With the current coronavirus pandemic preventing the choral society from rehearsing, and with many members being confined to their homes for many of the hours of the day, we thought we would find out what musical activities some of them are up to.......

Val Hirst sings a verse of The Owl and the Pussycat when washing her hands. She points out that there are three verses, so it’s more interesting than Happy Birthday. What songs do you wash your hands to?

Will you be singing the Messiah on 31st May?

Two Royston Choral Society members Sue Pegram and Tessa Rock have signed up with the Self-Isolation Choir for Handel's Messiah at Home concert on 31 May. Sue says “What a great project to be part of, bringing choral singers together for this popular and often sung work. Who knows, I could even become note perfect in this one!” Join here.

Anne Atkins, a writer and broadcaster living in Cambridge, shares a song – He’ll Soon Come to Call Me – that she wrote for her father and mother shortly before he died on 16 March 2020 aged 102. Her son Ben arranged the music and brought together virtually musicians and singers for the performance that the Coronavirus pandemic denied them at David Briggs’ funeral.

A light-hearted look at some songs suitable for our time …

Keep Your Distance - Richard Thompson

Don’t stand so close to me – The Police

I got it from Agnes - Tom Lehrer

At Royston Choral Society we enjoy the benefits of music and singing to our physical and mental health. Less is generally known about particular health benefits for specific groups within society from listening and performing. Some intriguing and accessible research sheds light on this subject. To find out more, click here

Janet Backer from the altos lists and explains her discs to take to a desert island.

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - JS Bach (1723).
When I was a child I used to love listening while my Dad played this on the piano.

In the Summertime - Mungo Jerry.
The first vinyl single I ever bought in 1970!

As we prepare to perform Bach's B Minor Mass, Chris, shares his thoughts on the monumental work....

What do you think about Bach’s B Minor Mass?

Listen to the 1st movement Kyrie Eleison

When asked what they thought of JS Bach in general and his B Minor Mass in particular, fans around the world replied…

Alto, Cathy Smith, shares her earliest musical memories.

What is your earliest memory of music in your life?

Neil Heywood, one our basses and writer of notes for our concert programmes, choses and writes about his desert island discs.

The Royston Choral Society took place just before Christmas in the St James Academy senior school and lived up to its billing as a traditional Christmas concert of carols and seasonal music.

We commenced the concert with the traditional solo of the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City which was followed by the choir and finally with audience members joining in (as best we could).

We were then treated to three pieces by the choir which were sung with hushed tones that gave the the emotion and reverence required to encapsulate the true meaning of the lyrics.