2009 Spring Concert
Saturday 25th April 2009; St. Helier Methodist Centre
On Saturday evening, April 25th 2009, the Jersey Festival Choir presented their annual spring concert at St. Helier Methodist Centre. Once again we were sponsored by the ever-
The choir’s main focus of the evening was Pergolesi’s ‘Stabat Mater’-
The concert was the culmination of a lot of rehearsals...
We were delighted to be joined by the Holmchase Choir.
The concert opened with the choir and organ trumpeting the joy of singing. 20th Century welsh composer William Mathias’ ‘Ad majorem dei gloriam’( ‘for the greater glory of God’) had a fanfare-
At this point the performers were joined by the guest conductor for the evening -
A choral arrangement of Bach/Gounod’s ‘Ave Maria’ followed. The choir was joined by the Holmchase Choir and the Jersey Chamber Orchestra strings, with Julian Wilkins (organist) on piano. This proved a delightful addition to the concert as did the Holmchase rendering of Verdi’s ‘Laudi alla vergine Maria’. The purity of this choir’s unaccompanied singing had the audience spellbound.
Many of last night’s audience had come specifically to hear and support local young pianist Aaron Burrows in his first concerto with orchestra. Aaron had chosen Mozart’s piano concerto no.12 and, with the string orchestra, he thrilled the audience with his sparkling technique. A member of the orchestra said of him “Aaron was amazing -
Mascagni’s grand ‘Easter Hymn’ -
Then came the main thrust of the evening -
Soprano soloist Angharad Gruffydd-
The Jersey Festival Choir was joined by soprano soloist Angharad Gruffydd-
One of the highlights was a most beautiful rendition of the aria ‘Vidit sum dulcem natum’ where the soprano sings of the dying breaths of Christ on the cross -
The choir rose to the challenge of this deceptively difficult piece, and the pathos of the message rang through to the final glorious ‘Amen’-
This is the final concert of the season for the Festival Choir but those who would like to join will be very welcome to come to its first meeting of the new season at Le Rocquier School at 7.30 on Wednesday 9th September 2009.
'Ad majorem Dei gloriam' Fanfare for Chorus and Organ (an anthem by William Matthias; Jersey Festival Choir)
Gounod's 'Ave Maria' (Jersey Festival Choir)
'Laudi Alla Vergine Maria'by Verdi (Holmchase Choir)
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 12 K414 (with soloist Aaron Burrows)
O Rejoice that the Lord has arisen! (Easter Hymn from 'Cavalleria Rusticana' by Mascagni; (Holmchase Choir and Jersey Festival Choir)
Pergolesi's 'Stabat Mater' featuring Angharad Gruffyd Jones (soprano) and Alexandra Gibson (contralto) with Holmchase Choir and Jersey Festival Choir
The Jersey Chamber Orchestra accompanied throughout the evening