From Quire with help of Chiswick Catholic Parishes Childen’s Choir

Quire (from the ancient spelling of the word “choir”) is again performing a programme of seasonal music this year at the Church of Our Lady of Grace and St Edward, Chiswick (corner of Chiswick High Road and Dukes Avenue, W4) on Saturday 5 December 2009 at 7.30pm.

With the help of the Chiswick Catholic Parishes Childen’s Choir, Quire will present a miscellany of ancient and modern Christmas music from around the world. The programme includes traditional carols, and works by Sheppard and Victoria, Poulenc and Howells. All the proceeds will go to charity.

The Chiswick Catholic Parishes Children’s Choir was formed in 2002. Since then it has raised over £15,000 for local charities. The boys and girls in the choir come from Chiswick’s two catholic parishes, Our Lady of Grace, and St Joseph’s and they are directed by Clare Delmar Lynch. The choir sings regularly at mass, performs in concerts and festivals, and is the backing vocals for Little Big TV’s children’s programmes.

Quire came together 17 years ago with a common interest in early English choral music, although their current musical repertoire is considerably broader. Now busy doctors, lawyers, teachers, mothers, consultants and researchers in “real” life, Quire still sings for fun, but to very high standards. They typically number some 14 to 18 singers with experience of a wide range of other first-class groups including the Tallis Scholars, the Corydon Singers, the Holst Singers, and the New London Chamber Choir. Quire has performed in many UK venues including Westminster Abbey and the royal church in Edinburgh. It is also increasingly in demand for festivals throughout Europe, and has already sung in Berlin, Frankfurt, St Petersburg, Rome and Belgium. This concert will mark Quire’s second visit to Our Lady of Grace and St Edward.

Entrance is free but there will be a retiring collection in aid of the Westminster Lourdes Pilgrimage Fund for Sick Pilgrims.