From The Chairman

Welcome to our 106th Season!

What an achievement for a choir of this age to have had only four conductors. We thank Jeffrey for his 34 years as our Music Director.

A warm welcome to Martin Hindmarsh as our 5th Music Director.

Martin has been conducting music for most of his life, starting early as an eleven year old in the Salvation Army and going on to conduct opera, choirs and orchestras as a student, a University Lecturer and recently as a freelance musician.

He has recently moved to the South-East, having been Director of performance at the University of Sheffield.

He remains the conductor of the Hull Choral Union and is now looking forward to his new role with Maidstone Choral Union.

Martin is also a tenor soloist with numerous broadcasts and recordings to his name. He has sung oratorio concerts world wide and is a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace.

The first concert of the season will be Haydn’s Creation, a favourite with choirs and audiences alike. It leads from chaos through the first sunrise to the creation of Adam and Eve. A loving portrait of nature through music.

Our Christmas concert is always popular and this year Martin will include audience favourites and some new choices of his own. We are delighted to welcome Brunswick House Primary School and the BAE Systems Brass Band to join with us this year.

At Easter we will perform Bach’s St. John Passion which was first heard in 1724 when Bach took up his post in Leipzig.We finish the season with the Festival Concert, which will include Coleridge Taylor’s Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast, music from Bizet’s Carmen and other large choral favourites, providing a fitting climax to this season’s music making.

Jane Anderson