East Midlands Region

Glebe Singers perform

Secrets, Stars and Seas by Jonathan Girling

An audience of around 130 people gathered at Langtoft Parish Church, Lincolnshire on Saturday, 27th November,  to hear the première of composer Jonathan Girling’s ‘Secrets, Stars and Sea’.  The work was written  especially for  the Glebe  Singers as part of the Making Music Adopt-a-Composer scheme, in conjunction with the PRS Foundation and SPNM.

Secrets, Stars and Seas, which comprises short, diverse pieces, is based on the poetry of Emily Dickinson, a nineteenth-century American poet. Jonathan Girling incorporated a number of choral styles into the work, which reflected various emotions, frames of mind, and the beauty of the earth. Two of the pieces which were included were spoken, and one of them, ‘The Haunting’ in which the choir spoke at different speeds and volume, with appropriate ‘sound effects’ was especially effective.

Speaking of the concert Jonathan Girling commented: “The concert was a celebration of some great music from stage and concert hall alongside the première of ‘Secrets, Stars and Seas’. The Glebe Singers should be congratulated for having the courage to tackle contemporary music. Their performance, under the vibrant leadership of their conductor, Sara Woolhouse, was outstanding. Their understanding of the essence of the music they were singing (or speaking) and the wonderful round and colourful sound with which they filled the church was a delight to listen to”.

Sara Woolhouse, the Musical Director said: ‘We are very pleased to have worked with Jonathan on this project, and feel we have learned a good deal from the pieces in Secrets, Stars and Seas. It has been exciting to sing music which has never been performed before, and as a choir we have greatly benefited from taking part in this project.’