Well, what a treat to sing again in public on Saturday 4th December!
We were privileged to sing Messiah with our wonderful soloists and ensemble players. Many thanks are due to all helpers on the night, and of course, to our conductor, Joel Newsome-Hubbard. Both singers and audience found it a marvellous experience after a two year break from singing with an orchestra. This review from Simon de Groot, was much appreciated:
“Ember Choral gave an uplifting and joyous, but also controlled and refined performance of Handel’s much loved and somewhat seasonal Messiah, tonight in Kingston’s Parish Church.
It was an excellent choice for the re-commencement of the choir’s activities after a long COVID enforced break, and the grateful and convivial atmosphere could be felt as well as heard in audience, orchestra and all present…
All the parts were delivered with smooth and well blended precision, which happily, and perhaps surprisingly, coped well with conductor Joel Newsome Hubbard’s brisk “authentic baroque” tempi…the excellent acoustic of Kingston’s nicely proportioned Parish Church aiding with a neutral but warm quality…
As often, the tenors, (why was I not there helping??) could have been a little stronger, but I confess bias: they came through, and their tone and accuracy was spot on…
A virtuoso natural trumpet, ensuring the trumpet really did “sound” and superb line up of soloists, ensured all that was needed to satisfy any Messiah crusties in the audience, as well as thrill any newcomers…
So good to see such enthusiastic restarting of local musical activity in Surrey, and we look forward to a hopefully exciting 2020 (sic) in which we will undoubtedly feel extra grateful for live musical performance! 🙏 Simon de Groot”
