AYOR OF GUILDFORD'S
CHRISTMA
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(;pnductor: Jeremy Backhouse
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A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF GUILDFORD
Councillor Masuk Miah
I am delighted to be joining you this evening for
the
Mayor’s
annual
attending, you will
Christmas
Concert;
by
be supporting the Mayor of
Guildford’s Local Support Fund, and The Fountain
Centre, my chosen charity this year.
The Fountain Centre is a local independent
cancer charity located on level B within St Luke's
Cancer Centre at the Royal Surrey Hospital. Their
aim is to provide holistic and psychological
support, information, and signposting, both
online and face to face, to as many patients and
their families as possible.
Even though Guildford
Borough remains one of
the most affluent areas in Surrey, it still has
pockets of deprivation. The Mayor of Guildford’s Local Support Fund provides
support to residents who may be struggling to make ends meet, especially
during the current cost-of-living crisis with its record increases in energy and
-
food prices. For those in genuine need, a small amount of money from the
fund can be vital and make a huge difference to their day-to-day life. On
behalf of these residents, I thank you warmly for your generosity.
I must also thank Rotary in Guildford for organising tonight’s concert and for
their charitable support to the Guildford community over the last 100 years,
and to Vivace Chorus for performing at this wonderful concert. They have
been a part of Guildford’s cultural life for over 75 years.
Finally, I do hope you enjoy tonight’s concert. May I wish you and your loved
ones a very happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Mayor of Guildford
THE MAYOR'S CHOSEN CHARITY
The Fountain Centre is an 100% independent charity
based within St Luke’s Cancer Centre at The Royal
Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
:
N"
the
(RSCH). The service provides information, support,
complementary therapies, and psychological support
FOUNTAIN
¢, anyone affected by a cancer diagnosis. This is
llving with cancer
cancer patients, their families, and carers.
C E N TRE
provided in a calming and relaxed atmosphere for
Over the last 25 years, the Fountain Centre has evolved a tried and tested
level of service for cancer patients and their carers that is respected and
valued by both patients and hospital staff. From starting off in a portacabin
in a hospital carpark, they now have approximately 100 volunteers who
provide therapy and support and currently have 8000 registered users.
The operational team is made up of qualified health care professionals and
experienced staff who coordinate and manage the chosen support by
cancer patients throughout their cancer journey. The Fountain Centre has
two dedicated areas within the hospital and a total of 7 therapy rooms.
There is a creative arts room for groups, an enclosed garden, specialist
children’s counselling cabin and a space on the oncology ward set up for
families to stay.
It costs over £220,000 a year for the Fountain Centre maintain its service.
Like all charities, they rely on the support of local companies and
community groups and their supporters’ generosity to keep the service
running.
I hope you'll agree with me that this is a very worthy cause and I thank
you all for your generous support.
www.fountaincentre.org
THE MAYOR OF GUILDFORD'S LOCAL SUPPORT
FUND
Established in 1971, the fund was originally known as the
Mayor of Guildford's Christmas and Local Distress Fund.
It is a registered charity with a clearly-defined purpose: to
provide financial assistance to those in great need within
Guildford Borough, who have been referred to the Fund by a
third
party,
for
example,
a
Guildford
Borough
Council
Councillor or officer, Citizens Advice, Social Services, a health
visitor, doctor, or school.
The largest grant that can be given is £250, but this can
make a huge
difference to someone who is struggling to make ends meet, especially at
Christmas time and during the current cost-of-living crisis.
Registered Charity number: 258388
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ROTARY IN GUILDFORD AND Vivace Chorus would like to thank the following
people and organisations for their help in preparing for and staging this year’s
Mayor of Guildford’s Christmas Concert:
Reverend Ben Cahill-Nicholls
The Parish of Holy Trinity and St. Mary’s, Guildford
Guildford Borough Council
Jeremy Backhouse
Willow Northeald
Inner Wheel Club of Guildford
THE MAYOR OF GUILDFORD’S CHRISTMAS CONCERT
with VIVACE CHORUS
Conductor: Jeremy Backhouse
Organist/pianist: Willow Northeald
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Welcome by Rev Ben Cahill-Nicholls
Audience Carol
(C. F. Alexander & H. ]. Gauntlett, arr. A. H. Mann &
David Willcocks)
Solo
Once in royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little child.
Choir
He came down to earth from heaven
Who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable,
And his cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.
-
And our eyes at last shall see him,
Through his own redeeming love,
For that child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above;
And he leads his children on
To the place where he is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see him; but in heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high;
When like stars his children crowned
All in white shall wait around.
Choir
Sussex Carol (English trad., arr. David Willcocks)
A boy was born (Benjamin Britten)
A child is born in Bethlehem (Samuel Scheidt, ed. David Willcocks)
Audience Carol (E. H. Sears, English trad. melody, arr. Arthur Sullivan &
David Willcocks)
It came upon the midnight clear
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth
To touch their hearts of gold:
“Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,
From heav'n’s all-gracious King!”
