During the enforced absence from concerts due to the pandemic much has changed for the choir and there were a number of ‘firsts’ at Tabernacle. A new leadership team of Musical Director Juliet Rossiter and Accompanist Carole Rees directed operations and there was a debut as MC for First Tenor Matthew John.
Also making their debuts were two recruits since the choir re-started rehearsing last autumn -First Bass Rob
Mathias and First Tenor Peter Halifax.
Peter also took a solo spot, his variation on ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, accompanying himself on guitar, and he accompanied regular soloist Ron Rees who sang ‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen.
There were two solo spots by Alyson Griffiths on flute – Easter themed pieces ‘Come and See’ and ‘I Walked In The Garden’, and the ever special ‘Panis Angelicus’.
MD Juliet was very pleased with this first staging after such a long lay-off: “We had some nice compliments on our programme. Choristers have worked well and hard over recent months and this was a good start. We have several more concerts booked for this year and are very much looking forward to these.”
The choir was welcomed and thanked on behalf of the Tabernacle community by The Rev Stella Hayton and the ladies of the chapel provided excellent refreshments afterwards. Thanks to them were expressed by choir chairman John Hillier.