VACC delight at Autumn Concert
The beautiful nave of St Dunstan's Church in Cranbrook was host to a fabulous concert by Vox Anima Chamber Choir and their conductor Friends of the Vox Artistic Advisor, James Meaders - start their 2023-2024 season off with a bang.
The chamber choir began the evening with an inspiring performance of 'The Girl From Aleppo,' composer by the choir's illustrious patron, Cecilia McDowall. With each of the piece's five movements, Nujeen Mustafa's extraordinary journey from her war-torn homeland unfurled before the audience, a topic which is so poignant given all that is going on in the world. A huge thank you to our fellow musicians, Richard Hammond-Hall on the piano and by Floriane Peycelon on the violin, who made this performance even more special.
The choir then transported the audience to the majestic beauty of the Nordic landscape with Ola Gjeilo's "Northern Lights." This was followed by Bob Chilcott's "Song of the Stars", a setting of a Native American text, featuring rhythmic ostinatos, imitative effects, and rich harmonies.
The next set turned inward, looking towards our own individual challenges and struggles, and how love can be an antidote for us all. The choir sung "Being Me" by Joanna Gill (composed exclusively for their groundbreaking concert alongside Concentus earlier this year) and was followed by Elaine Hagenberg's evocative "O Love."
The fourth set continued on the theme of love, with a trio of pieces: Jocelyn Hagen's triumphant "Joy" pulsated with an infectious energy; Karen Marolli's haunting masterpiece "O Pulse of my Heart" ensnared hearts with its bittersweet lyrics; and last but not least, Kevin Padworski's breathtaking "Composition of a Kiss".
The time had finally come for the last set of the evening, and in a departure from their usual repertoire, the choir embarked on a voyage through a selection of Benjamin Britten's, 'A Ceremony of Carols.'
A huge thank you to all those who joined us in the audience! If you weren’t able to join us, Vox Anima Chamber Choir have uploaded a selection of the repertoire to their YouTube channel - and we have included a few videos below.
We hope to see you at Vox Anima Chamber Choir’s next concert on Saturday 16 December at 5.30pm in West Malling Church.