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Surrey Advertiser
13 May 2011
Choir set for the
Royal Albert Hall|
A CHOIR has defied the cuts by
funding its own performance of
large-scale classical music at the
Royal Albert Hall (RAH).
The
Vivace
Chorus,
which
rehearses at Holy Trinity Church,
Guildford, is to perform Mahler’s
epic 8th symphony — The Symphony
of a Thousand - at the Kensington
venue on Sunday May 15.
They will be backed by the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra and joined
by three other choirs for a total of
600 singers and more than 100
instruments.
Choir chairman James Garrow
said: “We've planned this for two
years and had to raise £50,000 in
sponsorship and fundmg The RAH
were very sensible as we are a small
choir from Guildford and they didn't want us to lose money, but I
knew we could do it.”
Sponsors include Spotify in what
is the digital music service’s first
foray into classical music.
Liz Durning, a singer in the choir
for five years, said: “We did a mini“tour of France where we appeared
at Notre Dame, but certainly this is
the biggest thing we've ever done.”
Conductor Jeremy. Backhouse
said: “We want to spread the word
about how good a choir we are and
the RAH performance is part of this.
There’s a lot at stake.”
Mahler’s 8th, described as a
defining human statement for its
century, poses other challenges
apart from sheer scale.
Alto Sue Fletcher said: “As a
singer it’s pretty intense and a lot of
concentration is required. Mahler
uses lots of interesting sounds and
there’s tricky intonation. It will certainly need a lot of energy.”
James Garrow, Liz Durning and
Sue Fletcher in Guildford High
Street. (Ref: SA1120320)
Mr Backhouse believes the ch01rs
ambition extends beyond the May
11 performance: “The Proms are
certainly something we will target.
Performing at the Hall will prove to
people that we can do it.”
Tickets ‘are available from the
Royal Albert Hall box office.