
The only fly in the frankincense was the interval wine - an Aussie red coming in at £6 for a smallish glass. I imagine that after the first sip many were grateful for its diminutive size.
Rutland Ladies’ Choir will hold an open evening to welcome new members from 7pm to 9.15pm on Thursday, January 4, at Uppingham Town Hall.
Those interested in joining do not need to be able to read music, but should be able to hold a tune, listen and learn.