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heav’nly music floats
O'er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lonely plains
They bend on hov’ring wing
And ever o'er its Babel sound
The blessed angels sing.
Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring:
O hush the noise, ye men of strife,
And hear the angels sing!
For lo! The days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When, with the ever-circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendours fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing.
Reading by Val Morcom
Choir
Angelus ad virginem (14th-century Irish, arr. David Willcocks)
Christmas Lullaby (John Rutter)
Audience Carol (J. F. Wade, arr. David Willcocks)
O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the King of angels:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!
God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God,
Begotten, not created:
O come, let us adore him ....
Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above;
Glory to God
In the highest:
O come, let us adore him ....
Yea, Lord we greet thee,
Born that happy morning,
Jesu, to thee be glory giv'n;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore him ....
Choir
A maiden most gentle (French trad., arr. Andrew Carter)
Mary’s Lullaby (John Rutter) [
O Holy Night (Adolphe Adam, arr. John E West)
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INTERVAL
Wine, Soft Drinks & Mince Pies available
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Choir
The Holly and the Ivy (English trad, arr. Reginald Jacques
Infant King (Basque Noel, arr. David Willcocks)
Past three a clock (English trad., arr. Charles Wood)
Audience Carol (English trad., arr. R. Vaughan Williams)
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth;
For Christ is born of Mary;
And, gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wond’ring love.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav'n,
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.
O Holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels,
The great glad tidings tell:
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel.
Reading by Rob Walker
Choir
Rocking (Czech carol, arr. David Willcocks)
Zither Carol (Czech folk tune, arr. Malcolm Sargent)
Audience Carol
(Words & melody from Piae Cantiones, arr. David
Willcocks)
All
Unto us is born a Son,
King of quires supernal:
See on earth his life begun,
Of lords the Lord eternal,
Of lords the Lord eternal.
Choir
Christ, from heav'n descending low,
Comes on earth a stranger;
Ox and ass their owner know,
Be-cradled in the manger,
Be-cradled in the manger.
Lower
Voices
This did Herod sore affray,
And grievously bewilder,
So he gave the word to slay,
And slew the little childer,
And slew the little childer.
Upper
Voices
Of his love and mercy mild
This the Christmas story
And O that Mary's gentle Child
Might lead us up to glory,
Might lead us up to glory!
=
O and A, and A and O,
Cum cantibus in choro,
Let our merry organ go,
Benedicamus Domino,
Benedicamus Domino.
Choir
Child in a manger (Celtic trad., arr. John Rutter)
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day (English trad.,
arr. David Willcocks)
I believe in Father Christmas (Greg Lake, arr. Adam Johnson)
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Address by the Mayor of Guildford
Councillor Masuk Miah
Introduced by The President of the Rotary Club of Guildford
Mr Andrew Day
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Audience Carol (Felix Mendelssohn, arr. David Willcocks)
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled:
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies,
With th” angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark! The herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Christ, by highest heav’'n adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come
Offspring of a virgin’s womb;
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail th” incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
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Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Ris'n with healing in his wings;
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Encore
We wish you a Merry Christmas (English trad., arr. Arthur Warrell)
10
VIVACE CHORUS MEMBERS SINGING IN THIS CONCERT
First Sopranos: Sandra Adamson, Sel Adamu, Amelia Atkinson, Jan
Barklem,
Helen
Humphreys,
Maine,
Beevers,
Nicola
Mary
Kalimeris,
Michelle Mumford,
Broughton,
Becky
Kerby,
Sue Norton,
Robin
Jo
Haviland,
Fran
Mackay,
Onslow,
Isobel
Suzie
Gillian
Rix,
Sarah Smithies, Barbara Tansey, Joanie Thomas, Hilary Vaill, Miriam
White
Second Sopranos: Jackie Alderton, Gill Backhouse, Sarah Badger,
Jane Barnes, Scarlett Close, Ann Fuller, Alex Nash, Alison Palmer,
Kate Peters, Mary Somerville, Christine Wilks, Eiri Williams, Natalie
Wojcikeiwicz
First Altos: Anna Arthur, Barbara Barklem, Jane Brooks, Amanda
Burn,
Philippa Curtis,
Fiona
Davidge, Valentina
Faedi,
Lynne
Hargreaves,
Sheila Hodson, Jean Leston, Charlotte Matthieson,
Penny McLaren, Christine Medlow, Ros Milton, Lilly Nicholson, Jackie
Payne, Linda Ross, Catherine Shacklady, Marjory Stewart Julia
Stubbs, Hilary Trigg, Maggie Woolcock
Second Altos: Geraldine Allen, Sheena Ewen, Liz Hampshire, Pauline
Higgins, Lois McCabe, Kay McManus, Val Morcom, Pamela Murrell,
Nagle, Lucy Schonberger, Jo Stokes, Rosey Storey, Alison
Sonja
Vincent, June Windle, Elisabeth Yates
First Tenors: Bob Bromham, Andrea Dombrowe, Rosie Jeffrey,
Audrey Kueh, Barbara McDonald, Martin Price, John Trigg
Second
Tenors:
Ewan
Brambhall,
Simon
Dillon,
Peter
Norman,
Graham Vincent
First Basses: Paul Barnes, Richard Broughton, Brian John, Jeremy
Johnson, Jon Long, Keith McClurey, Malcolm Munt, Chris Newbery,
Robin Privett, David Ross, Phil Stanford, Rob Walker
Second Basses: Peter Andrews, Norman Carpenter, Stuart Gooch,
Mike Johns, Chris Peters, Richard Wood
11
[Photo © Ash Mills]
Jeremy Backhouse
Music Director
Francis Pott
Accompanist
Peter Norman
Chairman
Vivace Chorus is a flourishing, ambitious and adventurous choir
based in Guildford, Surrey. We enjoy singing traditional choral
classics alongside the challenge of contemporary and newlycommissioned music - there’s something for everyone at Vivace!
