Christmas Choral Soc repertoires

[DracoM]

Don't want wall to wall carols but solid, challenging pieces to sing that will engage a young audience.

What suggestions would you have for a thrilling and exciting programme for a choral soc to prepare for a late Nov/ early Dec concert?

[Y Mab Afradlon]

Does anyone know There is no Rose by Simon Preston. Written for the King's Singers. A very lyrical opening contrasted by a very syncopated section and lush harmonies at the cadences. Well worth an e-mail to Banks for an archive copy reprint and the few hours sorting out the close harmonies and rhythms.

[ardcarp]

Is this for next year, Draco? The Cowboy Carol, Rejoice in the Lamb, A Boy was Born (Benjamin Britten) in massively ascending order of difficulty.

[DracoM]

Gulp! Totally agree about Britten - love his choral music. Decently challenging, worth rehearsing too. Hmm.

[Y Mab Afradlon]

Has anyone done John Rutter's When Iceicles hang? I did this with an amateur choral society I used to conduct. They were very enthusiastic but few of them read at sight and needed to rehearse things for an early December concert in September. It posed enough of a technical challenge to them and was easy on the ear for the audience. I commend this piece to board members.