Leominster Choral Society perform La Petite Messe Solennelle in Leominster Priory (From Hereford Times)

Leominster Choral Society perform La Petite Messe Solennelle in Leominster Priory

3:50pm Monday 7th May 2012 in Music & Dance

Leominster’S Priory Church will resound to Rossini’s La Petite Messe Solonnelle when James Atherton joins Leominster Choral Society for their first concert together on Saturday, May 19.

James, who has sung as tenor soloist with London orchestras and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, developed his passion for church music as a chorister in Manchester.

It has taken him to several cathedral choirs, including Gloucester and Winchester and St George’s Chapel Windsor Castle, where he sang at the wedding of Prince Charles to Camilla Parker-Bowles.

He is now an assistant lay clerk in Worcester Cathedral Choir and the pipevoicer at Nicholson and Co of Malvern, one of the country’s leading organ builders, and will be part of the future restoration of the Leominster Priory 1924 Nicholson organ.

“I have hugely enjoyed my first few months,” says James, who joined the choral society as musical director in January.

“The standard of the choir is improving each week but more importantly, we have had a lot of fun together.

“La Petite Messe Solennelle is not short and certainly not solemn, It is operatically exuberant as well as wonderfully atmospheric.

Things are building up to a great performance”.

Leominster pianist Andrew Morris will accompany, along with the unusual and specially obtained harmonium.

Tickets, £12.50, are available from Gill’s Gifts in Buttercross Arcade, Fletchers Newsagents, 18 Broad Street, Leominster, and on the door.