REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

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                         Rehearsal schedule 2023-24

Rehearsals are on Mondays from 7.45pm to 9.45pm

at St William of York Church Hall, 1 Du Cros Drive, Stanmore, HA7 4TJ

Find out more about how to join.

‘Handel in Stanmore’ review

Our Spring 2023 concert, entitled Handel in Stanmore, was performed by the choir on April 1st 2023 in the most appropriate place possible, that of the church of St Lawrence Whitchurch in Edgware on the edge of Canons Park.  Handel himself once played the organ in this place. The Church itself is historic and well worth a visit on its own merit. The concert included three of Handel’s Coronation anthems, namely Zadok the Priest, Let thy hand be strengthened and The King shall rejoice. The programme also included the Chandos anthem, O praise the Lord with one consent, which was entirely appropriate for the location. It was a real thrill for this reviewer in particular to sing Zadok the Priest – subsequently heard at the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III- and to do so in such wonderful surroundings. The ‘icing on the cake’ was the attendance of the Mayor of Harrow, Cllr Janet Mote, accompanied by the Mayoress, Cllr Anne Moore, and her husband. Cllr Mote’s support for our efforts was much appreciated.  The male soloists, tenor Charles Hodgkiss and bass Samuel Morton Morris, acquitted themselves splendidly in the Chandos anthem. However, the second item of the concert, the Handel Gloria, was brilliantly performed by soprano Kirsty O’Neill. She gave a truly virtuosic rendition of this work, one not previously known to this writer. If this young lady is not singing Rule Britannia at a future Last Night of the Proms then there is no justice!! Overall, our conductor, Alexander Turner, presided over an utterly superb musical offering which was hugely enjoyed by both the audience and choir members. Grateful thanks must also go to everyone else, including The Brydges Trio and James Mooney-Dutton, who contributed to the great success of the day.

                                                                                                            Bob Stonehouse