"A wonderfully enjoyable and unique choral festival giving local choirs a chance to access works they probably wouldn't normally attempt and a feeling of maintaining an historic tradition." Janet Topping, Regional Representative, The Federation of Festivals
The 2010 Festival ran from Thursday 15th April to Saturday 17th April 2010.
The first evening featured Cecilia McDowall's Ave Maris Stella, Mozart's Divertimento in F for strings and Schubert's Mass in C. The Friday programme included Vaughan Williams' overture The Wasps, and his undeservedly neglected Benedicite and the main work was Gounod's Messe Solenelle De Sainte Cecile. The Festival concluded with Dyson's Three Songs of Praise, and Elgar's Sea Pictures and The Music Makers.
All three concerts featured the Leith Hill Festival Choirs and either the English Festival Orchestra or Canzona under the baton of Festival Conductor Brian Kay.
Special guests at the concerts were Cecilia McDowall, Em Marshall and Deirdre Hicks.
Piano accompaniment was provided by the Festival Accompanist Alan Brown.
Results from the competitions
Photo album - Thursday (Div 2 Choirs)
Photo album - Friday (Div 3 Choirs)
Photo album - Saturday (Div 1 Choirs)
St. John Passion
Each year, as a curtain-raiser to the Festival itself, Festival and independent singers come together in a performance of a major choral masterpiece: The Bach's St. Matthew or St. John Passion, or Handel's Messiah. This year it was the St. John and you can read a review of this moving performance here.