Choir to sing in ceremony held at Menin Gate

The Amici Singers from Biggleswade will travel to Belgium on Thursday, May 20.

And to commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War they will be performing at the Menin Gate in Ypres as part of the evening memorial service.

The choir’s musical director, Douglas Coombes, has composed a work especially for the tour. He has set Wilfred Owen’s poem, Anthem for Doomed Youth, to music.

A special part has been written for oboist, Bryan Shaw.

The Amici Singers will also be performing in Ghent Cathedral, where they will be accompanied by their organist, Trevor Hughes.

During the tour they will perform other music including a cycle of 10 spirituals entitled Sing With the Spirit, a medley of Gershwin music , a tapestry of British Folk Songs and a mass, Missa Brevis Pro Urbe Quedlinburg , written by Douglas Coombes for a previous visit to Germany.

The choir rehearses on Thursdays from 7.45pm to 9.45pm at Trinity Methodist Church in Biggleswade. There are no auditions. Call Anne Bunker on 01767 650630 if you are interested in joining.