Fanfare for Christmas as Kendal choir and concert band get together (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Fanfare for Christmas as Kendal choir and concert band get together

3:40pm Wednesday 26th November 2008 in Search By Adrian Mullen, Arts correspondent

KENDAL Choral Society and Kendal Concert Band are getting together for an inspiring flourish of seasonal music.

Both the choir and the brass band are well known for the entertainment that they have been providing for many years in and around Kendal.

What is perhaps surprising is that the two groups have never previously, in known memory, joined musical forces for a concert.

Founded in 1871, Kendal Choral has been singing for over 107 years.

Kendal Concert Band is rather younger, at 43 years, having been formed only in 1964.

With 150 joint years of music making to celebrate, a Fanfare for Christmas staged on Friday, December 5 (7.30pm) at Kendal Town Hall, should provide a great start to the build up to Christmas.

Kendal Concert Band has strong links with Rinteln, Kendal’s German twin town having played in joint music making events both here and in Germany.

The Kendal choristers have also been ambassadors for the region generating a successful musical relationship with Toutes Aures, a French choir, from Voiron near Grenoble. Like the band, playing concerts here and across the English Channel.

Recently, the choir has also combined with Colne Linden Singers in the same way.

And so to next week’s concert, which will see the singers and instrumentalists perform together on the Kendal Town Hall stage and in their respective ensembles.

Additionally, there will be carols for the audience to join in.

Kendal Choral conductor Alan Gardner is including items in its programme from A Gospel Christmas as well as a variety of carols arranged by Malcolm Sargent.

Meanwhile, his concert band counterpart Jim Quincey, will combine such classics as Troika by Prokofiev and Winter Largo, from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with other items based on well known carols.

Tickets for the concert are £6 for adults (concessions £5) and children (16 years and under) will be admitted free of charge. They are available from choir and band members, at the door or by calling 015394-31025.

Both groups welcome new members with details from their websites or by calling the 01539-730702 for the choir and 01539- 722088 for the band.

Kendal choral meets on Thursday evenings at the town’s Kirkland Hall and the band get together on Monday nights at the Community Music Centre at Kendal’s Queen Katherine School.