Head's Newsletter 15 September 2017.p2hp

I am delighted that the Tiffin Boys’ Choir was invited to return to the BBC Proms for a second consecutive year, and so, this summer term ended with the choir performing alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers and Slovak Philharmonic Choir in Mussorgsky’s Khovanschina, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 from the Royal Albert Hall (photo below).

Kingston, it was unusual for the choir to be appearing, as live, in two countries simultaneously, also at the Santuaria de la Peregrina in Sahun on their tour of Spain. Other venues included the Palacio Figueroa and San Sebastian Church in Salamanca, as well as the Cathedrals of Salamanca and Burgos. The welcome received by the choir was truly

remarkable. Not only were the seats at each performance ‘sold out’ but, at most venues, not even standing room remained for the audience. Walking to the front of a queue hundreds of metres long, and singing to such packed houses, gave the singers and the performance a

This was, however, not the choir’s only appearance on national radio last term. One week earlier, Classic FM broadcast Tiffin Boys’ Choir’s 60 th Anniversary Concert from All Saints’ Church Kingston. The choir of sixty was formed of more than thirty trebles, alongside recent alumni, including Gareth Johns, baritone soloist in the choir’s performance of Faure’s Requiem. Following their time in the choir, many alumni have achieved highly in the music profession, and Gareth is no exception, performing this year as a soloist with Welsh National Opera. During the broadcast of this concert from

buzz not experienced every day. The secular tour venues gave the choir the opportunity to present a concert of two contrasting halves: the first including Benjamin Britten’s The Golden Vanity, starring choristers Daniel Blaze and Joshua Dennis (captains) with Aditya Deshmuk, Daniel McCarthy and Joe Desmond

(bosun and cabin boys).