Farewell to Joanna Tomlinson, Artistic Director of FYC

In 2016 Jo Tomlinson became FYC’s Artistic Director when its founder, David Victor-Smith, stepped down after 32 years. From the very start of Jo’s time with us, it was evident that not only is she one of the UK’s foremost choral directors and music educators, but she’s also a role model and friend to the young singers she works with. From behind the scenes, I can also say that Jo worked tirelessly in many ways that don’t really show to the outside world. She never seemed to switch off her phone and has been ever-ready to steer things in the right direction not just musically but organisationally too.

Singers and their families, colleagues and volunteers have been strikingly generous in their gifts and their tributes to Jo as she leaves us, but nothing they have said has been hyperbole. We know just how lucky we have been.

Just as David was a very hard act to follow back in 2016, it’s equally daunting to be Jo’s successor in 2021. Of all the people we could have wished for to take FYC forward, Patrick Barrett would be firmly at the top of our list – so everyone here is really delighted to be moving forward under Patrick’s direction, with Margaret O’Shea at the helm of the Junior Choir. Patrick and Margaret will put their own stamp on the organisation and it will be different, but it’s going to be inspirational, ambitious and exciting! 

Thank you so much Jo, and a warm welcome to Patrick and Margaret.

Helen Cole
(Chair, FYC Trustees)

FYC Summer Concert at The Menuhin Hall

This was Farnham Youth Choir’s first concert at the Menuhin Hall, near Cobham. In gorgeous weather, concert-goers and singers enjoyed the venue’s tranquil landscaped gardens. It was a perfect space to relax during breaks in rehearsals, and an ideal setting for a photo shoot with Nick Rutter, a specialist in arts photography. 

The Youth Choir’s performance included repertoire for the European Choir Games in Gothenburg later in the summer, in the Youth Choir and Sacred Music categories. Switching easily from the tranquil beauty of Schubert’s Gott ist mein Hirt, for instance, to the defiant attitudes of Kirby Shaw’s arrangement of Joshua, FYC’s performance showcased how versatile the young singers are. Next the Training Choir took the stage by storm in every sense! A wonderful evocation of thundery rain (with audience participation), jazzy elephants and some precision moves (Roller Ghoster) almost brought the house down, the applause so loud that one overwhelmed young singer had to put his hands over his ears. The Trainers were joined by the Junior Choir for a bravura performance of Ben Parry’s Science Song, and then it was the turn of the Junior Choir to show a very appreciative audience the skills they have been honing. They moved nimbly between thieving rats (Five Eyes), eeriness (Shadow-maker) and the gentleness of a lullaby with a sweet solo (Sweet and Low) before returning to spikiness and showmanship for their final two songs, staying in focus even when pelting around the stage! 

The highlight of the concert brought the three choirs together to perform the world premiere of Owain Park’s The Tyger, commissioned by Graham and Alison Noakes. Graham was formerly FYC’s Chair and this incredibly generous gift comes after many years of unstinting support, for which everyone at FYC is extremely grateful. The Tyger was spellbinding and sung with relish by the young singers, for whom it’s going to be a firm favourite for years to come.

Review by Helen Cole 30.06.19

FYC put Farnham on world stage with double gold medals at the European Choir Games 2019

On Tuesday 6th August, Farnham Youth Choir topped off an outstanding year by representing Farnham and the United Kingdom at the European Choir Games and Grand Prix of Nations in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Having also appeared on the X Factor Live Final on ITV1 last December, FYC continued its high profile season with Gold medals in both categories it entered, with storming performances in the Youth Choir category before going on to excel against adult choirs in the Sacred Music category.

With a repertoire that included choral works by Felix Mendelssohn, Franz Schubert and Maurice Durúfle - as well as contemporary composers Janet Wheeler and Oliver Tarney, FYC stunned judges as the 40 strong choir took centre stage at the event. With members ranging between 12 and 18 years of age, the choir was accompanied by Matthew Rickard and a dedicated team of supporters and staff whilst hundreds of followers cheered them on in real-time via social media.

Bear Crawford, a longstanding member of the choir, said: ‘I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved, and we’ve all worked so hard to have this amazing experience in Gothenburg.’

Jess Miller said: ‘I’m so proud to be able to call myself a senior leader of such an incredible choir! We have worked so hard this year and everyone has pulled together amazingly to achieve the best results we could have hoped for! We never expected to win anything in such challenging categories but our hard work is clearly reflected in our shiny gold medals!!

Artist Director Joanna Tomlinson said: ‘This has been an incredible experience for the choir and its supporters and shows the exceptional talent and professionalism our young singers put into every performance. We have a long tradition of competing strongly in competitions, but this was an exceptional achievement, especially when competing against adult choirs from across the world.’

In addition to their gold medal winning performances, the choir also connected with choirs from Denmark, Italy and the USA as part of the Grand Prix of Nations - giving impromptu performances and a ‘Friendship concert’ in Vasakyrkan as part of the event.

With Training, Junior and Youth Choirs made up of over 150 young singers, Farnham Youth Choir is ranked in the top 50 Youth Choirs in the world by Interkultur and will be going on to perform John Rutter’s ‘Mass of the Children’ at the Sion Music Festival, in Switzerland on 18th August 2019.

