‘A wonderful evening of music’ headlined the reviews in the Hertfordshire Mercury of our last concert. This sentiment has been expressed to me many times in the last few weeks in letters and general conversations with both members and audience alike. It was indeed a privilege for all of us who took part, and a great thank you must go to Julian and Barbara for all their hard work in preparing us for this great work, and I trust that they thought it was a fitting tribute to celebrate their 35 year partnership.

With a capacity audience at both our Christmas and summer concerts, and a gradual increase in membership, our future looks brighter than the economy!

Now to the future. Our coming season will provide further challenges with three contrasting concerts planned. It is most important that we all put in the same commitment and enthusiasm to rehearsals to maintain - and indeed improve - our standards. 

REHEARSALS

We commence our new season on Wednesday 9th September 2009 with our first concert on Saturday 5th December at the Ware Drill Hall.  This will be a performance of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ in aid of the Isabel Hospice (more about this later) and on the 27th March 2010 we will perform David Fanshawe’s ‘African Sanctus’.

It is very important to note that we will be rehearsing for both of these concerts this term.

As usual, our normal rehearsals commence at 7.25 pm, but would you please arrive on the first night from 700pm in order to collect scores (free of charge), hand in your registration card and pay your subscription. 

SUBSCRIPTION

Please see Keith Wilson if you are a taxpayer and have not already signed up for
Gift Aid. 

Although this will remain at £110 and can be paid in its entirety in September, or by equal instalments in September and January,  I am requesting an additional voluntary contribution of £10 to be paid in September.  This will go directly towards our concert for the Isabel Hospice.  I trust that you will feel that this additional sum will represent excellent value for money and will greatly assist in my aim to hand over £10,000 to the Hospice at the end of the year. 

Our international soloists for the concert, Lesley Jane Rogers, Margaret McDonald, Mark Wilde and Michael George together with Crispian Steele-Perkins (trumpet) and Nick Houghton (organ) have all agreed to perform for us at greatly reduced fees.

It is pleasing that several of our members are either Trustees or volunteers for the Isabel Hospice, or have benefited from their services, and it remains my ambition that we are able to support the Hospice in this way, especially as none of us knows when we may be grateful for their care.

 REGISTRATION CARDS.

Please sign the enclosed card where indicated and bring it with you when you sign on. If there are any incorrect details, please amend, sign and return it, even if you are unable to be with us this season, so that our records can be up-dated. 

It should be noted that these records are ONLY for use by Ware Choral Society.

 TEA ROSTER, RAFFLE ‘ BRING AND BUY’

With another challenging season ahead I look forward to meeting you all again, together with some new faces, on the ₉th September.

If you have any queries, do not hesitate to give me a call, preferably after 400pm, on telephone 01279 842850. 

Regards 

Graham Warby
Chairman.