Gravesham Choral Society opened their new season with an exciting concert of English choral music at St George’s Church on Saturday 19th November. The two major pieces for the choir were accompanied brilliantly by Jubilate Brass, who impressed everyone in the large audience with their highly skilled performance.

The programme began with the choir singing unaccompanied. This is a difficult skill, especially right at the beginning of a concert, but it was carried off very successfully. This year marks the centenary of Michael Tippett’s birth and his arrangements of five spirituals from “A Child of Our Time” were well received, as were the solo contributions of Joanna Shaw and Carole Chopourian [sopranos], Erica Blaney [alto], David Clark [tenor] and John Harding [bass].

There was then a third public performance of Magnificat, skilfully composed by the choir’s own conductor, Alan Vincent. The score combines both powerful and sensitive passages for the choir and the brass ensemble and was rapturously applauded. How fortunate the choir is to have such an able all-round musician at its helm!

Jubilate Brass then contributed four pieces on their own, including Purcell’s Trumpet Tune and a thrilling arrangement of Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.

The concert closed with Gloria, composed by John Rutter. Written in three movements, this again provided a platform for the choir and brass players, supplemented by Geoffrey Lester on the organ and a percussion section, to demonstrate the breadth of their skills. The rousing end to the 3rd movement certainly sent everyone home with a smile on their faces.