St John’s Upper Norwood is one of the most famous churches designed by the great Victorian architect John Loughborough Pearson, but it needs to raise £750,000 urgently to remedy what has been described as “subsidence on an epic scale”.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has offered £63,000 towards the first phase development for the underpinning of the church, and the local community has already raised another £20,000 towards a target of £35,000. Now the church is staging an all-day choral workshop, culminating in a performance of Handel’s Messiah on Saturday, March 12, with which it hopes to make another significant step in its fund-raising.

“The intention of this workshop is to involve as many singers as possible to perform what has to be one of the greatest choral works of all time,” says the conductor, Adrian Adams.

“Through an intensive day’s choral preparation and performance with soloists and orchestra, we hope to create a memorable musical experience. All proceeds from the workshop and performance will go towards saving St John’s, so please urge as many singers as possible to take part and encourage non-participating friends and relatives to attend the performance.”

Workshop fee: £20 [£10 students]

Programme

10am – 10.30am Registration

10.45am – 12noon 1st chorus rehearsal

12.15pm – 1.30pm 2nd chorus rehearsal

LUNCH

2.30pm – 5.30pm Final rehearsal with chorus, soloists and orchestra.
[Chorus 2.30pm – 4.15pm]

Performance: 7pm

Music:
The Novello Watkins Shaw edition will be used. Please bring your own copy if you have one, otherwise copies will be available to hire for £1 per copy.

Lunch:
Please bring your own. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor picnic space. Tea and coffee will be available throughout the day.

Performance tickets: [for audience, not performers]: £10 and £8 concessions.

To apply to be part of the workshop, please obtain a form from Kathie Wheble:  0791 721 8624 or email kathleen.wheble@virginmedia.com

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