Choral Society to perform Bach's St John Passion

Sherborne Schools’ Choral Society will perform its annual concert on Wednesday, 7 February at 7.30pm in the glorious setting of Sherborne Abbey. This year’s chosen work is J. S. Bach’s St John Passion, which the choir has not performed since 1959.

The Choral Society, which currently numbers 80 sopranos and altos from Sherborne Girls, 50 tenors and basses from Sherborne School and 50 adult singers, began weekly rehearsals in September and is now eagerly looking forward to what promises to be a memorable performance.

Alongside a professional orchestra the choir has engaged an outstanding team of six vocal soloists. They are particularly thrilled that the highly demanding part of the Evangelist will be sung by the renowned tenor, James Gilchrist, one of the world’s leading interpreters of the role.

The soprano solos will be sung by Sherborne Old Girl Lucinda Cox, currently enjoying a flourishing career as a member of the Fieri Consort. Contralto soloist Louise Innes makes a welcome return to sing with the choir, having won great acclaim for her performance in Elgar’s The Music Makers in 2015. The tenor arias will be sung by Sherborne-born Kieran White; following studies at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Kieran has been developing a busy career in opera and oratorio throughout the UK and Europe. The all-important part of Jesus will be sung by Monteverdi Choir bass-baritone Edmund Saddington, and the ever-popular Daniel Roddick returns to sing the bass arias.

Tickets for the concert are priced at £15, £12 and £10 and are available from Sherborne School Box Office on 01935 812249 or by emailing [email protected].