Past Performances

Our recent concerts:

(Unless otherwise stated, all concerts were held at St Mary's Church in Hitchin. Where Christmas programmes are not given, the concerts consisted of traditional carols. From this point back to the summer of 2019, unless otherwise stated, all concerts were conducted by Harry Bradford.)

2024
Spring: Bach B Minor Mass with Musica Donum Dei, Emilia Bertolini (soprano), Hera Protopapas (mezzo), Simon Carter (tenor), Daniel Vening (bass).
Summer: Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle with Daisy Livesey (soprano), Louise Wood (mezzo), Matt Sotillo-Cooke (tenor), James Bartlett (bass), Colin Spinks (piano), George Inscoe (harmonium. Walsworth Road Baptist Church.
Autumn: Handel Dettingen Te Deum and CPE Bach Magnificat with Musica Donum Dei, Daisy Livesey (soprano), Helena Cooke (mezzo), Zahid Siddiqui (tenor), Allyn Wu (baritone), Colin Spinks (organ).

2023
Spring: Handel Samson with Colin Spinks (organ), Musica Donum Dei, Helena Moore (soprano), Christopher Mitchell (countertenor), James Micklethwaite (tenor), Johannes Moore (bass).
Summer: A Slice of Jazz - Shearing Songs and Sonnets, Rutter Birthday Madrigals, Chilcott Little Jazz Mass, a set of jazz motets, with Harry Baker (piano), Jonny Wickham (bass), Oren McLaughlin (drums). Walsworth Road Baptist Church
Autumn: Mendelssohn Elijah with Beaufoy Sinfonia, Sophie Benfield (soprano), Maya Colwell (mezzo), Philippe Durrant (tenor), Johannes Moore (baritone).
Christmas: Janacek Otce Nas with Colin Spinks (organ), Alexander Hume (tenor), Alis Huws (harp). Walsworth Road Baptist Church.

2022
Spring: Mozart Missa Brevis in Bflat, Stanford Te Deum, Handel Coronation Anthems with Richard Leach (organ), Claire Ward (soprano), Sally Lundgren (mezzo), Alexander Hume (tenor), Johannes Moore (bass). Walsworth Road Baptist Church, Hitchin.
Summer: Gilbert & Sullivan/opera choruses with Colin Spinks (piano), Tamsin Raitt (soprano), Hannah Bennett (mezzo), Samuel Kibble (tenor). St Mary's Church, Ashwell.
Autumn: Mozart Requiem and Solemn Vespers with Danni O'Neill (soprano) Mercè Bruguera Abelló (alto), Matthew McKinney (tenor), Alexander Bower-Brown (bass), Colin Spinks (organ) and the Beaufoy Players.
Christmas: Conductor Colin Spinks. Britten Ceremony of Carols featuring Emily Beech (soprano), Maya Colwell (mezzo), Elin Samuel (harp), James Orford (organ). Walsworth Road Baptist Church, Hitchin.

2021
Autumn: back at last after the enforced Covid lockdown. Duruflé Requiem, Vierne Mess Solenelle, Faure Cantique de Jean Racine with Colin Spinks (organ), Nina Kiva (cello), Rosamond Thomas (mezzo).
Christmas: Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols featuring baritone soloist Charlie Baigent

2020
Spring: Bach B Minor Mass - cancelled, the first casualty of the coronavirus pandemic. This would have featured conductor Harry Bradford, soloists Helena Moore, Sarah Anne Champion, Benjamin Durrant and Humphrey Thompson with Musica Donum Dei.
Summer: Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle - also cancelled. Featured soloists were due to be our regular repetiteur, Colin Spinks, on piano and James Orford on harmonium.
Autumn: Haydn The Creation, performed 'at home' via Zoom with pre-recorded solos by Helena Moore, Philippe Durrant and Daniel Vening, accompanied by Colin Spinks
Christmas: another 'at home' concert, this time with many family members and friends joining in, and pre-recorded solos from Maisie Hulbert, Helena Cooke, James Micklethwaite and Charles Cunliffe; also featuring the vocal talents of Harry Bradford and Colin Spinks

2019
Spring: Bach St John Passion - Conductor Stephen Bullamore (in his farewell concert); accompaniment Musica Donum Dei; soloists Mark Wilde (Evangelist and tenor solos), Sarah Gilford, Susannah Bedford, Jacob Feldman, Isaac Lyons.
Summer: Carl Orff Carmina Burana - Conductor Harry Bradford (in his debut concert); pianists Colin Spinks and Richard Carr; the Percussion Ensemble of London; soloists Magnus Walker, Paul Grant and Ana Beard Fernandez (standing in for Tamsin Raitt). Coptic Church Centre, Stevenage
Autumn: Haydn Missa Sancta Nicolai, Britten St Nicholas with Chameleon Arts Orchestra, pianists James Orford and Max Barley; soloists Catriona Holsgrove, Sarah Anne Champion, Magnus Walker and Johannes Moore, plus members of the Capital Arts Children's Choir with Joel Swendensky as young Nicholas.
Christmas: Charpentier Messe de Minuit pour Noel -  guest organist Henry Websdale.

