A REJUVENATED choir is hitting the high notes as it gets ready for its next performance.
Barnard Castle School Choral Society and Orchestra, which combines the talents of a whole community, is preparing to stage The Creation by Haydn on Tuesday,December 3. Now 60-strong and comprising members of the public, students and staff – with an age range of 17 to 90 – the choir will be conducted by the school’s director of music, Richard Dawson. Mr Dawson took over the group when he joined the school in September and has seen numbers almost double. They meet every Thursday at school from 7pm to 8.30pm.
“I had a look through what the choir had performed and it hasn’t done The Creation for ten years,” he said.
“It is just such an amazing piece, depicting the seven days of creation and Adam and Eve. It is so vivid and has really helped me get to know the choir. I have worked with various choral societies over the years and they are brilliant. There is so much energy in the room.”
Mr Dawson said he really enjoyed working with current and former staff, students and members of the community, who all shared a common love of singing.
“Such a choir breaks down barriers and affords the school the privilege of giving the community something back,” he said. “The bigger the choir gets the more people feel they are not singing alone.”
The performance will feature soprano Penelope Randall-Davis, tenor Austin Gunn and bass Peter Coulson. Tickets for the concert, in the main school at 7pm, are available from www.eventbrite.
co.uk or by email to sjn@barn
eyschool.org.uk.
