Rotary in Guildford and
Vivace
Vivace Chorus present
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15 Dec 2024
at 7pm
Holy Trinity Church, Guildford.
rotaryinguildford.org
vivacechorus.org
Registered Charities: Rotary No.1201415 / Vivace No.1026337
SINCEa 2020
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eCGUILDFORDBUTCHERY
A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF GUILDFORD
Councillor Sallie Barker
I am delighted to be joining you this evening
for the Mayor’s Annual Christmas Concert;
by attending you will be supporting two
excellent local charities — The Guildford
Veterans Hub and The Matrix Trust.
Even though Guildford Borough remains one
of the most affluent areas in Surrey, it still
has pockets of deprivation.
My theme for
the year is ‘Making Connections for the
Wellbeing of our Communities’. During my
Mayoral year I am working with as many
small, local charities as possible (reflecting
my experiences and interests) to help them
to continue to provide services and support
to those in need of help across our Borough.
.
-‘
Having served in the Territorial Army for
nearly 20 years, I am aware of the sacrifice and service our Armed Forces
community provide.
The Guildford Veterans Hub is based at Guildford Fire
Station. They do great work in supporting our serving and ex-service
personnel by providing a safe and secure environment where veterans can
meet, enjoy friendship, receive advice, and access services, all under one
roof!
Having been a teacher for 8 years, I am passionate about making a
difference to young people’s lives, especially those who are vulnerable and
at-risk. The Matrix Trust does this very well by building long-term
relationships with young people and providing activities that nurture,
inspire, connect, and empower them.
I would like to thank Rotary in Guildford for organising tonight’s concert
and for their charitable support to the Guildford community over the last
100 years. Their support to our local charities has been amazing. I would
also like to thank the Vivace Chorus for performing at this wonderful
concert. They have been a great part of Guildford’s cultural life for over 75
years.
Finally, I do hope you enjoy tonight’s concert and may I take this
opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Christmas and a
peaceful and prosperous New Year.
THE MAYOR'S CHOSEN CHARITIES
MATRIX TRUST
with young people, for young people
For nearly 25 years, The Matrix Trust has been a lifeline
for vulnerable young people across Guildford Borough.
As a dedicated Christian charity, we believe that listening to
young people and building positive relationships gives them
hope and the opportunity to realise their unique potential.
Operating in both schools and the community, we work
with at-risk youth to nurture, inspire, connect, and empower
them. Our professional, Mental Health First Aid trained Youth
Workers play a vital role within the pastoral system,
providing support and guidance as young people navigate
life's challenges. We address the growing emotional wellbeing
and mental health needs, offering both preventative care
and responsive support.
In the community, we create safe spaces for young people
to make friends and access opportunities through workshops,
work experience, and traineeships. By partnering with local
organisations, churches, and schools, we help youth thrive
and become active citizens.
As part of Mindworks Surrey and a founding partner of the
Surrey Wellbeing Partnership, we are committed to improving
the wellbeing and mental health of children and young
people. Join us in this mission—your support can help
~ transform lives!
Registered Charity Number: 1081852
THE MAYOR'S CHOSEN CHARITIES
-
GUILDFORD'S VETERANS HUB
A thought, “we need to do more for those who are
serving or have served in the military and left”.
This is the driver for the veteran’s hub at
Guildford Fire Station
We know that they are a proud group of
individuals and as so are very reluctant to ask for
help.
With that in mind we in SFRS chose to make a
decision about, how can we offer help in a way that would not dent the
pride of an ex-service personnel and allow them to still feel valuable for
their time in the military and since.
The concept of a bacon roll and a brew on a fire station was born...
We contacted all the major veteran’s charities to see if they had contact in
our area to advertise the drop in. We also spoke to the local council to see
if there were ex service personnel on their accommodation lists. We
advertised on social media, contacted the military barracks in Surrey and
beyond to advertise our events. We used word of mouth and the message
spread.
Set two hours aside once a month on a fire station and invite them. The
drop in sessions can be used to signpost and offer support and information
about benefits and entitlements that they may not be aware of, or just
have a free bacon roll, a coffee and a chat with likeminded people.
