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A Review by Peter Futcher, Musical Director

What an evening of radiant music-making this was — a concert that not only showcased the breadth of our choral repertoire, but also the extraordinary depth, dedication, and artistry of our choir. From the first notes of Bob Chilcott’s God So Loved the World to the final benediction of John Rutter’s The Lord Bless You and Keep You, the choir sang with a commitment and warmth that filled the hall with light.

The programme was deliberately wide-ranging, moving seamlessly from the serene polyphony of Palestrina and Gibbons to the luminous modern spirituality of Arvo Pärt, John Rutter, and Bob Chilcott. Each work offered its own character and challenge — and the choir rose to every one with sensitivity, energy, and sheer musical joy.

The first half, rich with English colour and solo writing, displayed the choir’s expressive versatility. Chilcott’s God So Loved the World (with soloist Angela Banbery) shimmered with tenderness, while Rutter’s All Things Bright and Beautiful sparkled with rhythmic vitality and a sense of unguarded delight. Chilcott’s Be Thou My Vision (with soloist Annie Barton Hodges) was beautifully shaped, its long lines carried with quiet devotion, and Rutter’s For the Beauty of the Earth radiated poise and clarity. The Gibbons works — This is the Record of John (with Olivia Tassell singing solo) and The Second Service (with 8 verse soloists in Angela Banbery, Annie Barton Hodges, Sylvia Del Nevo, Olivia Tassell, Sean Darrock, Dirk Riezebos, Alan Moore and Orlando Barton Hodges) — were delivered with elegance and control, balancing Renaissance intricacy with heartfelt expression. Bob Chilcott's Song (with solos from Victoria Rowcrost and Annie Barton Hodges) was a new work to many and looks ahead to our March Concert featuring the Jubilate.

The second half started with Pärt’s The Beatitudes, a moment of hushed intensity that drew the audience into deep stillness before releasing them into the rest of the programme. Next, the choir demonstrated its command of style and discipline in Palestrina’s Missa Aeterna Christi Munera, performed with a purity of tone and unity of ensemble that would have delighted the composer himself. From there, the modern English repertoire brought warmth and humanity to the fore once again. Chilcott’s Even Such is Time (soloist Sally Maclean) was deeply moving in its restraint; Rutter’s I Will Sing with the Spirit and Look at the World lifted hearts with radiant sound and expressive phrasing. Finally, The Lord Bless You and Keep You provided a fitting close — sung with such tenderness and balance that one could almost feel the blessing settle over the audience.

Throughout the evening, the choir’s sound was both disciplined and alive — clarity of line matched by emotional openness. Their ability to move effortlessly between centuries and styles is testament to their musicianship, and to the hours of thoughtful preparation that went into every phrase.

It is no exaggeration to say that this concert represented a high point in our musical journey. To bring together music spanning nearly five hundred years, and to find coherence and meaning in it, requires not just skill but heart — and our singers gave both in abundance.

I could not be prouder of what they continue to achieve: the unity of sound, the sensitivity of interpretation, and the shared joy that animated every performance. The choir sang not only with the spirit, but truly with understanding.

— Peter Futcher, Musical Director

On Saturday, 1 March, Canterbury Chamber Choir travelled to a new venue: Holy Trinity, Folkestone. We received a phenomenally warm welcome from the church team, who looked after us exceptionally well. Holy Trinity regularly hosts concerts, and we fully appreciated the setting, lighting, and support from the community.

The Requiems of Duruflé and Fauré formed the programme for our first concert of 2025. The Fauré is, of course, well known, but Canterbury Chamber Choir always strives to be a little less ordinary, and once again, the distinctive CCC 'sound' was out in full force. Moments of pure exuberance and vocal power were beautifully matched with intimate and reflective passages, as the choir shaped and crafted this familiar work into something truly special.

Jon Williams joined us as the baritone soloist, his rich, broad tone setting the scene for what was to come in the Offertorium, while the Libera Me that followed was dark, mysterious, and pleading. Robin Walker made his debut with the choir as accompanist, and we couldn’t have been more delighted with his contribution. As a choral conductor and singer himself, Robin instinctively understood what was required at any moment, both in rehearsal and performance.

One of the reasons we chose Holy Trinity was its wonderful organ, which suited the repertoire perfectly. Robin masterfully navigated its idiosyncrasies, drawing out a tonal palette that was entirely fitting for this French music. On this occasion, the King of Instruments was every bit an orchestra—and more.

After some excellent interval hospitality from the Holy Trinity team, the second half of the concert brought the Duruflé Requiem—what a piece! As the plainsong underpinning the work enwraps you in its sinewy threads, Duruflé’s glorious harmonies and effortless text painting thoroughly draw you in. The singers of Canterbury Chamber Choir can create the most powerful choral sound one moment and contrast it with a barely audible shimmer of pianissimo the next.

Tim Parker joined us as cellist for the Pie Jesu, adding that certain je ne sais quoi to the movement with its ethereal beauty and his exquisite playing. Just as with the Fauré, the Pie Jesu was performed by our ensemble of ladies rather than as a solo—a testament to the commitment and skill of CCC’s singers, whose angelic soprano and alto lines made this feat possible.

Both works leave the listener in paradisum, and as we launch into 2025, that is certainly where both choir and audience found themselves at the end of the concert. There is much to come this year, and this first performance was a wonderfully strong start. It was a joy to visit Holy Trinity with its appreciative audience—Folkestone, we will be back!