Leith Hill Musical Festival 2010

Thurs., 15th April 2010 (Division 2).
Full Chorus: Schubert - Mass in C D452 [Schirmer]; Handel ed. Silas - The King Shall Rejoice [Novello SAATBB]
Madrigal: Tomkins - O let me live [Stainer & Bell]
Part Song: Cecilia McDowall - Ave Maris Stella (for competition only page 19 to the end) [OUP]
Men's song: Copland/Irving Fine (arr.) - Simple Gifts [B&H]
Women's Song: Ireland - Evening Song [Novello]
Ensemble: Schubert/ R. Allwood (arr.) Litanei [Novello]

In April 2009 Mickleham won the Widenham Fosberry Silver Hen for coming 2nd in Divison 2,  The Cullen Banner - Madrigal and The Holmbury St. Mary Challenge Egg - Open Class. 

Leith Hill Musical Festival for Beginners

If this is your first Festival, these notes may be of use to you.

Programmes - These are available at the last choir practice night.  They give the running order and location of the competition pieces (the competition takes place in two halls, the Grand Hall and the Martineau Hall, with things going on in the two halls concurrently).

A royal blue rosette will be issued to you to identify you as a Mickleham singer.

Morning Competition - If you are parking in the Dorking Halls car park, you are advised to find the long-term section because you will need 8 hours to cover the morning competition and the afternoon rehearsal.

We usually meet at 8.15 am for a warm up.

Coats, etc., are left in the Masonic Hall (at the near end of the corridor if you are coming from the Green Room).  In 2006 the ladies will be wearing blue tops and black bottoms for the competition and white blouses and long black bottoms for the evening performance.  Men wear their white shirts and black trousers with a black bow tie for both.  Mickleham has a 'base' table in the Masonic Hall, so we can keep together.

You should be on stage by 8.45 am.  There is no seating plan at this stage, but we try to get all choir members together.  The competition starts at 9.00 am with the combined singing of 'Song for a Spring Festival' conducted by one of the Adjudicators.  The Adjudicator then announces the selected passages from the Full Chorus work(s).  The Chief Steward then asks for the number of entries from each choir for the Ensemble class and announces the probable running order for these.

All choirs leave the stage, except the first choir to sing in the Grand Hall - they come forward on the platform and prepare themselves.  The first two choirs for the Martineau go through there.  Others sit anywhere they like in either hall, but we usually like to sit roughly together so that we can go up onto the platform in an orderly fashion.

From then on, you should be aware of where you should be.  The fact that doors are kept firmly closed while a choir is singing means that you may not be able to get out of one hall when you think you should go to the other.  Try not to get separated from others of your own part - if you are late for any piece, tough, you've missed it.  Frequent announcements are made, and all choirs rally in the auditorium part of the Grand Hall for adjudications at intervals. Support for our singers in the Women's and Men's songs and the Ensemble are welcome.

Coffee/tea is available throughout the morning from the bar.

The competition should end by 1.00 PM.

Lunch Break - Stay at the Halls or go home as you prefer.  Sometimes we are invited to the home of a nearby choir member.

Afternoon Rehearsal - This usually starts at 2.30 PM and goes on till about 4.15 PM.  The Festival Conductor, Brian Kay, takes the rehearsal and we go through everything with the orchestra and the soloists.  Sections of the seating on the platform are allocated to each part, and we are usually formed up in rows to lead on in an orderly fashion.

Evening Concert - The performance starts at 7.30 PM, we usually line up in the corridor at 7.15 PM so as to walk on in an orderly fashion.  Allow plenty of time for parking.  There will be the same base in the Masonic Hall for coats, also a box in which you should put all your music immediately after the concert (keep your blue folder for next year).

And finally, enjoy your day - it is an experience unlike anything else.

Click here to go to Leith Hill Music Festival Website