The Addison Oratorio Choir
A celebration of modern choral music is sweeping west London as a Hammersmith-based choir prepares for its autumn concert this month.
The Addison Singers – who meet at The Polish Centre in King Street – are rehearsing hard for a lively concert featuring the work of four living composers: Bob Chilcott, Sir James Macmillan, Howard Goodall and Master of the Queen's Music, Judith Weir.
More than 100 voices will assemble for the concert on 26 November at St Peter’s Church, in Acton Green, including amateur singers from the group’s Oratorio Choir, and auditioned singers from the Addison Chamber Choir.
The Chamber Choir will sing short pieces by James Macmillan and Judith Weir, accompanied by trumpet and trombone, while the Oratorio Choir give the London premiere of Bob Chilcott's joyful 'Gloria', and the UK live premiere of 'Sure of the Sky, Sure of the Sun' by Howard Goodall.
Goodall’s choral piece will be particularly poignant in the chosen venue as it was written for the World War I commemoration in 2014, while St Peter’s Church has its own First World War memorial to 52 fallen parishioners.
Other performances will include James Macmillan's 'A New Song' and Judith Weir’s 'I love all beauteous things', which was written earlier this year to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Queen.
Morna Wheatley, a member of the Addison Singers, revealed that the composers will attend a rehearsal and work with the choirs on their pieces.
“This is a particularly interesting and rewarding term for choir members and gives them a rare insight into the creation of new music,” she said.
During the concert – which starts at 7.30pm on Saturday 26 November – the choirs will be led by musical director David Wordsworth and joined by the organist Edward Kemp-Luck and brass and percussion players from the Brandenburg Sinfonia.
Tickets in advance cost £12 (concs £10, under 16s £3 plus booking fee), or £15 (£12/£3) on the door.
