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The idea
To promote the accessibility of local choral singing, Valentine Singers will perform Bob Chilcott’s St John Passion in March 2024, preceded by a range of opportunities for community participation. Chilcott’s Passion tells the story of Christ’s trial and Crucifixion in the words of St John’s Gospel, using an amateur choir, alongside professional soloists, organist, cellist. The work also invites the audience to participate in the 5 specially composed hymns. The concert will be preceded by:
- an open workshop day in January 2024 open to all singers of senior school age and over to explore and rehearse the work. Workshop attendees will be invited to join the choir for the March 2024 performance, with the hope that some will be inspired to join the choir permanently; and
- an audience workshop on concert day to rehearse or learn the hymns.
What we'll deliver
- A local one-day choral singing workshop hosted by Valentine Singers open to the public & led by the choir's MD & pianist
- A locally-staged concert performance of Bob Chilcott's St John Passion
- The teaching of musical skills to all participants
- A short audience workshop on the day of the concert
- An opportunity for any recruits to participate in Valentine Singers' regular weekly rehearsals free of charge
- The opportunity to experience community singing
Why it's a great idea
Redbridge aspires to make the borough a great place to live through increasing arts opportunities for families and through increasing health and wellbeing through arts and cultural activities. We are striving to ensure that choral singing is accessible to all and to show the community that they can enjoy being part of a choir alongside all ages and sectors of the community. Our goal is to encourage and enable people to try singing locally and, through the choir's hardship fund, to offer some financial support to ensure prospective members are not put off by the cost of membership, music hire and other choir-related fees. It is accepted that choral singing and meeting as a community improves physical and mental health and we aim to share the impact of singing on wellbeing with a wider group. We welcome members with disabilities or medical issues, who are encouraged to take a full part in the choir and benefit alongside other members from being part of the choir community.
Steps to get it done
- Procuring vocal and instrumental scores
- Publicising the workshop and concert
- Holding the January 2024 workshop
- Holding rehearsals between 20 January and 16 March 2024
- Holding a pre-concert rehearsal on 16 March 2024
- Holding a pre-concert audience participation workshop on concert day
- Performing the concert on 16 March 2024
We rehearse in Ilford and are based there, and will hold the workshop in St May's Church, South Woodford, while the concert will be held at The Drive Methodist, Ilford. All venues are fully accessible and well-served by public transport. Music scores will be hired for workshop participants and the vocal score gives permission for the texts and melodies of the hymns to be reproduced for the audience. The choir has professional music staff comprising a musical director and a pianist who have co-led many workshops with the choir.
