With the festive season now well underway, one of the county’s oldest and most popular choirs are preparing for a busy schedule.

The Gloucester Choral Society (GCS) have two events coming up in December and are also preparing for what is set to be a landmark anniversary year in 2020.

The group, which performs at Gloucester Cathedral, is made up of around 150 amateur singers.

“There are people of all different ages and backgrounds involved,” said Hamish Charters, marketing manager and member of the Choral Society.

“Some of us have previously sung in cathedral choirs here and elsewhere, but we all just have a love for singing.

“Performing at the cathedral can be hard work because of its incredible acoustics, but the result is always a brilliant, beautiful sound.”

GCS was originally formed in 1845 and will be celebrating 175 years with a special concert in May of next year.

“We’re going to be joined by the British Sinfonietta to celebrate composers with links to Gloucester Cathedral,” explained Hamish, who lives in Dursley.

“We’ll also be performing with Emma Johnson, MBE, an internationally acclaimed clarinet soloist and one of Britain’s best-selling classical musicians. It’s going to be an anniversary present for our audience, and us as members.”

The concert will feature music by Gloucestershire composers Ivor Gurney, who was a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral, Herbert Howells, a former organist of the cathedral and
Gerald Finzi.

But before they even begin to think about rehearsing for that performance, the society has two events in the near future which will require their full attention.

On Saturday 7th December they will be performing Handel’s ‘Messiah’, and Hamish says the concert is always a popular one.

“We perform this most years and it’s often a sell out,” he continued.

“It’s a really nice way to bring in Christmas and it coincides with advent.”

Following this performance the choir will be holding their annual ‘Carols for All’ on Boxing Day.

“We do this concert in aid of a charity every year,” said Hamish.

“It’s always good fun, we do traditional and more light-hearted carols and the audience is encouraged to sing. We’ll also be singing the BBC Carol Competition 2018 winner, which was composed by one of our basses, John Merrick.

“Everyone wears Christmas jumpers, reindeer ears, that kind of thing. It’s always very popular so you have to get there early even with a Christmas hangover!”

For more information on the Gloucester Choral Society, visit www.gloucesterchoral.com