Welcome to our very special 75th Season, and it's good to be back after the enforced absence caused by the pandemic. Our membership is virtually back to the same level with many wonderful new singers joining us. I wonder if the enforced lockdown has left people feeling they have had enough of keeping themselves to themselves and are determined to get out and get involved in singing. It is not just Basingstoke Choral Society, I am hearing the same story from other choirs.
To get our 75th season under way, we are dusting off an old favourite, Handel's Messiah, which I am sure you will enjoy hearing as much as we enjoy singing it. To support us we have a truly brilliant baroque orchestra performing with instruments Handel would have been familiar with. The concert is on 27th November 2022 in the Anvil.
Like all of these major works, there is a lot to be learned and practised and then practised again before we will be ready, but we are well under way now; here is a snippet from a recent rehearsal.
As you can see, things are going well but our hard work continues
For our second concert of this special season we will be at the Anvil in Basingstoke again for another classic, this time by J S Bach, performing his wonderful Mass in B Minor. More of that in due course, but for now, please save this date in your diary, 1 April 2023, For this major work we will be joined by our friends from Croydon, the magnificent Croydon Philharmonic Choir.
And don't forget, new members are always welcome, so if you fancy taking part in these and future concerts do get in touch.
Tony de Jong
Chair