Christmas is coming and, as ever, this is our busiest time of the year. From concert halls to railway stations, shopping centres, churches and street corners people will be singing their hearts out, and we’re no exception. We’re busy getting ready to perform two Christmas Classic Concerts at the Royal Festival Hall this month and to sing on Waterloo station concourse for our favourite live fundraiser with the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s brass section and friends. So if you love the Christmas season and you’ve always wanted to sing with the London Philharmonic Choir, and Orchestra, now’s your chance!
The first opportunity will be on Thursday 12th December from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at Waterloo Station where we provide an uplifting Christmas serenade to both commuters and all who love to listen to carols and brilliant brass playing outside of the concert hall. This is a special and spirited beginning to our Christmas calendar where warm hats and Christmas jumpers will be much in evidence. We’d love you to pop along and listen or join in, and children are also very welcome.
This popular event, centred somewhere close to the Christmas tree, is directed by the LPO’s enthusiastic principal trombonist Mark Templeton who, as usual, will be wearing his colourful Christmas suit and cheerfully clashing cymbals at key moments. Mark is also a professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he studied trombone and won the Brass prize in 1996.
“I’ve been busking during the Advent season since I was a teenager; lots of brass players busk around this time and I love it, it’s quite nostalgic for me. I also find it evocative, conjuring up a sense of a traditional Dickensian Christmas. As a teenager I busked with my mates in Bridgenorth to pay for Christmas presents and a few beers. Today, together with the LPO brass and friends, and the LPC, we raise money for Save the Children. It’s often said that Christmas is really about children so we fundraise to help children who don’t have a happy family Christmas. If you can’t come and join in you can still support us, and them, here.“
If being a bit warmer indoors is your preference then you have two more chances to sing along with us in the Royal Festival Hall where we are joined by London Youth Choirs and the LPO, conducted by Michael England, on Saturday 14th of December. These concerts include classic Christmas songs and music, carols and seasonal readings, all of which will be presented by the fabulous award winning saxophonist, broadcaster, composer and author YolanDa Brown OBE DL. YolanDa has been super supportive to the Choir, something we’re really grateful for – thank you YolanDa.
Tess Bartley, our hardworking chair and LPC soprano, especially loves this season:
“Advent is my favourite time of year – I pack the weeks leading up to Christmas with as many carol singing events as I can and have been doing that since I was 8 years old in my church choir. There have been years where I’ve literally sung carols every day and nothing makes me happier. Although for many of us Christmas is a happy time there are always people for whom Christmas is really difficult, especially those living with homelessness. So, alongside our patron Princess Alexandra (whose birthday is on Christmas Day) we support Crisis and have raised money for them throughout the years through a carol we commissioned called “Ring the Bells“, written by LPC member Paul Fincham. Crisis also have a great Christmas fundraiser which brings homeless people in to a warm and friendly environment for Christmas lunch, activities and small gifts. In the true spirit of Christmas giving, we’d love you to consider supporting them too, thank you.“
And finally, before all the caroling begins, you can join us with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Wednesday 11th December at the Royal Festival Hall for a concert of beautiful baroque choral and orchestral music. Featuring the magnificent Gloria by Vivaldi, this concert also includes some of Handel’s most exquisite pieces and Bach’s glorious Concerto in D minor for 2 violins. Unusually this concert will be conducted by our very own Chorus Master, Neville Creed, who is really looking forward to directing us in this uplifting and joyful programme:
“This concert is a fantastic moment to relax before the Christmas onslaught – the Choir is on terrific form and it’s going to be a real treat. I’m thoroughly looking forward to conducting them in this programme of Baroque highlights. There’s some delightful and well known pieces including Zadok the Priest, and Handel’s Firework Music. It’s wonderful for me to be conducting the Choir on this occasion rather than just preparing them as their chorus director. I can’t wait to stand on the concert platform and enjoy conducting the fantastic performances of the RPO and the LPC – it should be a great occasion so don’t miss it!”
We’d love to see you at any or all of our December events and in the meantime, from all of us here at the LPC, we wish you a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful, prosperous and happy New Year.
Come and hear us
Wednesday 11th December 2024
7.30pm, Royal Festival Hall
Neville Creed conductor
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Choir
Handel Arrival of the Queen of Sheba from Solomon; Zadok the Priest (Coronation Anthem No.1); Selection from Water Music Suites; The King shall rejoice (Coronation Anthem No.3)
Bach Concerto in D minor for 2 violins, BWV.1043
Vivaldi Gloria
Saturday 14th December 2024
3pm and 7.30pm, Royal Festival Hall
Michael England conductor
Vanessa Haynes singer
YolanDa Brown presenter
London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Choir
A selection of traditional carols alongside popular contemporary Christmas favourites.
