Dear Friend of Hastings Philharmonic Choir
It already feels a long time since we last sang for you at our Christmas Carols for All concert. We were delighted to see so many of you escaping from the hurly-burly of Christmas preparations to enjoy our festive singing. Once again, with the support of Penbuckles' Delicatessen, we held a raffle during the interval. The hamper of delicious goodies was won by Keith Waymont, who told us that he and his wife travel down every year from Tunbridge Wells to attend our carol concert - well done and thank you to Keith for his faithful support of our choir!
Despite the current grey, damp weather, spring is in the air and the garden is beginning to bloom with seasonal flowers. With less than a month to go now, we're rehearsing hard for our April concert. We're sounding in great voice at the moment, having gained some new choir members this year, and with several visiting members having joined us especially for the April concert.
Read on for further news ...
Table of Contents - Tribute to Pam Brown
- Spring Concert: Bach's St Matthew Passion on 6th April
- Support us!
- Looking ahead ...
|
|
|
|
We were saddened to hear of the death of Pam Brown on Saturday 2nd March, at the age of 99. A Past President of Hastings Philharmonic Choir, she was a Vice-President of the Choir at the time of her death and was a keen follower of the Choir throughout her time in Hastings. She was Mayor of Hastings in 2004-5, and was made a Freeman of the Borough in May 2006 and received the OBE for political and public service in 1992.
During her time in Hastings she was also past Speaker of The Confederation of The Cinque Ports, past Leader of Hastings Borough Council, former County Councillor for 20 years of which 3 years were served as Chair of East Sussex Social Services, and a former borough councillor for 38 years. .
Pam Brown was a Hastings presence like no other. For decades she put her energies and intelligence into improving people’s lives, and she succeeded. She was a diverse and persistent campaigner.
She grew up in the East Riding of Yorkshire, near Filey. She attended Hunmanby Hall nearby, a Methodist boarding school, but her school life was coloured by the outbreak of World War Two in 1939. She duly joined the WRNS and was sent to train as a visual signaller (Bunting Tosser in naval jargon) . . . She served in the Royal Navy (as a Wren) in the later years of the War. She eventually got to Hastings and found it congenial, perhaps in part for its coastal qualities.
In her retirement Pam worked just as hard. One of her memorable statements was:
'Don’t give up on the work that’s being done today, because you can make a difference!'
Pam gave activism, community service and community spirit a good name. Her honesty and integrity won people over. Her dedication and determination were impressive. She will be truly missed.
JOHN RYCROFT
Chairman – Hastings Philharmonic Choir
|
|
| Spring Concert: Bach's St Matthew Passion on 6th April |
|
|
|
|
|
Complete your Eastertide celebrations by coming along to our performance J.S. Bach's Good Friday masterpiece! Relive the dramatic events of the last week of Jesus' life, culminating in his crucifixion and burial, through Bach's moving and reflective musical setting of the Passion narrative according to St Matthew.
We're delighted to be performing with top-flight soloists, the children of HPO Songbirds and Ensemble OrQuesta, conducted, of course, by our maestro Marcio da Silva.
Kieran White Evangelist/tenor
Oshri Segev Jesus/bass
Anna-Luise Wagner soprano
Maya Coldwell contralto
Saturday 6 April, 7pm at Christ Church, Silchester Road, St Leonards TN37 6GL
Tickets: Adults £22/£17.50/£13 ♦ Under 17s, students, universal credit/JSA recipients £5/free
Available online: https://www.hastingsphilchoir.org.uk/springconcert2024 , by phone 01424 437554 or at The Bookkeeper, 1a King's Road, St Leonards TN37 6EA (open Thurs-Sat) (available from 22nd February)
NB ALL ADVANCE BOOKING CLOSES AT 11AM ON SATURDAY 6TH APRIL. THEREAFTER, TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE DOOR.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The St Matthew Passion, with its four soloists and double orchestra, is a particularly expensive work for us to mount in concert performance - especially following on the heels of our Missa Solemnis concert earlier this season! You can help us by sponsoring a musician for this concert, A donation of:
- £150 sponsors an orchestral player
- £300 pays a soloist's fees
- £500 pays for the conductor
For more information about sponsoring a performer, or other ways to donate to HPC, see our website:
https://www.hastingsphilchoir.org.uk/donate or email Maggi at patronsadmin@hastingsphilchoir.org.uk
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our summer concert this year will be held on Saturday 13th July at St John's Church, Brittany Road, St Leonards. In this centenary year of Puccini's death, we'll perform his joyful and energetic Messa di Gloria, written as his graduation exercise in 1880, before he became one of the most renowned operatic composers of his generation. In contrast, Verdi's contemporaneous Quattro Pezzi Sacri (Four Sacred Pieces) date from late in his life, when he returned reflectively to his roots as a church musician.
Join us for this uplifting summer concert given in the beautiful St John's Church.
Verdi: Quattro pezzi sacri
Puccini: Messa di Gloria
Hastings Philharmonic Choir, with soloists tbc, Francis Rayner (piano) and organ, conducted by Marcio da Silva
|
|
|
