The joys of a Verdi singing workshop

A performance of the magnificent Verdi Requiem just wouldn’t be the same without a chorus big enough to make the walls of the concert hall tremble! Southern Sinfonia is returning to the Concert Hall, Reading, on June 8th to perform with Henley Choral Society and, though the Society has around 100 members, they are looking to boost that number by at least another 40 singers. Step forward the idea of the Verdi Requiem Workshop on Saturday 27th April 2013 at St Mary’s, Henley-on-Thames.

Henley Choral Society is a non-audition choir and the Workshop is open to anyone who fancies spending Saturday learning and performing parts of this thrilling work. There is something uniquely exciting about a singing Workshop. Singing with people you don’t know, under a different conductor – in this case Henley Choral Society’s inspirational young Musical Director, Will Dawes – gets the adrenalin running and the blood pumping. (Not to mention the chance to sample the Societies members’ cakes. At the last Workshop, on The Creation, this experience ranked at least as high as the music–making!) And, with an informal performance at the end of the Workshop, there is also the very satisfying sensation of a bunch of strangers getting together and creating a performance from scratch in a short space of time.

There is double the fun with this Workshop as anyone who takes part will also have the opportunity to attend a couple of rehearsals and then to sing the Verdi Requiem at the Concert Hall, Reading on June 8th with Southern Sinfonia, Sophie Bevan, Kate Symonds-Joy, David Butt Phillips, Tenor and James Oldfield.

2013 is Verdi’s bi-centenary, so if this sounds like your opportunity to sing this thrilling and operatic work, download an application form containing full details of the Workshop from www.henleychoralsociety.org.uk alternatively contact the organiser, Jenny Fleming on hcsaltos@gmail.com or 01491 575165.