The award winning Surrey Hills Chamber Choir and Surrey Hills Singers will be performing their traditional candlelit Christmas Concert in St Nicolas Church, Bury Street, Guildford on Sunday 10th December at 7.00pm.
The highlight of the concert will be a complete performance of Benjamin Britten’s “A Ceremony of Carols”. This was written for treble voices with harp accompaniment during 1942 and became so popular that some thirteen years later Julius Harrison rearranged the work for mixed voices. The Surrey Hills Choirs performance will quite possibly be unique as it will draw on both versions with some songs performed by the mixed voices of the Chamber Choir and others by the treble voices of the Singers. The work will be accompanied by professional harpist Heather Wrighton.
The concert will also include other Christmas music drawn from several centuries as well as some non-seasonal works. The programme will include some of the finest compositions by Gjeilo and Sarah Quartel, as well as arrangements of traditional Christmas songs. The harp is the highlight of this year’s concert and the programme will feature four other songs with harp: ‘Still’ by Gjeilo, ‘The Earthly Rose’ by Esenvalds and John Rutter’s ‘The Angels Carol’ and ‘Tomorrow shall be my dancing day’.
The Singers’ choreography and the Chamber Choir’s trademark presentation of singing from different parts of the church will also be on show and there will be the usual opportunity for the audience to join in the singing with some carols. The evening will end with the chance to chat with performers over a glass of wine and some seasonal nibbles.
Choir Founder and Musical Director, Debbie Walton says, “The choirs are looking forward to our Christmas performance. Many of our regular supporters say that our concert is when Christmas really begins for them each year. The combination of uplifting music sung in a beautiful candlelit church is very special for both audience and performers.”
Tickets are £14 for adults and £5 for under 16s and are available to buy at https://teamtamer.com/tt/ttevent?id=4167 .
** As of 2nd December we are close to SOLD OUT **
A few tickets are still available online but please don't wait to buy yours on the night as you may be disappointed.