Rehearsals

We rehearse on Thursday evenings, 7:30-9:15 pm during the winter and spring terms, and have one or two choral workshops at other times. Singers should please bring all music to every rehearsal. Rehearsals mostly take place in the Parish Centre at Little Saint Mary’s Church on Trumpington Street. We ask choir members to:

• Attend all rehearsals
• Arrive by 7:20 pm ready for a prompt start at 7:30 pm
• Bring all music for the term.
• Bring a pencil
• Check this page before rehearsals and familiarise yourself with the pieces – i.e. by listening to them a few times while following your own part in the score. (Some singers may want to learn their part in more detail.) It helps if you arrive at the rehearsal with an indication of any parts you are finding difficult.

Autumn term 2025: Thursday 18 September – Thursday 4 December 2025.
Half-term break: Thursday 30 October.
Short Concert for Rotary: Tuesday 18 November, Queens’ College, 9 pm.
End-of-term Autumn Concert: Saturday 29 November, Harston Parish Church, 6 pm.

Date & Venue	Music
18 September Little St Mary’s	Welcome back and find our voices after the break. Make a start on all four pieces from ‘The Bavarian Highlands’. Revisit: ‘How Can I Keep from Singing’, ‘We’ll Gather Lilacs’, and ‘The Long Day Closes’. A quick look through Rutter’s ‘I too shall walk to Bethlehem’, if time permits.
25 September Little St Mary’s	A first look at Vaughan Williams folk songs ‘The Dark Eyed Sailor’, ‘Just as the Tide was Flowing’ and ‘The Lover’s Ghost’. Practise ‘False Love’ and ‘Aspiration’ from ‘The Bavarian Highlands’. A first look at ‘Autumn Leaves’ (from ‘In The Mood’).
2 October Little St Mary’s	Our AGM. Work at Vaughan Williams folk songs ‘The Springtime of the Year’ and ‘Wassail Song’. Practise Elgar ‘The Dance’ and ‘Lullaby’. Work on ‘I Too Shall Walk to Bethlehem’. Practise other Vaughan Williams / Elgar pieces as time permits.
9 October Little St Mary’s	More work on all five Vaughan Williams folk songs. First look at ‘Smoke Gets in your Eyes’.
16 October Little St Mary’s	Practise all the second-half pieces: ‘The Long Day Closes’, ‘Autumn Leaves, ‘Smoke gets in your Eyes’, ‘We’ll Gather Lilacs’, ‘How Can I Keep from Singing’, ‘I Too Shall Walk to Bethlehem’. Last 30 minutes of the rehearsal will be spent on music for the Rotary gig on Tues 18 November.
23 October Little St Mary’s	Run and troubleshoot all the Elgar and Vaughan Williams pieces. Last 30 minutes of the rehearsal will be spent on music for the Rotary gig on Tues 18 November.
30 October	Half-term – no rehearsal. Singers are encouraged to practise the vocal exercises and this term’s pieces on their own.
6 November Little St Mary’s	Practise Elgar and Vaughan Williams pieces to increase our familiarity with them. Trouble-shoot any problem areas. Last 30 minutes of the rehearsal will be spent on music for the Rotary gig on Tues 18 November.
13 November Little St Mary’s	Practise all the second-half pieces, plus the encore. Last 30 minutes of the rehearsal will be spent on music for the Rotary gig on Tues 18 November.
Tues 18 November Queens’ College	For those taking part: 9-9:30 pm: Singing at Queens’ College for Rotary Club of Cambridge Sawston Charter Dinner.
20 November Little St Mary’s	Run through the full programme for the 29 November concert. Additional practice where needed for confidence and familiarity with the music.
27 November Little St Mary’s	Final run through of all pieces for the 29 November concert.
Sat 29th November Harston Parish Church	Arrive: 3:15 Run-through: 3:30 pm Tea break: 5:00 pm Concert: 6:00 pm Dress: All black with black folders for our music.
4 December Little St Mary’s	End-of-term ‘Carol’-oke party with bring-and-share refreshments.

Spring term 2026
Thursday 15 January – Thursday 26 March 2026. Half-term break: Thursday 19 February. Concert: Saturday 28 March.