Three Rivers Choir combined with Kennet School Chamber Choir ‘and it worked very well too!’

Three Rivers Community Choir Winter Concert at Kennet School on Saturday, January 13

Review by DEREK ANSELL

THREE Rivers Choir combined with Kennet School in Thatcham to present a bright concert on a very cold evening featuring their own and the school’s Kennet Chamber Choir in tandem.

It worked very well too as the young members of the Chamber Choir integrated seamlessly with the Three Rivers singers.

Choral director Sue Garcia-Sierra is also head of performance at the school and co-ordinates the school’s extracurricular music provision.

Three Rivers started the programme with Song of the Earth, a Scandinavian folk song sung in chant like fashion by the choir.

Their voices rose up clear and bright over a rhythmic background.

As indeed did the young choristers singing Kate Bush’s popular Running up That Hill.

Following on, the Three Rivers choir sang John Rutter’s For The Beauty Of the Earth and then Andy Beck’s Snow On Snow.

The choirs continued to provide a series of interesting contrasts, with music sung by the Chamber Choir, by Tchaikovsky juxtaposed with Every Breath you Take, by the Police.

The transition from pop to classic was achieved smoothly and naturally.

Three Rivers gave a stirring reading to Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine and followed on brightly with Sleigh Bells, a Ukrainian folk tune... ‘Ting, ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling’.

Gloria was a sturdy African flavoured piece by local lad BD Tavares.

Best of all perhaps were the two choirs combining together at the end to sing a rousing version of Only You, followed by A Million Dreams, by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

A young pupil played lyrical violin here and there was a notable contribution by a drummer from the school.

Popular music mixed healthily with classics in this concert and both choirs deserve credit for the way they sang so many different types of music with ease and conviction.

Credit too to Ms Garcia-Sierra for her conducting and work putting the concert together. Christine Evans accompanied skilfully on piano.