Palm Sunday evening was well spent in the presence of the Diocesan Festival Choir for what they dubbed ‘Hosanna to Hallelujah’.

Under the baton of conductor Audley Davidson, choir and chamber orchestra thrilled those gathered inside St Augustine’s Chapel on the North Street campus of Kingston College.

The late afternoon programme opened with Hosanna to the Son of David by Arthur Hastings. The full sound of the near-20 ensemble enveloped the space with its grandness as the ears were treated to the blend of the four-part harmony unaccompanied by instruments. The piece was fresh and announced the liturgical season.

As the group then took up position at the front of the chapel, regulars would realise the unveiling of new blue uniforms for the choir adding to the sights.

The next sound was the well-known melody of J S Bach’s All glory, laud and honour. Here the audience saw a conductor having the rapt attention of his choir in almost military fashion. The achieved balance and shading of sounds were commendable.

See the conquering hero comes, from Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus, followed. The not-often-heard piece featured a elevated tonal quality, especially in the ladies’ passages.

The modern arrangement of Fred Bock’s How majestic is your name featured a pleasurable change of tone from the group accented by an obbligato from guest soprano Lori Burnett. The audience was appreciative with its applause.

The afternoon’s only solo item came from Jourdain Masters, I walked today where Jesus walked, scored by Geoffrey O’Hara. The text and vocal interpretation told the story to Calvary.

The familiar Jesu, grant me this I pray was well presented, save for a brief stanza when the melody got lost in the blend and a few tentative entries.

The choir would more than make up for this slight in Calvary (arranged by Paul Bliss) and
See what love (Mendelssohn, St Paul). Here, the display of the full choir in harmony with the handover in melody lines and blend between voice parts was a masterclass.

The first half ended with Lift up the lamb arranged by American musical artiste David Clydesdale. The attendees were taken from staccato to legato interpretations of the well-known Ode to Joy tune. The orchestra was in full support of the voices, and the audience could not wait to unleash its cheer.

The second half opened with community singing of Michael Burkhardt’s Lift high the cross, with trumpet solo to boot.

The choir then retook centre stage with an a cappella number, as they did in the first half — this time offering the spiritual Walk together children, arranged by William H Smith. Even with the introduction of choreography for the first time in the programme, the choristers remained on pitch and in fine form.

Accompaniment returned with Bob Chilcott’s God so loved the world. Of note, the organ and piano stools were shared by Alex Gray and Stephen Shaw-Naar. The other musicians: Okiel McIntyre and Shanneil Christian (trumpet); Avory Crooks and Travis Wedderburn (trombone); Delroy Franklin (timpani).

For this reviewer, the awe-inspiring piece of the programme was When thou comest (Inflammatus et accensus) from Rossini’s Stabat Mater.

Here the choir’s ability to admirably present serious music was on show. Burnett again starred with a choir that understood the assignment, as is said these days.

The afterglow would carry over in the final two pieces for the concert — When I survey the wondrous cross (Gilbert Martin) and Hallelujah from Christ on the Mount of Olives (Beethoven).

Bishop of Kingston Garth Minott, in his opening prayer and remarks, indicated that the choir was started in 1924. The quality of the Palm Sunday presentation tells why the choir boasts a tradition of musical excellence. Sacred music demands attention to detail and quality and the attendees feasted on much at the start of Holy Week.

— MAT

Soprano Lori Burnett leads the Diocesan Festival Choir in When thou comest (Inflammatus et accensus) from Rossini’s Stabat Mater.(Photo: Naphtali Junior)

The choir gives a masterclass. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

The chamber orchestra offers strong support. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)