THE CALENDAR

13th October  2007
All Saints Church, Marlow

Cantorum Choir is celebrating its 25^th anniversary with a performance of Mozart’s Requiem and other works including an instrumental piece for two flutes.

Tickets can be purchased before the concerts from The Post Office Stores Cookham Dean, The Stationary Depot, Cookham Rise, and from Rococo, Liston Court, Marlow. For more details about the concerts and to book tickets in advance please phone the Box Office on 01628 525371.

PREVIOUS EVENTS 

17th June 2007
Joint Concert with the Fonte Choir from Japan, in Holy Trinity Church, Cookham

Cantorum Choir gave a joint concert with the Fonte choir from Japan.  In the first half, which was conducted by Fonte’s conductor Masanobu Karasawa, the Fonte choir performed a Japanese piece called “The Soul of the Water” for choir and piano accompaniment, and both the choirs joined to sing English madrigals. The first half closed with the beautiful Japanese song “Akatombo” (Red Dragonfly) which was performed by both choirs in Japanese.

In the second half, conducted by Sally Stafford, the Cantorum Choir sang “Songs from the Bavarian Highlands” by Elgar and “Three Shakespeare Songs” by Vaughan Williams. The concert finished with both choirs singing “Zadock the Priest” and the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s Messiah accompanied by Rhidian Jones.

11th February 2007 

Valentine’s Sumptuous Supper - Liston Hall Marlow

The Cantorum choir’s evening of supper and songs was sold out months before the event. Everyone agreed that the evening was a great success. The meal was amazing and the singing was joyous! The choir sung a selection of George Shearing’s “Songs and Sonnets”, “Moon River” and Cole Porter’s “Every time we say Goodbye”. Many of the choir members are talented soloists.  The diners were entertained by several of them singing a wonderful selection of solos and duets from shows, Gilbert and Sullivan and around the world.

Carol Concerts 10th December 2006

St John the Baptist Church Cookham Dean

This year the choir celebrated 25 years of singing Carol concerts at Cookham Dean Church.  By singing two carol concerts to a packed church in both the afternoon and the evening. The choir sang a mixture of new and old carols and the congregation joined in with traditional carols as well as singing in 3 parts for The Holly and Ivy arranged by Gardner! David Hazeldine was the compeer for the evening and delighted everyone with his amusing readings on festive themes. A collection was taken at the end and the choir donated  £550 to Thames Hospicecare (formerly Thames Valley Hospice) and to the Air Ambulance. 

14th October 2006
The Cantorum Choir, conducted by Sally Stafford, sang Poulenc's Gloria and
Górecki's Totus Tuus at All Saints Church, Marlow and was accompanied by the
Cantorum Orchestra. The choir gave a moving performance of Górecki's Totus
Tuus and their singing of Poulenc's Gloria was inspiring.

18th June 2006 

A Cookham Summer FM recorded broadcast

Cantorum sang a concert of English folk songs arranged by Daryl Runswick and Rutter’s delightful piece The Wind in the Willows “an entertainment based on the book by Kenneth Grahame” for choir and orchestra. The concert took place in Holy Trinity Church Cookham village and was broadcast later on, on Cookham Summer FM. Timmy Mallett, Cookham’s local superstar, who was one of the prime movers in the Cookham Summer FM project played the part of the Narrator brilliantly in The Wind in the Willows. Solos were sung by Members of the Cantorum Choir were performed with wit and humour. The audience, which filled the church, thoroughly enjoyed the performance.

Before the interval Julia Bentley and Kate Kelly entranced the audience with a beautiful rendition of Cimarosa’s Concerto in G for Two Flutes and Orchestra.

7^th – 11^th April 2006

Cantorum in Venice

This most memorable Cantorum Choir visit involved three concerts conducted by Sally Stafford.  The first was at the English Church in Venice on 8^th April where the choir sang three motets and the Rutter Requiem to an appreciative audience of expats and tourists. An Italian organ tuner had engaged in a race against time to get the organ properly tuned before the concert.  Following the main concert the choir gave another one improptu, on the pavement outside.

On 9^th April the choir sang in St. Marks itself for the evening mass. This was Palm Sunday, so there was a large congregation of locals as well as tourists. We sang four 

motets, Weelkes “Hosannah to the Son of David”, Victoria’s “Pueri Hebaeorum, Lotti’s “Crucifixus” and Bruckner’s “Christus Factus Est”.  It was a rare privilege to sing in this most sumptuous and beautiful of churches and the choir rose to the occasion.  Indeed it stayed risen throughout the entire service as nobody had thought to provide us with any chairs.

Finally on 10^th April we again sang the Rutter and some motets in a morning concert at St. Giorgio Maggiore.  It was bitterly cold and the audience consisted of our loyal camp followers and a few itinerant tourists.  These enjoyed a real treat (for free).  The acoustic in St. Giorgio is quite beautiful, and the feedback this provides coaxes the very best out of any choir.  After singing of the back of the church, we also tried singing under the dome in the middle.  The echo time in that time in that position is such that we were still singing there half an hour after we had left! Following the concert the entire choir took it in turns to travel up St. Giorgio’s tower in a small and rather creaky lift.  Attempts to sing from the top were thwarted by the wintry conditions.

When not singing the choir and supporters enjoyed all the usual delights of the city with enthusiasm and on Tuesday Ryan aired back to Stansted tired but happy after a visit that none will forget. 

Saturday 1st April 2006  

"A Concert of Easter Music"

The choir, conducted by Sally Stafford, at St Luke 's Church, Norfolk Road, Maidenhead, sang music in preparation for their tour to Venice including Rutter's beautiful Requiem and various motets. The concert was very well attended and was enjoyed by everyone.

