CHURCH LIFE: MAY 08
Welcome
Services
Special Dates
Bellringers
Choir
Music at Bray
Personnel
Organisations
The Friends
Visit St Michael's
Publications
Annual Parochial Church Meeting Papers for 2006
The Compass
St Michael's News
Sung with Passion
St John Passion
St Nicolas
The Rake's Progress
Our New Vicar
Richard Cowles
Vicar of Bray
14th March 2008
Retirement
George Repath
Vicar of Bray
Apr 1985 - Aug 2007
Obituary
John Bettley
French Visit in 2007
Normandy -
City and Gardens
Two Visits in 2006
Windsor Castle
A Taste of Normandy
Two Visits and a
Farewell in 2005
Belgium and
Old Holland
Lambeth Palace
John Bettley
Events and Outings
Enjoyed in 2004
Flower Festival
Epping Forest Trip
Champagne and
Chateau Tour
Kennet and Avon
Canal Trip

CHURCH SINGERS HIT THE RIGHT NOTES
Reproduced here by kind permission of the Maidenhead Advertiser, this report
appeared in the week ending December 15, 2006 edition of the paper.

St Nicolas rehearsal
Choir members rehearse for the performance of Benjamin Britten's St Nicolas

CHURCH SINGERS HIT THE RIGHT NOTES

A top quality choral concert took place at St Michael's Church in Bray on Sunday with a performance of Benjamin Britten's St Nicolas.

About 200 people filled the High Street church for the performance by the church choir, which was conducted by its director of music Oliver Gooch, an assistant conductor with the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.

The choir's tenor soloist, ex-choirmaster Mark Wilde, flew in from Germany the previous day after giving a performance there. The choir was accompanied by the church's small orchestra, the Pepys Ensemble.

The piece is about the fourth century Greek saint who was Bishop of Myra and who has become associated with Father Christmas through his reputation for giving gifts.

Mr. Gooch said:"We were delighted to get so many people after the success of our St John Passion performance at Easter and it was great to welcome back Mark. The congregation also had the chance to join in for some parts as Britten was a master at writing music for both the amateur and the professional."

Choir member Lynda Jones said: "We're very lucky to have Oliver, he's really elevated us to tremendous heights as a church choir. It's great for people who love classical music."

In April next year, the choir plans to perform its first opera which will be Stavinsky's The Rakes Progress.


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