The funding we need is to stock up on ancillary’s such as cups, hot water
boiler, and enough equipment to make hot drinks.
We will also use funding
to help with transport for those who may find it difficult to travel to the hub
at Guildford Fire Station.
We have taken some of the veterans on trips such as the arboretum in
Staffs and the Royal hospital in Chelsea. These were able to be facilitated
due to funding we received.
We offer the veterans who include blue light services veterans as well as ex
military veterans afternoon tea on remembrance Saturday the day before
remembrance Sunday.
THE MAYOR OF GUILDFORD’S CHRISTMAS CONCERT
with VIVACE CHORUS
Conductor: Jeremy Backhouse
Organist/pianist: Willow Northeald
%k 3k ok ok ok
Welcome by Canon Simon Butler
Audience Carol (C. F. Alexander & H. J. Gauntlett, arr. A. H. Mann &
David Willcocks)
Solo
Once in royal David's city
Stood 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.
e
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
Up! Good Christian folk and listen (arr. G.R. Woodward)
Sure on this shinning night (Samuel Barber)
Gabriel’s Message (Basque carol, arr. Jonathan Rathbone)
Audience Carol (E. H. Sears, English trad. melody, arr. 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 Charles Martin
Luke 1 verses 26-35
Choir
I saw three ships (English trad. arr. David Willcocks)
Nativity Carol (John Rutter)
A babe is born (William Mathias)
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
Candlelight Carol (John Rutter)
O Holy Night (Adolphe Adam, arr. John E West)
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INTERVAL
Wine, Soft Drinks & Mince Pies available
%k
%k Xk X
Choir
In dulci jubilo (German trad., arr. Robert L. de Pearsall)
Myn Lyking (R.R.Terry)
Birthday Carol (David Willcocks)
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 Lis Martin
Extract from Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee
Choir
Personent hodie (German, arr. Gustav Holst)
In the bleak mid-winter (Harold Darke)
Audience Carol (English trad., arr. David Willcocks)
All
God rest you merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay,
For Jesus Christ our Saviour
Was born upon this day;
To save us all from Satan's power,
when we were gone astray;
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
All
From God our Heavenly Father,
A blessed angel came
And unto certain shepherds
Brought tidings of the same;
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by name
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
All
The Shepherds at these tidings
Rejoiced much in mind,
And left their flocks a feeding,
In tempest, storm and wind:
And went to Bethlehem straightway,
This blessed babe to find
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Choir
But when to Bethlehem they came
Whereat this infant lay,
They found him in a manger,
Where oxen feed on hay;
His mother Mary kneeling,
Unto the Lord did pray.
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
All
Now to the Lord sing praises
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All others doth deface
O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Choir
Jingle bells (J. Pierpont, arr. Bob Chilcott)
Away in a manger (W.]. Kirkpatrick. arr. Bob Chilcott)
The Twelve Days of Christmas (English trad., arr. John Rutter)
3k %k %k Xk K %
Address by the Mayor of Guildford
Councillor Sallie Barker
Introduced by The President of the Rotary Club of Guildford Wey
Mr Michael Ramcharan
XX
Xk Xk X
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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.
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
(Trad., West country, arr. Bob Chilcott)
11
VIVACE CHORUS MEMBERS SINGING IN THIS CONCERT
First Sopranos: Sandra Adamson, Helen Beevers, Mary Broughton,
Jo Haviland, Isabel Holdaway, Isobel Humphreys, Becky Kerby, Suzie
Maine, Fran MacKay, Michelle Mumford, Sue Norton, Sian Prentice,
Gillian Rix, Sarah Smithies, Barbara Tansey, Joanie Thomas, Georgie
von Schweinitz, Miriam White.
Second Sopranos: Jackie Alderton, Gill Backhouse, Jane Barnes,
Scarlett Close, Ann Fuller, Margaret Kay, Alex Nash, Alison Palmer,
Kate
Peters,
Weronika
Rabsztyn,
Mary
Somerville,
Sarah
von
Schweinitz, Chris Wilks, Eiri Williams.
