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 by Anne Inglis (regular contributor to 'The Guardian' newspaper)
Hereford Cathedral School threw open its doors to welcome parents and children from other schools in a convincing and elegant performance of Haydn's 'Nelson' Mass under the Cathedral School Director of Music David Evans. Such professionalism was helped to a great extent by the line-up of soloists. Soprano Lucy Bowen made light of the challenges of the soprano line, Counter-Tenor Pat Dunachie, still at school in the Cathedral School’s sixth form, but now freelancing with such groups as The Sixteen, providing a lovely legato line. Rauiri Bowen, a choral scholar at King's College, Cambridge, and the fine young bass Greg Swinford - comfortable with the lower and upper parts of his range - blended together easily and successfully.
A secure core of sound was provided by the Hereford Cathedral School Chamber Choir, who were joined by the large forces of the school's Chapel Choir, Junior Choirs, Junior School Choir, parents and teachers, and choirs from St Richard's School, Bredenbury, and St Paul's in Hereford (both trained throughout the term by David Evans) and the Hereford Junior Singing Club who sang selected parts of the score. The result was according to one parent, akin to 'driving a Ferrari'. Evans chose tempi that would work in the boom of the Cathedral - skipping along too fast will never work in this bathroom acoustic - but at no time did the music drag, and the slower parts of the Mass, such as the Sanctus and Agnus Dei, kept moving.
The small orchestra, a professional group, played with lightness and elegance, helping the cause of this large choir. For the first part of the concert it was the Cathedral School’s symphony orchestra who accompanied the young Hereford Cathedral School violinist Hannah Roper in Vaughan Williams's 'Lark Ascending' – a gloriously agile sound indicating exceptional technique and musicianship from this young player. The third item in the programme was The Mastersingers Overture, played with great aplomb and assurance.
If this is Outreach work, then more please.
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