The choir began in 1946 as the Guildford Philharmonic Choir and
was rebranded as Vivace Chorus in 2005. We have an enviable
reputation for performing first-class concerts across a wide range of
musical repertoire. Particular successes include a sell-out
performance in May 2011 of Mahler’'s Symphony No._8, the
"Symphony of a Thousand", at the Royal Albert Hall, a highly
acclaimed performance in November 2012 of Britten’s War Requiem
and another Royal Albert Hall success in May 2014 when we
performed the Verdi Requiem. In 2017 we celebrated our 70th
birthday with the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Royal Festival Hall
and 2018 saw a sell-out performance at G Live Guildford for our
"Concert for Peace".
Just before the first Covid lockdown, we performed the incredible
African Sanctus by David Fanshawe, complete with the dancers of
the Mighty Zulu Nation Theatre Company, enthusiastically wielding
their assegais.
12
Vivace thrives under the exceptional leadership of our conductor,
Jeremy Backhouse. Jeremy’s passion for choral music and his sheer
enthusiasm for music-making are evident at every rehearsal and
performance. He is supported by Francis Pott, who is an academic
and composer of international repute and an accomplished concert
pianist - who better to accompany our rehearsals?
We have also enjoyed successful European and UK tours, including
trips to France, Italy, Germany, Austria, the Baltic states and, most
recently, northern Spain.
We are always happy to welcome new members, so if you would like
to try us out, do come along to any of our regular rehearsals on
Monday evenings at 7.15 in the Guildford Baptist Church, Millmead,
Guildford.
Just
contact
our
membership
secretary
Becky
Kerby
at
membership@vivacechorus.org or pay a visit to our website,
vivacechorus.org. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter
- @VivaceChorus.
13
JEREMY BACKHOUSE
Jeremy Backhouse [Photo © Ash Mills] is one of
Britain’s leading choral conductors. He began
his musical career in Canterbury Cathedral
where he was Senior Chorister.
Jeremy has been the sole conductor of the
internationally-renowned
chamber
choir,
Vasari Singers, since its inception in 1980.
Since winning the prestigious Choir of the Year
competition in
1988, Vasari Singers has
performed regularly at major concert venues
and cathedrals throughout the UK and abroad.
Jeremy
and
Vasari
Singers
broadcast
frequently on Classic FM and BBC Radio 3 and have a discography of
over 25 CDs on EMI, Guild, Signum and Naxos. Their recordings have
been nominated for a Gramophone award, received two Gramophone
Editor's Choice awards, the top recommendation on Radio 3's
Building A Library programme, and two recent CDs both achieved top
ten status in the Specialist Classical Charts. Jeremy is totally
committed to the performance of contemporary music and, with
Vasari, he has commissioned over 25 new works.
In January 1995, Jeremy was appointed Music Director of Vivace
Chorus. Alongside the standard classical works, Jeremy has
conducted Vivace Chorus in some ambitious programmes including
Howells” Hymnus Paradisi, Szymanowski’'s Stabat Mater, Mahler’s
“Resurrection” Symphony, Prokofiev’'s Alexander Nevsky and Ivan
the Terrible, Mahler’'s “Symphony of a Thousand” and Verdi's
Reqguiem in the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra.