First Altos: Barbara Barklem, Jackie Bearman, Jane Brooks, Amanda
Burn,
Philippa
Curtis,
Fiona
Davidge,
Valentina
Faedi,
Lynne
Hargreaves, Sheila Hodson, Jean Leston, Lis Martin, Penny McLaren,
Christine Medlow, Ros Milton, Lilly Nicholson, Eleanor Pinnegar, Linda
Ross, Catherine Shacklady,
Marjory Stewart, Julia Stubbs,
Nicola
Telcik,Hilary Trigg, Anna Williams, Maggie Woolcock.
Second Altos: Geraldine Allen, Sheena Ewen, Jo Glover,
Pauline
Higgins,
Pamela
Penny
Macfarlane,
Kay
McManus,
Val
Morcom,
Murrell, Sonja Nagle, Lucy Schonberger, Jo Stokes, Rosey Storey,
Esther van Rooyen, June Windle.
First Tenors: Bob Bromham, Andrea Dombrowe, Martin Price, John
Trigg
Second Tenors: Stephen Linton, Charles Martin, Tim Wray.
First Basses: Paul Barnes, Richard Broughton, Andrew Linden, Jon
Long, Keith McLurey, Malcolm Munt, Phil Stanford, Rob Walker, Chris
Newbery, Brian John, Jeremy Johnson.
Second Basses: Peter Andrews, Stuart Gooch, Mike Johns, Chris
Peters, Andrew Robertson, Richard Wood.
17
ABOUT VIVACE CHORUS
[Photo © Ash Mills]
Jeremy Backhouse
Music Director
Francis Pott
Accompanist
Richard Dacey
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.
13
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
membership@vivacechorus.org or pay a
Becky
visit to
Kerby
at
our website,
vivacechorus.org. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter
- @VivaceChorus.
Vivace Chorus is a Registered Charity No. 1026337
14
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.
and
Vasari
Singers
broadcast
Jeremy
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
Requiem 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.
15
Vivace Chorus dates for your diary
Come and Sing: Berlioz Te Deum
Saturday 15th Feb 2025 10:00am Guildford Baptist Church
We’'ll be singing this wonderful work in the Royal Albert Hall on
Sunday July 13th 2025 - with around 500 singers, the Royal
Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and soloists Lucy Crowe and Nicky
Spence. Why not come and experience this wonderful music for
yourself at our Come & Sing? As always, your ticket includes music
hire, tea and coffee and a Vivace lunch.
Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle
Saturday 22nd March 2025 7:30pm
Holy Trinity Church, Guildford
“Dear God, there you have it, finished, this poor little Mass. Is it
really sacred music or is it damned music that I have created? I was
born for opera buffa, as you well know! Little technique, a little
heart, that is all. So may you be blessed and grant me Paradise.”
This is what Rossini wrote at the end of his manuscript for the Petite
Messe Solennelle - not a ‘poor little Mass’ at all. In fact, it's quite
unlike any other Mass for several reasons, and is beloved of
audiences and musicians alike.
Berlioz Te Deum, Ravel Daphnis and Chloe, Poulenc Gloria
Sunday 13 July 2025 Royal Albert Hall
This will be an epic performance!
The thrilling combination of the combined voices of four adult
choirs, two youth choirs, the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
with Royal Albert Hall’'s organ and world-renowned soloists Lucy
Crowe and Nicky Spence will guarantee a night to remember.
Further details at vivacechorus.org
16
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 lost their
fathers
1927,
during
the
First World
War.
In
Rotary embarked on a project to
raise enough money to install radio sets in
the
wards of the Royal Surrey County
Hospital, so the patients could 'listen in'.
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!
17
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
Christmas
tonight's
Concert,
annual
raising
funds
Mayor's
for the
Mayor of Guildford's local charities.
Rotary in Guildford is always keen to
welcome
new
members to join
in
with their various ongoing projects,
and
can
be
contacted
through:
18
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A full list of our services is available on our website:
ROTARY IN GUILDFORD & 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:
Canon Simon Butler, The Parish of Holy Trinity and St. Mary’s, Guildford
Guildford Borough Council, Jeremy Backhouse
Willow Northeald, Inner Wheel Club of Guildford