On Saturday 17^th October, The Chamber Choir had their first public performance of the year. We were invited back to join a choir of more than 70 people for a festival performance and award giving ceremony at Birmingham Cathedral, as we did last year. The music this year was even more ambitious and was to include Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” as part of the BBC’s ‘Sing Hallelujah’ project. This project, lead by BBC radio 3 and the English National Opera, marks the 250^th anniversary of the composer’s death. It aims to bring together singers of all levels of experience in the challenge of singing the demanding (and very high for the sopranos!) work.

As always our young singers did us proud – they always seem to end up being put right on the front row of anything we do! They were impeccably behaved and their unusual bright purple ties even attracted the attention of the dignitaries, who wanted to know which choir they were from and congratulate them on their performance.

As most of the children had arrived on the same train, I expect that the journey home was interesting for parents and other passengers; as everyone (including David and I) seemed to leave the event buzzing and unable to stop singing!

We are also looking forward to the first ever performance for the whole choir; including the new look ‘Harbury Young Voices’, who have now been rehearsing together for 6 weeks. We will be singing a Remembrance Tribute on Saturday 7^th November: ‘Songs of Remembrance and Hope’ including some beautiful contemporary songs. The performance will begin at 12.15 at the Harbury War Memorial and is a free concert open to all, lasing for approximately 45 minutes – hopefully it will be a good way to spend the afternoon before going to the bonfire and fireworks display!