From St Mary’s Kintbury to St Mary’s Shaw

When St Mary’s Kintbury had to withdraw from hosting this week’s planned local choir Harmony's concert, director Helen Tuck contacted the other St Mary’s churches in Newbury, to see if they might be able to help.

There were immediate kind offers from both St Mary’s Greenham and St Mary’s Shaw, and as the latter is closer for guest violinist Helen Page and pianist Oliver Williams, the stage is now set for the concert to take place there today (Saturday).

"The programme is one for all tastes," said Helen Tuck. "Helen will be playing Bartok and Vivaldi as well as popular modern classics, and Oliver will be delighting jazz enthusiasts with a medley of jazz numbers.

"Harmony pride themselves on being a choir impossible to ‘pigeon hole’ and their selection includes items as diverse as Stanford’s Beati Quorum Via, Latin American favourite Besame Mucho, and Bob Chilcott’s haunting ‘The Ribbon’.

The concert at St Mary’s Shaw, starts at 7.30pm. No ticket needed for admission, but there will be a retiring collection for the work of the church.