Our recent joint concert with Southwest Baroque Orchestra conducted by guest director, Andrea Brown was a one of our most successful performances ever. St James' Church was filled with an audience of over 130 to hear a feast of vocal and instrumental Baroque music. Audience members commented on how much they appreciated seeing the two groups perform together and hearing such unique instruments including a viola da gamba and two theorbos!

The concert started with two sublime motets by Monteverdi sung by the choir with a delicate accompaniment by Linda Sayce on theorbo. These were followed by two of Handel's German arias beautifully sung by Catherine Bass and accompanied in great style by Michael Williamson on baroque violin, Jacqui Robertson-Wade on viola da gamba and Clare Griffel playing a fine double-manual Rucker's Harpsichord. The first half finished with a rarely heard Concerto for Viola da Gamba in D by Telemann, played with great aplomb by Jacqui with the string players standing around her in the "baroque style".


The highlight of the evening was Handel's Dixit Dominus. This work is rarely performed, not least because the demands that Handel makes on the choir are extremely testing and seldom equalled in his later works.   The unremitting energy and dramatic intensity presented both the singers and orchestra with considerable challenges to which they rose with skill and gusto. The exciting chorus movements were interspersed with meditative solo arias sung admirably by members of the choir, culminating in the dramatic final chorus Gloria Patri which left the audience with a real sense of excitement and buzz after the final chord.


Some comments from the audience:

'I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed last nights concert.  I thought it was just fabulous!  Well done everyone. I was buzzing when I got back as if I’d been singing too.' 

"Good choice of music with period instruments. Lovely setting. Well directed. Lots of enthusiam and passion in the performance."

“Wonderful, fantastic!”

“...must have been wonderful to sing."

"'Warmest congratulations and thanks for a wonderful concert at St James’s last night. Collegium are a fine choir and you should feel extremely proud of all the members. (KC)"

'Super concert.'