Tonight (February 23) is an important date in tPortadown’s musical calendar – the 61st annual concert of Portadown Ladies Choir. The venue in Portadown Town Hall and the concert begins at 8pm.
The choir, under musical director Gordon Speers (accompanist Stuart Nelson) will be singing 12 numbers from their extensive repertoire, the guest artiste is mezzo soprano Harriet P. Jenkins, and the compere is local man Niall Crozier.
Harriet, from North Down, combines performances with teaching. She teaches in Belfast and County Down, and her experience embraces extensive concert work, TV and radio recordings, and she has sung with NI Opera and Belfast Bach Orchestra.
Recent work has been as soloist at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum’s ‘Carols by Candlelight’ and the New Lyric Theatre Company. She is a graduate of Cambridge and University College, Dublin. Her accompanist on Thursday night will be Lynn Beggs, well known in the local musical circuit.
The choir’s programme veers towards its ‘light’ music. They will be singing four ‘spots’ of three numbers, and – taking a random choice from each – they include ‘Perhaps Love’ (John Denver), ‘From a Distance’ (Julie Gold), ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ (John Rutter) and ‘Bobby Shafto’ (arr. Douglas Coombes).
Niall Crozier, former Portadown Times journalist and now rugby correspondent for the Belfast Telegraph, has compered many events throughout Northern Ireland, combining local and musical knowledge with a rare sense of humour.
Tickets for the concert are £8, and can be had at Gordon Speers Carpets, Bridge Street, or from any choir member. Or simply pay at the door on the night.
Portadown Times