Summer Jamboree

It was a pleasure to attend Stourport Choral’s latest concert, this time at their rehearsal venue at Areley Kings Village Hall. As the programme indicated, it featured a mixture of music styles with solo, small group and full ensemble performances.  As ever, the company were smartly dressed in black with the ladies sporting two tone red scarves, on a setting of two levels, all under the control of the multi- talented MD and host Bradley Barlow and the excellent accompanist Angie Allard.

After a strong opening number ‘Circle March’ by Katy Cooper, the ensemble sang an uplifting ‘Sing a Song of Joy’ by Stuart Overington. The first of several worthy solos throughout the concert was Sharon Toy singing ‘Skylark’. Others that followed later were Gary Talbot (‘On the Street where you Live’), Alan Savage (‘The Star of the County Down’) Jim  Parker (‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square’) and Caroline Worthington who sang an expressive ‘Feeling Good’ with a particularly enjoyable accompaniment by Angie. It did not appear to affect the singers, but I hope they were not distracted with the hall in full light.

Variety was further provided by Jenny Parsons and Mary Sinclair singing ‘The Water is Wide’, a traditional American folk song, accompanied by David Howarth and Steve Worley providing violin and guitar / harmonica  - a great combination. Singing with feeling, Mary joined David and Steve later with ‘Sally Gardens’ based on a poem by WB Yeats.  

The ensemble took us into the early 20th Century with a very pleasant ‘Linden Lea’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams and other highlights in the first half included ‘The Bold Grenadier’ when the ladies and gentlemen sang separately then came together, and staying in the UK with  ‘Where the Gentle Avon Flows’. The first half concluded with ‘St Patrick’ an Irish traditional melody and this, in addition to some other numbers earlier, was accompanied effectively by Naomi Barlow on the Cajon drum.

There were a total of 18 ensemble numbers, so it is difficult to mention them all , but particular highlights in the second half included a nice and light rendition of ‘Simple Gifts’ – a traditional American song, ‘Deep River’ arranged by Bradley, which gave the ensemble the opportunity to express some really rich and light tones and in ‘Someone to watch over me’ some very nice harmonies. ‘When I fall in love’ plus Jim, was lovely and all four of the final numbers were excellent.

I would like to thank Stourport Choral for their usual warm welcome. In November the Society has extended an invitation to everyone to  ‘Come and Sing’ John Rutter’s Requiem and I shall look forward to seeing the final performance, as well as the usual ‘Stourport Christmas’ in December.

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