Farnham Youth Choir returned to St Lawrence Church in Alton for this year’s Spring Concert on Saturday 11th March. They were welcomed by a full and most appreciative audience who enjoyed a varied programme showcasing the choir’s customary high standards.

The first half comprised mainly sacred music, including a number of pieces familiar to the choir’s repertoire but introducing items from Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and Tota Pulchra Es from Durufle’s Four Motets. Charming solos from Annia Grey and Jessica Miller featured, and the half ended with taste of what was to come with choir favourite Yo Le Canto.

After the interval the audience was entertained by a largely secular programme, opening with the striking De Bello Gallico in which the choir showed their ability to add the emphasis of actions to the music and words. Another new piece to the repertoire was introduced, the lovely The Seal Lullaby by Eric Whitacre, and solos were impressively performed by Holly Giles and Isobel Cole.

The concert closed with two of the more contemporary songs that have been introduced, Bob Dylan’s Make You Feel My Love, and finally Upside Down by Paloma Faith which featured lively choreography to close the evening on a high noted.

The many new members who joined this year have integrated seamlessly with the choir under Musical Director Joanna Tomlinson, with the expert support of accompanist Matthew Rickard, and all are now looking forward to the forthcoming choir tour to France.

Reviewer: Stuart Brown