Rock Festival Choir to return with Advent concert at Alnwick church

Last year, due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the tradition had to be suspended.

Now the choir and musical director Peter Brown are looking forward to returning to perform this much-anticipated concert, featuring beautiful music, including Advent carols from the 14th to the 21st century.

The choice of concert repertoire also reflects the challenging times experienced during the pandemic, remembering those who have been lost and looking forward with hope for the future.

The choir is fortunate to have several composers in its membership.

The Advent concert programme includes five evocative pieces written by choir members.

Peter Hignett’s setting of Christina Rossetti’s poem ‘Remember’ has been composed to commemorate two friends who have been lost to Covid-19, but also looks at moving from sadness to hope.

Peter Brown’s ‘The Dream’ is a short setting of Tantum Ergo, a eucharistic hymn attributed to Thomas Aquinas, which evokes the voices of angels. This will be followed by his setting of the well-known and inspiring words of Psalm 121, ‘I will lift up mine eyes’, which blends the voices of the choir with a prominent part for the magnificent organ at the church, played by Alan Gidney.

Cheryl Camm’s setting of William Blake’s poem, ‘The Lamb’ has been specially arranged for Rock Festival Choir.

Finally Paul Bamling’s composition ‘Go to the Child’, a setting of a poem by the writer Imtiaz Dharker, looks forward to the future with hope.

Tickets will be available on the door, £12, Sunday, November 28, 3pm, St Paul’s Church, Alnwick.

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