The Edenbridge A Cappella ladies’ choir were thrilled to have the opportunity to perform traditional Christmas carols and songs in front of global audiences in the run-up to Christmas 2023. On 2nd December, A Cappella were one of 30 choirs from across the country invited to entertain the crowds at the Tower of London. Hundreds of singers from a wide range of music genres mingled in the Green Rooms inside the Tower before braving the chilly weather to sing outside. The choirs were all allocated time slots to perform their programmes of songs on the lawn in front of the iconic White Tower and also outside the gates, with Tower Bridge and The London Eye providing fantastic backdrops for the performance areas (and great photo opportunities!). The other choirs ranged from large, lively rock choirs to smaller gospel singing groups and a wonderful award-winning male barbershop chorus. The A Cappella choir’s programme fitted in especially well with the venue, featuring traditional festive “wassailing” and carols from bygone days to entertain visitors from across the world. The ladies received lots of applause and wonderful feedback from the appreciative audiences and hope to be invited to perform at the Tower again next year.
The following weekend, Saturday 9th December, saw A Cappella teaming up with another local choir, Eden Songsters, to perform “Carols in the Cowshed” much closer to home at Bore Place, Chiddingstone. The popular event was a sell-out, with local families in their winter woollies all huddled together on haystacks in the open barn, joining in with the programme of traditional carols and songs. With cattle munching softly on hay nearby, a clear moonlit sky, and mulled wine and mince pies served in the interval, the event was a truly magical Christmas experience enjoyed by all.
A Cappella were invited to sing at another iconic location on 16th, 21st and 29th December in the Medieval courtyard at Ightham Mote, a beautiful National Trust property close to Sevenoaks. A Cappella performed solo, being the only choir present in the small cobbled courtyard, where the enclosed space offered wonderful acoustics for the audiences to enjoy. Their programme of traditional songs and carols formed a special extra Christmas feature for the visitors to experience at Ightham Mote.
A big “thank you” goes to Jacky Hintze and her co-choir leader, Kathy Staff, for their dedication in putting together the programme of music and running the regular weekly choir practices held in Edenbridge Church, enjoyed so much by the A Cappella choir members.
by Julia Church