St Mary’s Music News - July 2023

Choral singing requirements calm down a little at this time of year, but to balance this out the SMMA’s Wednesday lunchtime concert season is in full swing. As always, refreshments are available from 12.30 pm, and the concerts start at 1.10pm, each lasting around 40 minutes. Even if you missed the first 5 highly enjoyable concerts running from 31 May to 28 June, there is still time to catch the last 3. On 5 July we welcome students from the SWCHS Music Academy, on 12 July the musicians are Arwen Newband on violin with Anna Le Hair on piano, and on 19 July contralto Diana Hoy sings with Wendy Watts on piano. We hope you were also able to enjoy Anna Lapwood’s organ concert on 1 July.

For a quiet evening service, Choral Evensong on Sunday 9 July at 6.30 features music composed by Herbert Howells, including the very topical “O pray for the peace of Jerusalem”.

Meanwhile, the adult choir is already starting to rehearse pieces to sing in Birmingham Cathedral in November, where we have been invited to sing at a service of Choral Evensong.

Another, perhaps livelier, event is in the early planning stage, ie a performance of Noyes Fludde with children from local schools taking the part of the animals on the ark, supported by professional soloists as Mr and Mrs Noah. Philip Sunderland has been co-opted onto the Committee to work on this project, and Patrick Li is also assisting.

Sticking with the theme of young musicians, by the time this newsletter is published, the taster sessions for Joyful Noise and the Junior Choir will have taken place. If you know of any young singers who might be interested in joining either of these groups but were unable to attend the sessions, please contact Oli King (Director of Music) or Hannah Razzell, St Mary’s Music Association email music@stmaryssaffronwalden.org

The SMMA is also part way through the exciting process of choosing the next Michael Swindlehurst Organ Scholar and the recipient(s) of the SMMA bursaries. Watch this space.

Ottilie Lefever

The draft Minutes of the AGM can be found in the Music News section of this website here.