‘Epworth Choir perform Messiah for Handel 250th Anniversary’

Woking’s Epworth Choir opened their 51st Season at Guildford Cathedral on Saturday 25th April, 7.30pm with an international line-up of world class opera soloists and the renowned Brandenburg Sinfonia for a performance of Handel’s most famous oratorio, The Messiah, with its inspiring Hallelujah chorus and equally famous arias including The Trumpet shall Sound. The soloists for this performance were Ruby Hughes, soprano, Christopher Ainslie, countertenor, Christopher Bowen, tenor, and Dawid Kimberg, bass.

This concert was the last that Neil Ferris would be conducting as Music Director of the Epworth Choir. Neil has been no stranger to concert audiences at the cathedral and over the past years has conducted many memorable performances to an ever enthusiastic audience and Messiah was no exception with the audience rising to their feet for the Hallelujah Chorus which ended with those glorious chords soaring away to the West Gallery! The audience joined with the choir in wishing Neil every success in the future.

The Epworth Choir dedicated this performance of Messiah to the memory of Walter Deakin, choir Founder, Past Conductor and Life President who died late last year. This oratorio was one of Walter’s favourite works and the Hallelujah Chorus was sung at his request at his funeral. It was also fitting that the concert supported the Woking Hospice for which both Walter and his wife Joan were huge supporters since its beginning in 1996. The Retiring Collection raised £1390 for this worthy cause.