The charity is aiming to continue to gain support for its ambitious plan to compete in the World Choir Games in Belgium in 2020.

More information about joining one of FYC’s choirs in September 2019 onwards can be found at www.fyc.org.uk/joinus

Spring Concert: An evening with Farnham Youth Choir, St Andrew’s Church, Farnham

Hard on the heels of the ‘Sounds of Spring’ concert at the Anvil the previous weekend, the senior choir returned to the more familiar surroundings of St Andrew’s Church to show off their sacred and secular repertoire in front of a large audience. This concert was generously supported by the Lions Club of Farnham whose President, Phil Alexander, was in the audience for the occasion. We were also delighted to welcome Councillor David Attfield, Mayor of Farnham, as a guest at this event.

A spring storm was rattling the windows but there was a striking stillness inside the church, the audience noticeably holding its collective breath at times. This was particularly the case during the account of Adoramus Te by Orlando Lassus which opened the concert. FYC rose to the challenge of singing this while positioned in small groups around the church, conjuring a beautiful sound that set the tone for the rest of the evening. The concert perfectly showcased the choir’s versatility across different languages and musical idioms. Added to this, there were opportunities to hear the solo voices of FYC ‘veterans’ Jess Miller and Izzy Cole, and a welcome chance for the first time to hear a solo piece beautifully sung by Bear Crawford. 

Review by Helen Cole

Sounds of Spring - with the Basingstoke Symphony Orchestra

Sounds of Spring: A Combined Concert, Basingstoke Symphony Orchestra and Farnham Youth Choir at the Anvil, Basingstoke

It’s a while since the Youth Choir has sung with a full orchestra and Saturday evening’s concert provided a very welcome reminder of what this feels like, as ‘Sounds of Spring’ was a combined concert with Basingstoke Symphony Orchestra. Working with the BSO under Stephen Scotchmer was clearly a great pleasure.

The venue was a relatively unfamiliar one, the Anvil in Basingstoke, and this was a useful chance to perform in a large concert hall. If the venue influenced FYC’s performance, this wasn’t surprising. Accompanied by Matthew on the piano, the choir’s programme was sung with focus and precision (Croce, Cantate Domino), maturity (Schubert, Gott ist Mein Hirt) and an exquisite sound (everything – but perhaps especially Fauré, Cantique de Jean Racine, with a harp threading its way through the orchestral part). The relatively intimidating setting may have made it trickier than usual for the singers to access their exuberant side, yet Kerry Andrew’s Charm was especially captivating and Ivo Antognini’s Wah bah dah bah doo bee! notably well-received.

In the first half of the concert, FYC had the chance to perform two pieces from Vaughan Williams’sFolk Songs of the Four Seasons with the orchestra, the combination producing some soulful colours. The centrepiece of the orchestral concert was Dvorak’s Symphony no. 7 which made up the second half, giving the young singers a chance to relax in the auditorium and soak up the BSO’s fine performance.

Review by Helen Cole

Christmas Gala Concert

Farnham Maltings, Saturday 15th December 2018, 6pm

There was an excited buzz rising above the hubbub from a packed house for the FYC Christmas Gala. The warmth, light and welcome of the Maltings was a welcome refuge from a windswept and rain-soaked December night.

The concert began with a haunting opening solo and some beautiful harmonies during Once in Royal David’s City, followed by a sequence from Benjamin Btitten’s ‘A Ceremony of Carols’, during which the Youth Choir exhibited great blended tones; dramatic flourishes; clear articulation; and wonderful control of the down note at the end of the first piece. The closing Deo Gracias was a particular joy.

The Training Choir took to the stage next. Their singing was lovely and the foot stomping during Amani Utupe was perfectly syncopated. It was delightful to see every individual following their choir director’s lead with such intensity throughout Orange and Yellow and Brown. There was Christmas magic in seeing their upturned faces reflecting the stage lights so brightly as the lyrics of Walking in the Air echoed around the room with such clarity.

The Junior Choir also opened with some dramatic Benjamin Britten pieces before moving on to Hushabye Mountain. Their voices carried this peerless tune beautifully, while their animated faces reflected the sentiment of the lyrics delightfully.

When the Youth Choir returned it was to sing Joubert’s Torches - with exact emphasis on all the appropriate stresses. Rutter’s Star Carol had an uplifting brightness and In Dulci Jubilowas hauntingly lovely – blended tones, great enunciation and articulation and a sense of awe-filled sacred worship, entirely appropriate for a carol which I’ve since discovered translates as Sweet Rejoicing. Jolliffe’s On This Day was similarly joyful.

The evening culminated in the three choirs combining for The Holly and the Ivy – with the parts sung beautifully; the definition of the echo kept crisp; and the harmonies a delight - before leading a crowd-pleasing rendition of Twelve Days of Christmas – featuring some very enthusiastic participation from various sections of the highly appreciative audience.

This was a wonderful start to the Christmas season for an audience of all ages. Tom (14) from the group seated beside me was clearly dismayed that the concert was over – “Oh. Is that it?” David (42) had most enjoyed the closing 12 Days of Christmas and Ceremony of Carols from near the beginning, but when Sheila (73) was asked for her highlights she could only respond “to be honest, all of it. I thoroughly enjoyed everything.”

Review by David Fowler