HOPES are high that a choral work written by international composer Ruth Chan will form the centre piece of a Christmas concert to be performed by Redditch Choral Society.
Ruth, who grew up in Studley, has created the piece in honour of her mentor and former music director of RCS Alma Bright Clark, who died last year.
Entitled simply ‘Alma’ it is a tribute to a woman who blazed a trail in the musical world to the extent that her concerts always featured some of the finest professional soloists in the country – and beyond.
This year’s event is no exception with world renowned singers Katie Leaver (soprano) and Brett Elesmore (tenor) joining the choir for the concert.
In the absence of Alma, the directorship has been taken up by mother and daughter team Helen and Emily Tyrrell, who are both trained musicians.
Helen will be directing and conducting the first part of the concert which includes a selection of both well-loved and lesser known Christmas Carols sung by the choir and also by pupils from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Studley.
Emily will be directing and conducting excerpts from Handel’s Messiah for the second part of the evening while the professional orchestra will be led as usual by Peter Bridle.
The concert is on Saturday, December 2 at 7.30pm in St Stephen’s Church in Redditch town centre and tickets are just £12 from RCS’s secretary on 07794 362956 or from the Christian Word Bookshop at St Stephen’s and include interval refreshments.
The choir takes a buoyant and fun approach to rehearsals even as they tackle major pieces of work, resultign in the production of outstanding work.
They meet every Wednesday at Crabbs Cross Methodist Church at 7.45pm and have already welcomed new members since September – to find out more, simply pop along one evening.