(Unless otherwise stated, all concerts in the following list were conducted by Stephen Bullamore.)

2018 - the choir's 50th anniversary year
Spring - commemorating the centenary of Women's Suffrage: Elizabeth Maconchy Proud Thames Overture, Cecilia McDowall Magnificat, Ethel Smyth Mass in D; with Hertfordshire Philharmonia, Louise Mott, Julian Empett, Claire Ward and Ben Alden. Coptic Church Centre, Stevenage.
Summer: Haydn's Nelson Mass; with Hertfordshire Philharmonia, Jonathan Lilley (organ).
Autumn - commemorating the centenary of the Armistice: Vaughan Williams Dona Nobis Pacem; Fauré Requiem; with Chameleon Arts, Philip Tebb and Grace Davidson (standing in for Elizabeth Weisberg).

2017
Spring: Verdi Requiem with Herts Philharmonia, Claire Pendleton, Louise Mott, Julian Stocker and Julian Empett. Coptic Church Centre, Stevenage
Summer : Music for a Summer's Evening featuring Finzi, Elgar, Bruckner and Vierne with organist Steven Grahl. St Mary's, Baldock
Autumn: Haydn The Creation with  Musica Donum Dei, Elizabeth Weisberg, Julian Stocker and Julian Empett.
Christmas: Jonathan Rathbone Mr Fezziwig's Christmas Party with Chameleon Arts Ensemble and  Andrew Ashwin.

2016
Spring: Elgar Dream of Gerontius with Hertfordshire Philharmonia, Louise Mott, Mark Wilde and Julian Empett. Coptic Church Centre, Stevenage
Summer: Puccini Messa di Gloria, Tippett Five Spirituas, Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs and Three Shakespeare Songs with Richard Carr (accompanist), Joanna Songi, Daniel Joy and Dan D'Souza.
Autumn: Handel Israel in Egypt with Musica Donum Dei. Letchworth Free Church

2015
Spring: Mozart Requiem, Thomas Linley Let God Arise, with Musica Donum Dei, Emily Rowley Jones, Susan Gilmour Bailey, Rebecca Stockland, Mark Wilde and Julian Empett. Coptic Church Centre, Stevenage
Summer: a mixed programme featuring works by John Rutter, George Shearing and John Railton with Colin Spinks (piano) and Alice Kent (double bass).
Autumn: Ode to Joy in Herts Philharmonia's performance of Beethoven's 9th (Choral) Symphony.
Christmas: Bach Christmas Oratorio with Susan Gilmour-Bailey, Cathy Bell, Graham Neal, Julian Empett and Musica Donum Dei

2014
Spring: Elgar The Apostles with Herts Philharmonia,  Emily Rowley Jones, Rebecca Stockland, Julian Stocker, Julian Empett, Stuart Young, Andrew Davies. Coptic Church, Stevenage.
Summer: Music from the Movies, with Sean Riley and Colin Spinks. Da Vinci Hall, Letchworth
Autumn: Handel Judas Maccabeus with Musica Donum Dei, Alexandra Kidgell, Cathy Bell, Mark Wilde and Julian Empett. Letchsworth Free Church.
Christmas: Rutter Gloria with Regent Brass & Colin Spinks (organ).

2013
Spring - commemorating the life of John Railton: Bach St Matthew Passion (in collaboration with the Orpheus Choir of North Herts); with Musica Donum Dei, Louise Alder, Daniel Keating-Roberts, Mark Wilde, Julian Empett and Michael Bundy.
Summer: works by Elgar, Tavener, Whitacre, Lauridsen, Dove, Dubois and Vierne, with Colin Spinks (organ).
Autumn: works by Purcell, Ireland and others, featuring a special commission by Terry Mann based on the texts of Hildegard of Bingen

2012
Spring: Finzi’s Intimations of Immortality, with Hertfordshire Philharmonia, Mark Wilde and Jo Towler (French horn).
Summer: Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem with Iain Farrington (piano), the Goldfield Ensemble, Louise Alder and Stuart Young. Coptic Church Centre, Stevenage.
Autumn: Mozart Great Mass in C Minor K427: Solemn Vespers K339: Exsultate, Jubilate K165, with Musica Donum Dei, Claire Pendleton, Rachael Cox, Richard Brain, Thomas Coltman. St Mary's, Ashwell.
Christmas: Henryk Górecki Totus Tuus, Randall Thompson Alleluia with Steven Grahl (organ).

2011
Spring: Bach Mass in B minor, with Musica Donum Dei, Aoife Miskelly, Rupert Enticknap, Graham Neal and Thomas Coltman.
Summer: favourites from Gilbert & Sullivan, with Iain Farrington (piano), Richard Suart, Victoria Joyce, Peter Chapman (narrator). Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage.
Autumn: Duruflé Requiem, Bairstow Blessed City Heavenly Salem, Moore All wisdom cometh from the Lord, with Rebecca Hewes (cello), Colin Spinks (organ), Rachael Cox, and Julian Empett.