NATIONALLY renowned Redditch Choral Society are tuning up for their next concert, on Saturday, December 3, at St Stephen’s Church.
And with the festive season upon us they will be singing Vivaldi’s Gloria, Pergolesi’s Magnificat and Christmas Carols arranged by Ruth Chann.
Alma Bright Clarke is the musical director, Katie Leaver and Sophie Edkins the soprano soloists, Brett Elesmore the tenor soloist and CF Cheuk the bass soloist.
The professional orchestra will be led by Peter Bridle.
The society has also been celebrating the 90th birthday of its founder, Alma Bright Clarke.
Held at Studley village hall, more than 100 people, family, students and friends gathered for the celebration.
Alma is well known and admired in the classical music world and still teaches and directs the choral society and she can also hit the top notes better than most!
She formed a choir called ‘the Little Singers’ in the Sixties who sang at her garden parties which began her fundraising for Save the Children and over the years Alma has raised thousands for the charity.
In 1964 she founded the Redditch Choral Society and over the last 50 years the choir has performed music from Haydn, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Brahms, Vaughn Williams, Bizet and many others.
At the concerts the choir welcomes soloists from Covent Garden and musicians from the Birmingham Conservatoire.
The children’s choir from a local Catholic school also sing songs composed by one of Alma’s former students, Ruth Chann, who composes music for TV themes, theatre and films.
Tickets for the concert on December 3 are £12 (concessions £10) – including interval refreshments, accompanied children are free. Tickets are available from the Ticket secretary on 01527 402586 or Christian Word Bookshop at St Stephen’s Church, Redditch and it’s curtain up at 7.30pm.
