Invite to join prestigious choir to raise church rafters in song

There’s a chance to sing alongside the talented chamber choir The Exon Singers when they stage their annual Choral and Classical Music Festival in Tavistock.

The festival from Tuesday, July 28 until Sunday, August 2 features a full programme of recitals and concerts over six days, based in St Eustachius’ Parish Church.

There will also be a mellow candlelit concert on the Thursday evening, July 30 in the Great Barn at Buckland Abbey nearby.

The finale concert, which takes place in the church on the Sunday evening at 7pm, involves a chorus of local singers, who will join The Exon Singers and Haldon Ensemble in a performance of Brahms’ Requiem.

This will be prepared as part of a choral workshop in the church on the Friday evening, July 31 from 6-8pm in St Eustachius’ Church.

The Exon Singers’ artistic director Joseph Judge said the workshop was a chance for local singers to get involved.

“We have had between 40 to 70 singers before,” he said. “Many of those who come along are brilliant, committed amateur singers themselves, but there is a range of abilities and all singers are welcome. It’s particularly exciting that the Festival Chorus sing with The Exon Singers. It’s great fun and there’s always really great vibe about the whole thing. We always meet the challenge of bringing everything together.”

The concerts during the week are reasonably priced, and to encourage the next generation to get a taste for high quality choral singing and classical music, the under 18s are admitted free.

There are also three free lunchtime concerts – donations nonetheless welcome – at 1.10pm each day on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the church.

For the third year running, guests Haldon Quartet are joining the festival with their stringed instruments.

They are staging a recital on the Thursday lunchtime, July 30, of Schubert’s Trout Quintet, with young people encouraged to have a go on their stringed instruments.

Meanwhile on the Friday lunchtime, July 31, harpist Megan Rickard will give a recital.

And on the Wednesday, Exon Singers’ organist Neil Taylor will give a recital on St Eustachius’ organ.

Another highlight is the candlelit concert at Buckland Abbey on the Thursday night. Entitled ‘Draw on Sweet Night’, it is billed as “a meditative evening recital, bringing the evening to a calm close” with each piece of the programme merging into the next.

The festival has been taking place in Tavistock for more than 50 years, creating a huge following over the years.

It has attracted many long-time lovers of such music, but also aims to entice newcomers through the church door and experience evocative music in the historic surroundings.

The Exon Singers will be singing a few songs in Tavistock Pannier Market on the Wednesday (July 29) in the hope of doing just that.

Joseph said: “We are always wonderfully welcomed by the church community, friends and benefactors of the festival, and all of the hosts who very kindly offer B&B to the musicians, many of whom come along to the concerts, which adds a lovely feel to it. We all love coming to Tavistock.”

Full details of the festival are at www.exonsingers.org.uk