AYLESBURY Choral Society's first concert of the season, a performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah on Saturday December 11 at St Mary's Church, was not only a tremendously enjoyable evening of music but also marked the debut with the Society of conductor Peter Leech and a visit by a pair of concert-hopping Norwegians.

Previous conductor James Burton was a hard act to follow, but Aylesbury Choral Society has made a good choice with Peter Leech.

Peter also conducts several other choirs as well as maintaining a busy schedule as a freelance keyboard player, singer, writer and musicologist. He took the work at a cracking speed, giving clear direction to both choir and orchestra, here the Chameleon Arts Orchestra, and put so much into it that he could have done with a good wringing out by the end!

Joining the Society were two charming guest singers, Jan Řivind Jensen and Eilif Odde from Kristiansund, Norway. The pair had already sung in Elijah twice this autumn, and, being enthusiastic choristers as well as having a keen sense of adventure, they decided to make it a hat-trick and checked the internet for a third performance that they could join in with.

Being journalists by profession, a little creative thinking had led them to consider the possibility of singing the work in another country and writing a couple of articles about their experiences.

In fact they have since appeared on national television in Norway: as Jan says, "Our trip to Aylesbury is now known all over the country".

Jan is now considering concert-hopping even farther afield, perhaps to Australia!

Mendelssohn's Elijah is one of the best-loved works in the choral repertoire and it is easy to see why. It is a powerful work that tells the story of the charismatic Old Testament prophet Elijah, who battles the prophets of Baal, performs miracles and eventually rides to heaven in a fiery chariot.

The soloists were Samantha Binnie, soprano, Anna Boucher, mezzo soprano, Simon Curtis, tenor, and as the prophet himself Colin Campbell, bass. All four were on excellent form and their experience in opera was particularly appropriate for this most theatrical of oratorios.

Most of the praise though must go to the choir who entered into the spirit of the piece, playing famine-stricken Israelites, Priests of Baal and Angels, each with their own distinctive voices. They sang with verve, and not inconsiderable volume, and were clearly thoroughly enjoying themselves, as indeed did the audience who filled St Mary's.

Aylesbury Choral Society's next concerts are a Charity Concert in St. Mary's on Saturday March 19, and Verdi's Requiem in the Chapel of Stowe School on Saturday May 7. Rehearsals start on Tuesday January 4, at the Aylesbury Methodist Church from 7pm.

Anyone wanting to join is invited to contact the Society's Membership Secretary on 01296 487088, or email info@aylesburychoral.org.uk.

Joss O'Kelly

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