An evening of carols at the Holy Trinity 

Harmonics Choir and Prior Park School Choir performed carols jointly and individually in a festive programme called ‘Silent Night.’  

It was a a Christmas concert to remember, which saw fine singing from both choirs.  

Heralding the spirit of Christmas, a well-chosen programme of traditional and modern carols kept a full house audience warmly entertained throughout the concert. 

The opening number was a glorious ‘Silent Night’ with the combined choirs filling out many harmony spaces of the Gruber classic with the arrangement by Fuggle.  

The Conductor was Anthony Roper de Almeida and it was clear that both choirs were in fine form and we would be in for a treat. Prior Park Choir filed out of the main altar front leaving  

Harmonics to continue with their spot featuring four carols. Two in English and two in Spanish.  

‘Joy to the world’ was truly heartwarming as were the two Spanish carols ‘Esta Noche Nace El Ninio’ and ‘Campana Sobre Campana’. 

Prior Park were on next and they closed the first half of the concert programme with a traditional Spanish carol called ‘Alepun’ and followed it with ‘The Carol of the Bells’.  

Both offerings were tuneful and very well sung with the children conducted by Mae Easter.  

That closed the first part of the programme for an interval when mulled wine and mince pies were served to complete the Christmas experience after the first round of carols had subsided. 

Part two opened with Prior Park singing John Lennon’s ‘Happy Christmas (war is over)’ followed by the traditional ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’.  

The Children were roundly applauded for their contributions and we would see them later for an encore after the finale.  

Harmonics then took their places for their second spot which began with ‘Ding Dong merrily on High’ followed by ‘The Nativity Carol,’ a melodious and solemn piece by John Rutter featuring harmony exchanges from the men and women sections- in soft whispers and loud passages too.  

It ticked many choral boxes for me from this impressive choir. 

A modern Spanish carol followed, called ‘Los Reyes Magos’ by Ariel Ramirez and it was also a beautiful tune.  

A clever arrangement of the popular ‘Los peces en el Rio’ credited to Alfredo Carrion closed their Spanish carols and they followed them with the highlight of part two, ‘The First Noel’ sung to the piano cadences of ‘Pachellbel’s Canon’. Magnificent singing on this.  

A reprise on ‘Silent Night’ followed, this time showcasing Harmonics on their own. ‘Christmas at the Movies’ the final piece, was a medley featuring a handful of well-known cinematic festive favourites. 

 Something for everyone in this significant final piece which led to an encore, when Prior Park filed in to join Harmonics for a spirited ‘Jingle Bells’ with tambourines and both choirs alternating verses while speeding up the tempo for an epic finale, which rang out and for a few seconds drowned the applause which also had the audience up on their feet.  

‘Silent Night’ was a memorable concert which proved that locally, choir music is very much alive and is still the supreme messenger heralding the Christmas Spirit. 

Harmonics Choir directors Phillip Borge McCarthy and Anthony Roper de Almeida. Piano Gloria Monica Hernandez Sarria. Prior Park School Choir was directed by Mae Easter. Well done all involved in this excellent concert.