Review of recent concerts

Oh Happy Day... Reigate and Redhill Choral Society and friends make Whoopi

I make no excuses for the pun, as we really did make whoopee at our gospel workshop on 16 March. Anyone who has seen Sister Act 2 will have experienced the sheer joy, as Whoopi Goldberg performed the classic gospel song, written by Edwin Hawkins in 1968. It was not until I took part in the workshop run by legendary gospel singer Karen Gibson, that I fully appreciated just how much fun it was to join in singing with fifty like minded and (at the beginning of the workshop) equally clueless apprentice gospel singers.

The workshop had been arranged by the Redhill and Reigate Choral Society (RRCS) as part of the on going educational and development work pioneered by music director Peter Farrant. In the past we have experimented with all manner of less well-known choral works. Singing gospel was quite a departure from our normal repertoire, but under the expert tuition of Karen and her brilliant keyboard player Jason we were soon experiencing the delights of gospel singing.

The workshop was held at Warwick School, Redhill. Six hours of entertainment, learning and music making - some given, but most received. There were many faces new to the core singers of the RRCS - including a small band of enthusiastic children. All were warmly welcomed by Karen and Jason, who so brilliantly improvised on the keyboard throughout the afternoon. Improvisation is an essential skill in Gospel, as Karen pressed home how the music can alter and repeat at any point. In some ways our weekly rehearsals in RRCS have the same effect as we repeat a section needing work, many times over! However, the element of improvisation introduced by the leader meant that we had to pay extra attention during performance in order to follow the instructions, many of them given in song by Karen!

Some things transcend musical genealogy. I was surprised to learn that warm-ups, insisted on by Peter as part of our weekly routines were the same as Karen made us do as a prelude to our gospel singing.

Then the frightening revelation that there were no musical scores to hide behind! Karen took us through four different gospel works breaking down each line and getting us to repeat it until we had mastered tune, rhythm and emphasis, in unison or harmony. Eye contact with the conductor is essential and with no music to distract us there was no excuse for missing instructions.

We started with a straightforward piece and worked our way up to 'Oh Happy Day' - the tune known to most. What was most exciting was the adlibbing of six brave volunteers, all with such different voices and great to hear. Throughout our rehearsal Karen cajoled us, gently admonished us and with great humour and patience managed to get us moving in the same direction.

Our rehearsal ended and our performance began. First we sang three Spiritual - rather than Gospel - pieces learned by the choral society. All great songs in their own right and all very different. My favourite and the one most enjoyed by my family was "Goin' up a Yonder" which Karen also sang to our audience in her Pentecostal Gospel version. Another great sound but an entirely different effect.

During the hour-long performance my eight-year-old son Thomas, not known for being demonstrative in public, was seen to clap in time with the music and sway from side to side as we sang. Afterwards he said, "Mum - it was really jolly especially that Happy Day!" His sentiment summed up the whole event for me too, all thanks to our amazing conductor Karen, to the event organisers, cake makers, and to Peter who had the idea in the first place!

Review by Laura Ient, one of the society's second altos

For further information: call 01737 772811 or email info@rrcs.org.uk
	Reigate & Redhill Choral Society is affiliated to Making Music: The National Federation of Music Societies and gratefully acknowledges support received from the Borough of Reigate & Banstead Arts Council. Registered Charity No 280195

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