Concert Reviews

Saturday 14 December 2024
Exeter Cathedral

A packed cathedral enjoyed a wonderful evening of seasonal music and readings performed by Exeter Festival Chorus with their guest artists, soprano Amy Carson and Devon Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Amy Carson opened the concert with a beautiful, warm solo to start Once in Royal David’s City. This was the first of several carols in which the audience also participated, accompanied by Peter Adcock, who entertained with a few cheeky flourishes on the organ! Carols and readings (delivered by members of the choir) were interspersed with choral works by composers from the Renaissance to the 20th Century.

Under the direction of Andrea Brown the choir sang with conviction, commitment, and clear diction. Incisive, rhythmic singing characterised Handel’s For unto us a Child is Born and William Mathias’ Sir Christèmas, while there was a lovely lyricism to many of the quieter moments, as in the soprano and alto second verse of Elizabeth Poston’s Jesus Christ the Apple Tree and Peter Warlock’s Bethlehem Down. At all times phrases were given plenty of time to breathe, and dynamics and articulation carefully controlled.

For several of the pieces the choir was joined by soloist Amy Carson in a sensitive collaboration. A particular highlight was Kenneth Leighton’s Coventry Carol. Amy Carson’s clear soprano floated serenely over the rocking harmonies and her control of long notes, carefully fading, was especially beautiful. The choir delivered an effective contrast with the vigour of the central section, marked by some potent accents.

Another highlight was the arrangement of Silent Night by the contemporary musician Darius Battiwalla. It is a striking piece, as the three verses are given quite different treatment. In the first we heard a beautifully buoyant accompaniment, with the harmonies bouncing off pedal notes, underpinning the tranquil soprano melody. The tenors shone in the second verse, and the whole choir indulged in the luscious, enriched harmonies of the third verse.

In the second half of the concert the Devon Youth Jazz Orchestra took to the stage, opening their programme with a vibrant and dynamic Joy to the World. I especially enjoyed the blazing trumpets! There followed a further five pieces, in which there were opportunities for soloists to shine; Maillie’s fluid and controlled flugelhorn solo in O Holy Night captured the lyricism of this piece, and Ved gave us some truly virtuosic saxophone solos, most notably in Sleigh Ride. Two members of the group also stepped forward for some vocal solos; Georgia gave a confident and characterful performance in The Man with the Bag, whilst Henry’s warm-toned Jingle Bells (in an arrangement by Glenn Miller) was delightfully engaging.

Graham Hutton conducted with energy, precision, and warmth, controlling dynamics to enable different elements to come to the fore in the musical texture. The young musicians all played with rhythmic and melodic accuracy, and enthusiasm. Their enjoyment wasn’t dependent upon having a solo, or even the tune - the trombones were clearly relishing their bass notes in Sleigh Ride!

Choir and Jazz Orchestra came together for the last two pieces, with the two conductors and all the musicians in collaboration – a wonderful demonstration of music’s capacity to bring people together. The audience was invited to join in the last piece, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, bringing the evening to a close in a joyous spirit of communal festivity.

Annabel Rooney

Saturday 16 November 2024
St David's Church, Exeter

Rossini was such a tease!  His Petite Messe Solennelle was neither little (about the same length as Verdi's Requiem), nor especially solemn.  

Saturday 6 July 2024
Exeter Cathedral

A memorable and uplifting performance
Yesterday evening Exeter Cathedral welcomed a large audience to hear Exeter Festival Chorus perform Bach’s magnificent Mass in B minor, directed by Andrea Brown, with the Devon Baroque orchestra and five soloists. This is a monumental work, with about two hours of choral singing, arias, duets and orchestral marvels.

Saturday 23 March 2024 
St. Peter’s Church, Tiverton

Where, one might ask, could you go to learn a lot about Leonardo da Vinci and choral music old and new in one hit? The answer is St, Peter’s Church, Tiverton last Saturday evening. In a cleverly-constructed programme entitled Of Music and Invention, Exeter Festival Chorus presented an appreciative audience with the answer. 

Tuesday 27 & Wednesday 28 February 2024
Theatre Royal, Plymouth

In celebration of his 50th birthday, the iconic Carlos Acosta has come out of retirement to tour the On Before medley originally devised in memory of his mother.

Saturday 16 December 2023
St. David's Church, Exeter

Exeter Festival Chorus’ Christmas concert was a skilfully designed programme of music to represent the mysterious and ethereal qualities of the Northern Lights.

THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS
EXETER  CATHEDRAL
15 July 2023

What a splendid concert!  Well worth struggling through the rain and hurricane wind to join an immense sell-out audience in one of England’s most beautiful cathedrals.

Saturday 15 July 2023
Exeter Cathedral

For its performance on 15 July to celebrate its 30th anniversary, Exeter Festival Chorus turned to Elgar's popular The Dream of Gerontius.

Saturday 25 March 2023
Holy Trinity Church, Exmouth

Exeter Festival Chorus made the journey to the sympathetic acoustic of Holy Trinity Church, Exmouth, for its Spring concert on 25 March 2023 and a performance of the German Requiem by Brahms.  And it would have been particularly gratifying for the choir that its initiative had attracted a full house on an evening that later turned out to be a very wet one!

We held a highly successful sell-out choral workshop, directed by Andrea Brown, in January. Attracting 170 participants from across the country,