Hallelujah! A World of Sacred Song, Pakefield Singers and North Suffolk Youth Choir. St Peter and St John church, Kirkley Saturday 7 July 2008

It isn’t often that a concert programme of sacred music includes music from an animation film, faultlessly sung in wonderful harmonies! The ideal venue for a concert of sacred music, the beautiful Lowestoft church of St Peter and St John was packed with the family and friends of choir members, and supporters of South Lowestoft Salvation Army, who benefit from the proceeds of this annual concert.

It was my first time at one of the concerts by the popular Pakefield Singers but no-one present had heard the North Suffolk Youth Choir before as this was their inaugural concert. 

As 45 Pakefield Singers filed onto the curved staging, dressed in their white blouses and shirts, with a bright red tie or neckerchief, the first surprise for me was the number of teenagers in their ranks – and boys too! So many choral societies and choirs seem to struggle to attract younger members.

Beginning the concert with  Buxtehude’s Alleluja, Conductor Vetta Wise led us on a worldwide musical interpretation of “Hallelujah”. Yes, the expected Handel’s Halleluia Chorus from Messiah was there, but so were songs from Africa, America, Holland, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden.

The diction and musicality of the choir was almost faultless, and the young soprano voices soared confidently in the complicated harmonies of the music chosen.

From such a good programme it is hard to choose favourite items but I particularly enjoyed Psalm 23, better known as the theme tune to The Vicar of Dibley (arranged by Howard Goodall), and the traditional African song Ukuthula (arranged by Alexander L’Estrange) which the choir sung in the traditional way of a caller singing a verse, with the choir answering with the refrain. The smiles on the choir members faces showed it was a favourite of theirs too.

Twice in the evening the choir left their places to be replaced by the multi coloured tee-shirt wearing members of the newly formed North Suffolk Youth Choir, twenty five young boys and girls (including seven of the young singers from Pakefield Singers). Conductor Vetta Wise had spent the time in two workshops wisely as their confident singing (and on one occasion, rhythmic clapping and stamping) showed. The programme of six songs, including Santus (Lang: Mass for Many Nations) and Singawahambo Thina, show that the Pakefield Singers and other local choirs can be reassured that there is great talent coming along to help replenish their ranks when needed.

One of the joys of this joint concert was that some of the old choral favourites were supplemented with some really unusual numbers. It must help to have a South African trained conductor but it is the talent and confidence of the singers, and what Vetta gets out of them, that really make it work. Mention must also be made of the accompanist, Alison Evans, who was joined by Stephen Hearn on the piano for a finale with both choirs singing The Sound of Halleluyahs by Reg Meuross, arranged by Dick Houghton and Veta Wise. This was one of the most enjoyable concerts I have ever been to… and good luck to the North Suffolk Youth Choir. 

Rachel Sloane
8th June 2008