Sunday 11th December 2005

Christmas Music
Cookham Dean Church was packed for both the afternoon and the evening
performance of the Carol Concert. The audience was very appreciative and
enjoyed listening to the wide variety carols that the choir performed and
joining in the carols for everyone to sing. "When Christ was born", a new
carol by Ian Hillier received its first performance at the Carol Concert.
Several members of the audience commented that their Christmas did not start
until they had heard the Carol Concert sung by the Cantorum Choir.

Saturday 15th October 2005
Fauré's Requiem and Rutter's Requiem
Cantorum Choir had a great turn out for their concert at All Saints Church, Marlow. The two requiems were performed in front of an appreciative audience in a packed church. The reaction and feedback from members of the audience was excellent. Some of the choir's  regular audience members considered that it was the 'best ever concert by Cantorum, and others considered that it was "a most moving concert' and were "most impressed with the quality of the Choir and Orchestra". The retiring collection in aid of the Pakistan Earthquake came to £760.

Sunday 1^st May 2005

Cantorum Choir sang Haydn’s Creation at Holy Trinity Church, Cookham, for the Cookham Festival Gala Concert. The church was packed for this final event of the Festival and everybody enjoyed the concert very much.

Sunday 13th February 2005

VALENTINES SUMPTUOUS SUPPER AND SONGS

£500 was raised for the Tsunami Relief Fund for Schools in Galle Sri Lanka

Everyone who attended agreed that they had had an excellent evening of entertainment and good food at the Valentines Sumptuous Supper and Songs held at the Liston Hall, Marlow on Sunday 13^th February. Sally Stafford conducted Cantorum and Gordon Collins accompanied the choir and the soloists on the piano.

The hall was decorated with hearts and balloons and the round tables with candles and flowers.  Robert Howes, the Master of Ceremonies introduced the choir who started the evening with a number from Cabaret, “Come to the Cabaret”. The following solos, duets and trios demonstrated the range and capabilities of this talented choir The first soloist was Genevieve Usher who gave a very polished performance of The Laughing Song from Die Fledermaus. Also in the first half was “Stardust” sung by Richard Ratcliff, “The Clouds began to Scatter” sung in Russian by Tamara Migrina and an original and highly amusing version of “Three Little Maids from School” which included a part for a tenor!

In the interval the audience were treated to sumptuous supper prepared by Catherine Arnold, a professional caterer (contact Catherine Arnold Catering on 01628 671399) who is also a choir member.

During the interval there was a raffle that raised £500 for Reverend 'Lokki' Abhayaratne Anglican Archdeacon of Galle, Tsunami Sri Lanka Relief Fund for Schools in Galle, Sri Lanka. This donation has already been put directly into the fund’s bank account in Galle. All projects and purchases are being dealt with directly by Loki and none of the money is used for administrative costs. If you would like to contribute to this excellent charity contact Rick Terry, whose daughter-in-law’s mother is Lokki’s cousin, on 01628 521400.

After the meal Malcolm and Marianne Stork opened the second half of the concert with an amusing rendition of the “Jogging song” from Fascinating Aida which was followed by the choir singing the lively and rhythmical song “in the Mood” by Joe Garland, a Glenn Miller favourite.  Seven beautifully sung items followed including “Can’t help lovin’ Dat man” by Gershwin sung by Val Snapes, “Come into the Garden Maud” sung by Derek Beaven and a selection of Barber Shop songs.

See the Picture Gallery for photographs of the evening and the singers.

12th December 2004

St John the Baptist Church, Cookham Dean was packed for both the Cantorum Concerts of Christmas Music on Sunday 12th December at 3pm and 8pm.

Around £500 was raised from the collections at the end of the concerts. This has been shared between two charities, Thames Valley Adventure Playground www.tvap.net and Daisy’s Dream – a Twyford based charity supporting bereaved children www.daisysdream.org.uk 

Saturday 12^th November 2004  

Cantorum Trip to Paris

In October 2003 The Ensemble Vocal de Neuilly, a French choir from the town of Neuilly near Paris, came over to Cookham to sing a joint concert with the Cantorum Choir at Norden Farm Arts Centre in Maidenhead.

Cantorum Choir made a return trip to France to sing a concert with the French choir on Saturday 12^th November. The programme included a performance of Tippett's Negro Spirituals by the Cantorum Choir. 

Saturday 3rd July 2004

The Cantorum Choir’s concert of music for a Summer Evening on Saturday 3rd July at Holy Trinity Church, Cookham was very well attended. In the first half the choir sang Leonard Bernstein's dramatic Chichester Psalms, in which Matthew Perry, a chorister from Cookham Dean Church, sang the treble solo. Then Hugh Miall, a very talented young singer, entranced the audience with three George Gershwin songs and ended by singing  “A Nightingale sang in Berkeley Square” which encapsulated the mood of the summer evening. During the interval many members of the audience enjoyed their glass of wine outside the church before returning to listen to the choir give a moving and heart-felt performance of Tippett's Negro Spirituals. The evening ended with a joyous performance of that rarely performed work, Constant Lambert's Rio Grande.

Sunday December 14 2003

The Cantorum Choir gave a special Christmas event on Sunday, December 14, 2003 at John the Baptist Church, Cookham Dean.

The choir sang a mixture of modern and traditional carols including ones for everybody. Britten's beautiful "Ceremony of Carols" for voices and harp

The choir also sang an amusing version of "The Twelve days of Christmas", with a witty narration read by Marianne Stork.

Proceeds went to Helen House and the Day Centre in Cookham, Elizabeth House.