The Magic of Christmas
St John Singers, St Thomas’s Church, Salisbury, 20th December
The tradition of a St John Singers Christmas concert continued in its 27th year with a very enjoyable evening of festive music, in support of SSAFA, the charity supporting personnel and families of the armed forces.
While the programme contained many favourite carols there was variety in the inclusion of less familiar pieces, such as Chris Fay’s beautiful setting of Christina Rossetti’s poem Love Came Down at Christmas, and Katie Salomon delighted the large audience with six seasonal solo pieces for harp, some of them in her own arrangements.
The St John Singers were in fine form, with the soprano line particularly clear and expressive. The Singers were clearly relishing the debut of their new conductor, Steven Abbott, who also provided some amusing and thoughtful commentary. When not a cappella the choir were accompanied on organ and piano by David Coram who showed much playful inventiveness, especially in The Twelve Days of Christmas. This was one of four carols engaging audience participation which, along with wine and mince pies during the interval and a generously stocked raffle, ensured that all attending were thoroughly involved in the Christmas magic.
John Cox
AFTERNOTE: The event raised more than £2200 for SSAFA