- Summer Concert Soloist
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Date Posted: Wed, 11 Jun 2025
We are delighted to announce that we shall be joined at our Summer Concert, A Fancy of Folk, by soprano Lottie Day. Lottie will be singing a number of folk songs for us.
- Mozart at the Coptic
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Date Posted: Tue, 6 May 2025
Before the pandemic, one of our most popular venues was the magnificent Coptic Centre in Stevenage and we were delighted to return at last to perform Mozart's wonderful Mass in C Minor (nicknamed The Great for a reason...) to a capacity audience.
Having got the concert off to a rousing start with Haydn's Insanae et Vanae Curae, choir members were able to sit back for once and enjoy the skills of music director Harry Bradford as he conducted the Beaufoy Sinfonia in Mozart's Symphony no.36 (Linz). Then in the second half the audience were treated to some sublime singing by soloists Natalka Pasicznyk, Maya Colwell, Louis Watkins and Henry Saywell thrillingly supported by the orchestra. The choir gave their all to the demanding choruses - assisted on this occasion by regular repetiteur Colin Spinks, who 'changed sides' to sing with the tenors. Our thanks to him, to the soloists and musicians, to the Williams Church Music Trust for their financial support, to everyone who worked so hard to stage the event, and of course to Harry for his tireless dedication to achieving such a high standard.
- An early celebration
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Date Posted: Sun, 30 Mar 2025
Christmas came a little earlier than usual for the Guild this year, but we were in our most festive mood at Walsworth Road Baptist Church to present Oliver Tarney's delightful Missa Media Nocte for the first time, alongside many standards from our seasonal repertoire and two organ solos from accompanist Richard Leach. Harry was on top form as ever, and was suitably 'surprised' when we all donned our silly headgear for the finale.
- Map of Coptic Church Centre
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Date Posted: Tue, 18 Mar 2025
Attachment: 
- Mozart
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Date Posted: Sun, 2 Feb 2025
We have a fantastic composer and a great orchestra lined up for March. Sadly, the composer won't be playing in the concert! Attachment:
- November Concert
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Date Posted: Tue, 24 Dec 2024
Our performance on November 16 of Handel's glorious (if sadly under-performed) Dettingen Te Deum went so well that many choir members wanted to sing it again straight away. In the second half CPE Bach's resounding Magnificat was nearing its conclusion when an audience member was taken ill; after a brief unscheduled interval, during which she received excellent care, we were able to round off the evening to appreciative applause. Daisy Livesey, Helena Cooke, Zahid Siddiqui and Allyn Wu brought their collective magic to the demanding solo movements and we welcomed back Musica Donum Dei, who always give us such magnificent support.
Thanks as always to Harry for achieving his usual high standard of performance throughout the term and to Colin, whose talent for transposition leaves ordinary mortals breathless with admiration.
- Happy Christmas
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Date Posted: Tue, 24 Dec 2024
The North Herts Guild of Singers wish everyone a very Happy Christmas! Why not listen to our 2020 version of 'Away in a manger'? North Herts Guild of Singers Listen
- A new score and a new work for Christmas!
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Date Posted: Mon, 18 Nov 2024
Here is the very first copy of our brand new set of scores, just arrived in time for Christmas! Missa Media Nocte is a contemporary work by Oliver Tarney and will form the centrepiece of our Christmas Concert.
- Not solemn at all!
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Date Posted: Mon, 2 Sep 2024
Surely singing a Latin Mass has never been so much fun... the choir could hardly keep from dancing and audience members were rocking in the pews as we performed Rossini's delightful Petite Messe Solennelle at Walsworth Road Baptist Church on July 13th. All those weeks of practice paid off as Harry inspired us to give everything we had to the fiendish fugues, while our four soloists - Daisy Livesey, Louise Wood, Matt Sotillo-Cooke and James Bartlett - brought their exceptional talents to the bits in between. Colin Spinks at the piano and George Inscoe on harmonium added bags of drama, and our congratulations go to all seven wonderful professionals. Thanks as always to the good people of WRBC for their hospitality and refreshments.
- Bach, by popular demand
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Date Posted: Mon, 22 Apr 2024
Well, it was worth waiting for... After a four-year delay and a challenging rehearsal term, we at last brought JS Bach's B Minor Mass to a packed St Mary's Church in Hitchin.
Our inspiring musical director and the spirited playing of period baroque orchestra Musica Donum Dei kept the choir energised throughout a demanding performance, which was enriched by the glorious voices of Emilia Bertolini (soprano), Hera Protopapas (mezzo), Simon Carter (tenor) and Daniel Vening (bass).
It was wonderful to share this magnificent work with so many people; we are grateful for the generous donations towards choir funds, and thank everyone involved in putting on the concert.
- Bach B Minor Mass Workshop
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Date Posted: Mon, 12 Feb 2024
Our workshop on the Bach B Minor Mass was a great success, and earned high praise from the many guest singers who joined us for a tough but rewarding morning at Christchurch. Thanks as ever to the brilliant leadership of Harry Bradford, supported magnificently at the piano by James Orford, and to the volunteers who provided all the cake! Attachment:
- Harry Bradford ARAM
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Date Posted: Sat, 3 Feb 2024
Congratulations to Harry, who has been named in the Royal Academy of Music's list of Associate Honours for 2023-24 in recognition of his significant contribution to the musical landscape
- Harp 1 - Tractors 0 : another Christmas win
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Date Posted: Thu, 4 Jan 2024
To be a successful soloist at the Guild's Christmas concert, apparently it isn't enough to be supremely talented - you also need to be able to compete with dozens of hooting, tooting farm vehicles trundling past the church at the most sensitive moments...
For the second year in a row our concert at Walsworth Road Baptist Church clashed with the festive tractor parade, and our wonderful professionals came through the ordeal with (Christmas) bells on. Royal harpist Alis Huws, tenor Alexander Hume and Colin Spinks at the organ were more than equal to the challenge, and our conductor Harry Bradford controlled proceedings in his usual unflappable style from a podium which he declared to be even higher than last time. With a number of other rival attractions in town on the same evening, the audience was modest but spirited, joining in energetically with the congregational carols and offering wholehearted applause. Our grateful thanks go to everyone involved.
