Waverley Singers

John Cotterill's farewell

"A Sea Symphony" by Vaughan Williams is the major work in the joint concert by the Waverley Singers and the RAE Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of John Cotterill, on Saturday, April 11, at the Princes Hall, Aldershot. The soloists will be Sally Le Sage and John Barrow.

Choir and orchestra are both fully committed throughout this magnificent and demanding work, and the soloists provide a reflective and often very emotive commentary, evoking the oceans in all their moods, and their interaction with the lives of sailors and all mankind.

The soloists are of high international standing, whether in opera, oratorio, or recitals; but to the Waverleys and their audiences, they have also become good and trusted friends. The choir look forward to seeing again John Barrow's commanding 6'3" stature and hearing that easy flexibility of voice, which made him equally in demand for "Friday night is music night" and, say, the Bach B minor Mass.

Sally Le Sage's beauty of voice and sense of atmosphere make her also an excellent choice for this occasion.

The concert opens in royal style with Walton's "Coronation Te Deum". The choir then relax while the orchestra metaphorically dons its lace cuffs for Mozart's Symphony No. 40. It is good that John Cotterill has chosen this much-loved symphony, for it is the last which he will direct as regular conductor of this orchestra. His 16 years of careful work have notably raised the standard of performance and earned him much gratitude and affection.

His successor next season will be John Forster, himself a string and keyboard performer as well as conductor. On the teaching staff of the Royal College of Music, he is also involved in the work of the National Centre for Orchestral Studies.

So, for several reasons, a concert not to be missed by music lovers. Tickets from Princess Hall and some local agents.

The article was accompanied by images of John Barrow and Sally Le Sage.