Enjoy Bexhill Choral Society's online Christmas concert

Society secretary Jenny Meteyard said: “Bexhill Choral Society, like so many other organisations, shut up shop in March and has not been able to hold normal rehearsals and concerts. But all has not been lost!

“Since June there have been weekly Zoom rehearsals with our director of music Kenneth Roberts. Zoom rehearsals are rather strange, since different internet speeds mean everyone has to be muted and cannot hear the other singers, and Ken cannot hear us. Hopefully when we do finally return to in-person rehearsals, Ken will not regret losing the ability to mute the choir at the press of a button!

“Zoom rehearsals are not everyone’s cup of tea, but around 30 people have been regular Zoomers, and it has enabled us to keep a sense of identity as a choir and keep singing. We even have a new member who has joined us for Zoom rehearsals and hopes at some point to be able to meet us all!”

Bexhill Choral is now on YouTube. Search for Bexhill Choral Christmas on YouTube to find a mini-concert of six items from their 2019 concert of Christmas music and carols, held at St Barnabas Church and accompanied by the Cinque Ports Brass Ensemble.

“The selection includes carols and choral music and the sparkling Caribbean Christmas, Kenneth Roberts’ arrangement for brass of a number of well-known Christmas tunes. As regular audience members will know, Ken himself plays the saxophone as part of the concert. Bexhillians may also be interested to learn that Philip Ledger, composer of The Bell Carol, was born in Bexhill!”

Jenny added: “Our May 2020 concert at the De La Warr Pavilion – Great Choral Classics accompanied by the Sussex Concert Orchestra – has been postponed to May 8 2021. We still hope to hold this concert, and all tickets purchased for the original concert are valid for the new date, with no need to exchange.

“In the meantime the Choral Society is hoping for better times in 2021 and a return to real live choral singing! We are a friendly non-audition choir and warmly welcome new members. For more information about Bexhill Choral Society please visit bexhillchoral.org.uk or email [email protected].”