Reading Requiem

Former NSF chorus master conducts Verdi

IN October 2011, the former chorus master of Newbury Spring Festival Chorus, Janet Lincé organised and conducted a performance of the Britten War Requiem at Guildford Cathedral, in support of Help for Heroes. The choir was made up from members of Janet’s own choirs (Choros and New Choir Oxford), but she also invited along members of Newbury Spring Festival Chorus and she was so thrilled with the standard of the choir, she has now decided to stage the mighty Verdi Requiem at Reading Town Hall on Saturday.

Once again, there will be a strong Newbury connection as members of our own Festival Chorus, Cecilia Consort and Newbury Choral Society join forces with Janet’s choirs to create a big enough sound to compete with a full orchestra (essentially Janet’s own string orchestra Corona Strings, augmented with brass, woodwind and percussion and including four onstage and four offstage trumpets).

When asked why she had chosen the Verdi Requiem, Janet explained: “This incredible piece is one of the finest choral/orchestral works in the entire classical repertoire, featuring superb orchestral writing, lush lyrical melodies and sheer drama and pathos in the text. It is known
as ‘Verdi’s finest opera dressed in ecclesiastical garments’ and we hope to raise the roof at Reading Town Hall on Saturday.”

Preparations for this one-off concert included a choral workshop, led by the skilled and engaging voice experts from Vocal Process, Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher, whose job it was to teach the choir techniques which would help them sing in the Italian ‘opera style’.

The concert is in aid of Singing for Syrians and topping the bill will be four fine soloists, Erica Eloff (soprano), Yvonne Howard (mezzo-soprano), Joshua Owen Mills (tenor) and Ben Davies (bass-baritone).
Tickets are available from www.readingarts.com and you can read more about the event by logging on to www.verdirequiemreading.com