My name is Valerie Pedlar
Having sung in amateur choirs for over 40 years, I shall be drawing on my experiences to write about choral singing in Southport and beyond. The header for this blog has been designed by my niece, Shantala Singh. To see more of her work go to www.shantalarobinson.com
Category Archives: Places
Lamentations in Lisbon
The Church of São José da Anunciada lies off a little side street, a humble tributary linking the grand Avenida da Liberdade, a boulevard of smart designer clothes stores with trees and cafes along the central reservation, with the more … Continue reading
Posted in Events, Music, Places
Tagged Carlos Aransay, Lacock singing weeks, Lisbon, Portuguese music
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Candlemas at St John’s, Tuebrook, Liverpool
It was unexpectedly moving seeing the line of worshippers processing round this extraordinary church, each holding a lit candle, while we of the Renaissance Music Group sang the affirmative chant, ‘Adorna thalamum tuum, Sion, et suscipe Regem Christum’ – ‘Adorn … Continue reading
Posted in Choirs, Events, Places
Tagged Candlemas, Renaissance Music Group, St John's Tuebrook
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Singing ‘Spem in Alium’
Visitors to Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral on Saturday morning would have been surprised, or maybe dismayed – perhaps even delighted – to see a choir of about 60 singers arranged in front of the altar trying their best to give voice … Continue reading
Posted in Events, Music, Places
Tagged City of London Sinfonia, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Tallis 40-part motet
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Singing and shopping in Liverpool One
Regular readers of this blog will have noticed that my last few posts have been about singing in places other than Southport. This is quite simply because without the routine of weekly rehearsals during the summer break, there is the … Continue reading
Posted in Events, Places
Tagged Liverpool One, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, Tickle the Ivories
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The Really Big Chorus sings Verdi
My last post was about singing with a group of about two dozen singers; this week I am writing about singing with a group of about two thousand. Last Sunday, we – choral groups and individual singers from all over … Continue reading
Posted in Choirs, Events, Places
Tagged Albert Hall, Brian Kay, Really Big Chorus, Verdi Requiem
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Singing the Officium Stellae: a workshop on Gregorian Chant
Three Kings, clad is gorgeous robes, make their appearance one by one: ‘The Star is shining with great splendour,’ says one. ‘Showing the King of kings, who is born,’ says the second. ‘Whose coming the prophecies foretold,’ says the third. … Continue reading
From Southport to Paris
Not many people outside of Southport know that the reconstruction of Paris under Baron Haussmann in the second half of the nineteenth century was inspired by what the young Napoleon III saw when he stayed for a while in this … Continue reading
Singing in Monteconero
Perched on the peak of the rocky promontory that reaches into the sea from the mainly flat countryside of the Italian Marche is the charming Romanesque church of St Peter. If you were to visit it in the early summer … Continue reading
Singing at Speke Hall, Liverpool
‘Ding, dong merrily on high’, we carolled as an aeroplane droned overheard. Singing, as we usually do, in Holy Trinity Church, in the busy town of Southport, we are used to the sirens of fire engines and police cars, … Continue reading
Choral Singing in Southport 