Romsey Choral Society

Welcome to Romsey Choral Society

News
The choir has at last been able to return to our relatively normal rehearsal venue and format - albeit with some covid-safe precautions in place still - so this is a fantastic step in the right direction!

We are confident that this our 40th season heralds a new chapter for the choir. We've all had to re-set how we think about what we do, but we are delighted that so many members have continued to sing with us one way or another.

We are grateful to our Musical Director, Richard Pearce, for his commitment during these unusual times and the versatility that he has shown in keeping us singing, and learning a bit about the music and its origins, and playing us different versions to compare performances.

Our Accompanist, Richard McVeigh, has also been with us on this journey - together with welcoming a new member of his family in the form of baby Hugo so a busy time in the McVeigh household!

The concert on Saturday 13th November 2021 in Romsey Abbey - "Serenade to Music" - was a huge success with many lovely comments received from audience members.

And Richard Pearce looks pretty pleased with the performance!

This time we could have an audience sitting more closely together -

Our fabulous soloists -

And equally fabulous string quintet - SouthDowns Camerata

Romsey Choral Society doesn't usually perform a Christmas carol concert but in 2021 we were able to present an afternoon of Christmas music in the lovely Methodist church in Chandlers Ford.

Romsey Choral Society

Welcome to Romsey Choral Society which is recognised as one of the best choirs in Southern England. Please have a look around this site to discover more about the choir. The season's repertoire is listed in the Concert Diary pages. For our latest choir newsletter click here.

Rehearsals usually take place every Tuesday at 7.30pm at the Romsey Methodist Church, The Hundred, Romsey, SO51 8BZ .

We have now resumed rehearsals in the Romsey Methodist church. We are completely committed to keeping all our members as safe as possible and request that all members follow these simple steps:

If you are unwell at all, please stay safely at home.
If you have been "pinged" or traced as a covid contact, please stay safely at home.
Please use face coverings when moving around and sanitiser as before.

The Committee continue to keep abreast of any guidance and are following all the steps required by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport together with risk management based on the Making Music templates. Members have received a copy of the current Risk Assessment and guidance for singers.

During the rehearsals, the chairs are still spaced apart and the church is well ventilated.

Over the past year and a half, we have taken the required steps for any face to face rehearsals and for a concert performance without any adverse incidents.

Thank you to all the members who have followed instructions, been careful and kept us all safe.

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Want to hear us sing?

Click below to see and hear a short YouTube excerpt from Visions of Heaven - Saturday 28th March 2015

Hear an excerpt

Summer 2020 recording

Christmas 2020 recording

Click here to read our latest concert review

Concert reviews

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Richard Pearce
RCS Musical Director

Richard took up the post of Musical Director in September 2019 as we transitioned to our next stage of development, building on six brilliant years under the baton of Jamie W. Hall.

Richard Pearce was organ scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating with first class honours in music. He is now a professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, coaching singers and instrumentalists for careers in opera and the concert platform, and is a trustee of the Josephine Baker Trust, which supports young soloists at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music in London.

Richard is busy as a conductor, pianist and organist with professional choirs. He records and broadcasts regularly with the BBC Singers. He recently conducted works by James MacMillan, Judith Bingham, Britten and Roxanna Panufnik for broadcast on BBC Radio 3. As organist and pianist he has performed with many of the UK’s best-known choral conductors, including David Hill, Stephen Cleobury, Paul Spicer, Bob Chilcott and Sofi Jeannin. Richard has a long-standing association with the Royal Choral Society, and performs with them several times a year at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Richard has been musical director of the Waverley Singers, based in Farnham, Surrey, since 2009. During this time, he has led the choir in some 40 performances. Particular highlights have been concerts in Guildford Cathedral of Monteverdi Vespers, Verdi Requiem, Beethoven Mass in C, Brahms Schicksalslied, Mozart Requiem and Bach Magnificat in D. Alongside these major works he has introduced new and varied repertoire to the choir, including commissions by composer Will Todd, and many newly-written compositions.

Richard is regular organist with the Philharmonia and BBC Symphony Orchestras in London; with them he has performed with many inspirational conductors including established maestri Lorin Maazel, Pierre Boulez, Oliver Knussen, Andrew Davis, Sakari Oramo, Marin Alsop and Ed Gardner, as well as up-and-coming stars such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali and Valentina Peleggi. Recent performances have included the solo organ part in the European première of Unsuk Chin’s Le Chant des Enfants des Étoiles with Esa-Pekka Salonen in London’s Royal Festival Hall, and a tour of China performing Saint-Säens organ symphony with Vladimir Ashkenazy. He also performs regularly in Promenade concerts and recordings, including at the Last Night of the Proms to a worldwide television audience.

Richard frequently conducts and plays for services at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster and at the Houses of Parliament.

Light at the end of the tunnel!

It's been a long time coming, but we have now managed to sing together in person for a second concert in Romsey Abbey on 13th November 2021 and a Christmas concert in Chandlers Ford.

The photos show what a joy it is to be able to sing such beautiful music together.

And we have now been able to meet and rehearse under more-or-less normal circumstances in our usual venue - Romsey Methodist church - since September 2021.

There are still some restrictions, and hand sanitiser, and ventilation so it's a bit chilly but we are there!

We know that some people will still be wary of meeting in groups, and some people will still wish to wear a face covering whatever the guidance says. And that's fine. We want everyone to feel safe and that is why we have been following the guidance as closely as we can. We will continue to do our utmost to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

The rehearsals are recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel for members to catch up, or practice, or to join in remotely - whatever works.

They say that behind every great man there is a great woman. Well, behind our great woman - Sarah Andrews our Chair - is a great man in the form of Dave Andrews - husband, You Tube guru, IT and social media expert and all round good egg! Thanks Dave for all your help in keeping us all connected!

Hilary Mitchell
RCS Admin Secretary