Worthing Choral Society offers Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana

Worthing Choral Society brings Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana to Worthing Assembly Hall on Saturday, November 13.
Jake BarlowJake Barlow
Jake Barlow

Conductor Aedan Kerney said: “Worthing Choral Society has wanted to perform Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana for many years but the planned performance in March 2020 had to be cancelled because of the pandemic. However, after 20 months delay the choral epic will now be performed in full.

“It is an iconic celebration in music of the beauty, power, joy and fragility of life. Poems about Fortune, Spring, the Countryside, the Tavern, and the World of Love were written by travelling and worldly-wise monks working in Bavaria in medieval times and these were set to music some 80 years ago by Carl Orff. The result is a work which promises smiles, foot-tapping and a few tears, a must for every heart deprived of live choral music over the past 20 months.

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“The singers of Worthing Choral Society will perform with the 50-strong instrumentalists of the Sinfonia of Arun (leader Robin Morrish) and the popular Choir of Sompting Village Primary School.

“The Choral Society is also delighted to have three nationally recognised soloists performing with them: soprano Alison Pearce, president of the choir, has performed many prima donna roles with the English National Opera and the Royal Opera Covent Garden; baritone James Cleverton has performed solo roles with the Royal Opera Covent Garden and in other prestigious venues; countertenor Jake Barlow, the choir’s first associate conductor, now returns from Cheshire to sing at the Assembly Hall.”

Aedan added: “The music of the first half, conducted by Sam Barton, is gentle, imaginative and sensitive, reflecting the new normal world we live in.

“There are two choral pieces by Lili Boulanger, a young composer who died at the tragically young age of 24 in 1918.

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“The Sinfonia of Arun is also performing two works in celebration of the life of Alan Newnham, one of the orchestra’s founding players and principal horn for 21 years.

“Sadly, Alan died last year after a long illness but the orchestra is remembering the vitality and inspiration of his horn-playing with Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante defunte and For Alan, a work composed especially by Rob Hinchliffe, the orchestra’s principal oboist.”

Inevitably, the concert comes at a time when choirs everywhere are trying to rebuild and reconnect.

Aedan added: “The pandemic has been devastating for choirs around the world.

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“Worthing Choral Society felt this loss of live singing deeply but kept connected through regular zoom rehearsal sessions, making a composite video of the Easter carol This joyful Eastertide with more than 750 views and in July recorded and filmed my Song of the Seasons as some face-to-face rehearsals became possible once again.

“As we began full live rehearsals once more we performed Faure’s Requiem early in October, raising more than £1,000 for the NHS and are just so excited about being able to perform the great Carmina Burana live in the Assembly Hall.”

The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets at £15 and £12 are available from Worthing Theatres box office on 01903 206206 or www.worthingtheatres.co.uk.