From January 2009 until July 2022, Jeremy was the Music Director of
the Salisbury Community Choir. It celebrated its 21st Anniversary in
2013 with a concert in Salisbury Cathedral that premiered a speciallycommissioned work by Will Todd, The City Garden, which they toured
to Lincoln (2014) and Guildford (2015) Cathedrals. A new work from
Alexander L'Estrange was premiered in Winchester Cathedral in
November 2018.
Jeremy has also worked with a number of the country's leading
choirs, including the BBC Singers, the London Symphony Chorus, the
Philharmonia Chorus, and the Brighton Festival Chorus.
14
Vivace Chorus dates for your diary
Come & Sing 2024
Saturday 27th Jan. 2024, 10:30am-4pm Holy Trinity Church, Guildford
Would you like to spend a day singing in our choir? Then join us,
together with our professional musicians, Jeremy and Francis, to
rehearse and perform one or more choral works; this year it's
Mendelssohn's wonderful Eljah. Tickets include drinks and lunch.
Our Come & Sing is always popular, so book your place today!
Duruflé Requiem
Friday 1st March 2024, 7:30pm
Holy Trinity Church, Guildford
Duruflé's beautiful Requiem is where “Gregorian chant meets the
sumptuous sound world of 20th century France” according to BBC
Music Magazine. Our wonderfully meditative concert also includes
works by ESenvalds, Dubra and Jonathan Dove.
Verdi Requiem
Saturday 18th May 2024, 7:30pm
G live, Guildford
Join Vivace Chorus, the Liverpool Welsh Choral and the National
Symphony Orchestra for a performance of the magnificent Requiem
by Giuseppe Verdi, written in memory of his friend and novelist
Manzoni. It was intended for the concert hall rather than a church
and premiered in May 1874. This concert marks its 150th anniversary.
Further details at vivacechorus.org
Vivace Chorus is a Registered Charity No. 1026337
15
ROTARY IN GUILDFORD
Over a century ago on July 14t 1921, the Rotary
Club of Guildford was formed when 10 local
businessmen and councillors met at the town’s
Ward Street Hall to pass a resolution to establish a
Rotary Club in Guildford.
In those days, very few
clubs existed in the whole of Great Britain.
Today,
there are 1,700 Rotary Clubs in the UK, with over
45,000 members and 1.2 million members in 35,000 Clubs in 220
countries across the globe.
Two further Rotary Clubs were subsequently formed in the town, in
1975 the Guildford District Club, and in 1991 the Guildford Chantries
Club. In 2022 The original Guildford Club and Guildford District Joined
together to form The Rotary Club of Guildford Wey, and now with the
Chantries Club work closely on a variety of projects in and around
Guildford under the banner of Rotary in Guildford.
One
of
Guildford’s
earliest
fundraising
projects in the 1920s was its 'Big Brother'
scheme, which was launched to help the
town's
youngsters,
who
had
fathers
during
First
World
1927,
the
Rotary embarked
on
a
lost
their
War.
In
project to
raise enough money to install radio sets in
the
wards
of the
Royal
Surrey
County
Hospital, so the patients could 'listen in'.
:
2
.
In 1939, Rotary in Guildford played a crucial role in establishing one
of the first Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Great Britain.
June 1940, saw Rotary help at Guildford Station with the reception of
the survivors from the beaches of Dunkirk, when their special troop
trains arrived back.
In 1951, the Rotary Club held its first Christmas Carol Concert in the
town’s Methodist Church to raise funds for the Mayor’s Christmas
Fund. The Club is still staging it.... over 70 years later!
16
In 1963, the Rotary played a significant fundraising role to establish
the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and in 1965 the Club successfully lobbied
government departments to establish the University of Surrey in
Guildford the following year.
To
mark
the
centenary
of
the
Rotary
International
in
2005,
Guildford’s three Rotary Clubs established their 'Guildford Historic
Trail' and presented it to the Borough of Guildford.
The trail takes
visitors on a circular tour around the town centre and its historic
landmarks.
Other projects initiated by Rotary in Guildford in recent years include
the setting up of the Guildford Eye Project in Kolkatta to establish
specialist eye surgery hospitals in India and Africa to cure blindness
in the developing world.
Rotary in Guildford continues to support its Jaipur Limb Project;
and Rotary's 'End Polio Now!' campaign;
Current projects include an annual ‘Schools
Got Talent’ held at G-Live., a Charity Walk
arranged for local charities to raise money for
their own
causes.
A
Charity Quiz
Night,
assisting with Guildford’s Repair Café and
recycling
unwanted
tools to Africa through
‘Tools with a Mission’ (TWAM). Helping to
clear the gardens of Gosden House School,
and
of
course tonight's annual Mayor's
Concert, raising funds for the
Christmas
Mayor of Guildford's Local Support Fund and
the Fountain Centre.
Rotary in Guildford is always keen to
welcome
new
members to join
in
with their various ongoing projects,
and
can
be
contacted
through:
17
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