City choir’s concerts raise vital funds for local causes

From Good King Wenceslas to the Queen of Sheba,  Exeter Philharmonic Choir’s two Christmas carol concerts raised almost £6,600 to support the work of Exeter Leukaemia Fund, and now the choir is hoping its next concert on Saturday, 14 March, Solomon, will raise an impressive amount for the Lord Mayor’s chosen local charity, the Exeter group of Riding for the Disabled.

Exeter Philharmonic Choir is proud to have the Lord Mayor of Exeter as its Honorary President, and the choir’s spring performance is always billed as ‘The Lord Mayor’s Concert’. This year, the choir and four soloists will sing Handel's majestic oratorio Solomon, a work not thought to have been performed in Exeter Cathedral since its composition in 1748.

High drama, rich orchestration and some of Handel’s most exquisite choral writing combine in this rarely performed masterpiece, including the sparkling ‘Arrival of the Queen of Sheba’, one of the most recognisable compositions in the Baroque repertoire. 

Exeter Philharmonic Choir is looking forward to welcoming Martha McLorinan as the wise King Solomon; Amy Carson, who will double as his Queen and the Queen of Sheba; Hugo Hymas as Zadok the Priest; and Timothy Dickinson as the Levite. The rich sound of Endelienta Baroque will add another layer in the glorious acoustics of Exeter Cathedral. 

It promises to be a memorable event in the city’s musical calendar this year, and the choir hopes the audience will be as generous as carol lovers were in December.

EPC’s Director of Music, Howard Ionascu, says, “The choir would like to say a very big 'Thank you' to everyone who came to our carol concerts in December. We would also like to thank you for your incredibly generous donations to Exeter Leukaemia Fund. You helped us raise an amazing £6,599 to help support all the fantastic work they do!”

He adds, “We are now well into rehearsals for our Solomon concert on 14 March, which will be a very special night. We hope you can join us for this Baroque masterpiece, so rarely performed in its entirety.”

To book your tickets, visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/exeterphilchoir