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FREE RANGE, ORGANIC PRODUCE
A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF GUILDFORD
Councillor Howard Smith
I am delighted to be joining you this evening for the
Mayor’s Annual Christmas Concert. By attending you
will be supporting two excellent local charities: The
Cheryl King Trust and Phyllis Tuckwell.
ae
Having enjoyed playing music from an early age I
strongly believe that all young people should have
the opportunity to learn to play a musical
instrument. That’s why I chose to support The Chery!
King Trust during my Mayoral year.
This fabulous
charity helps with funds so that young people in
Surrey can learn to play a musical instrument when
their parents can’t afford it. Music lessons can be
expensive! They achieve it by providing bursaries for instrument lessons
and grants for music ensembles.
Christmas is a time of warmth, togetherness, and cherished memories with
family and friends. But for some, the festive season can be bittersweet,
especially when they or someone they love is facing a terminal illness.
Phyllis Tuckwell provides free, compassionate hospice care and other
services to adults and families living with advanced or terminal conditions
such as cancer, heart, lung, or neurological disease. Their support helps
people make the most of every moment, because every day is precious.
I would like to thank Rotary in Guildford for organising tonight’s concert
and for their charitable support to the Guildford community for over 100
years. Their support to our local charities has been amazing. I would also
like to thank the Vivace Chorus for performing at this wonderful concert.
They have been a great part of Guildford’s cultural life and will be for many
years to come.
Finally, I do hope you enjoy tonight’s concert and may I take this
Opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Christmas and a
peaceful and prosperous New Year.
bd Ce.
Cllr Howard Smith
Mayor of Guildford
THE MAYOR'S CHOSEN CHARITIES
Phyllis Tuckwell provides compassionate
palliative and end of life care for patients and
families across the whole of West Surrey and
part of North-East Hampshire.
Phyl IS
"
Tuckwell
©
Hospice Care
...Decause every
day IS PrECIOUS
Living with an advanced or terminal illness
can feel like a lonely place to be - but
knowing we are here, offering expert care and
support, can seem likea light in the
darkness.
We care for over 250 patients, relatives, and
carers every day - on our In-Patient Unit, through our Living Well
sessions, and in patients’ own homes and care homes.
Our Living Well team supports patients who need help coping with
everyday life. Through our informative and creative programmes, we
support them to manage their symptoms and continue living life as
fully and independently as possible, for as long as they can. Our InPatient Unit (IPU) offers 24-hour symptom management and end of
life care, and loved ones can visit at any time of day or night. Patients
who wish to be cared for, and to spend their last days, at home, are
visited by our Hospice at Home team, who provide all the clinical,
emotional, and practical support we offer.
Our care encompasses the whole family. We run support groups for
patients’ carers; offer practical help with matters such as claiming
benefits and organising carer support; offer a listening ear to family
members who need someone to talk to; and support children and
young adults through loss and bereavement.
As the NHS/Government funding we receive only covers 25% of our
costs, we have to raise over £25,000 every day to offer all our
services, which we provide free of charge to our patients and their
families. We therefore rely heavily on the support and generosity of
our local community.
Whether patients are in their last days or need help coping with
everyday life, we’re here to support them... because every day is
precious.
bi
Ch
The Cheryl King Trust (CKT) was founded in
memory of a local musician and teacher, Cheryl
King, who was committed to providing
opportunities for all children to learn about music regardless of their
background. CKT funds music lesscns for children and young people in
Surrey whose families would not otherwise be able to afford them.
Bursaries can be awarded for lessons across all musical genres: rock, pop
and jazz as well as classical.
CKT works closely with Surrey Arts and other music charities that share its
goals, such as Future Talent and Young Sounds UK, but families can also
apply for bursaries directly via our website.
As well as individual lessons
we support music ensembles in schools where there is a high proportion of
children on Pupil Premium, for example a highly successful Strings project
in Sandfield primary school which provides
inspirational group teaching delivered by staff
from The Royal Grammar School.
Funds are largely raised from donations
Ka
Fi f
;
generated by musical groups such as Vivace, who ‘Give a Gig’ with raffles
or bucket collections at their concerts and we are immensely grateful to
=
those organizations for their support in offering
opportunities to young musicians.
CKT is a registered charity, managed entirely by
volunteers who believe passionately in the charity’s ethos
se
and with minimal overheads. In the 24/25 academic year
we funded lessons for 99 children and our ambition is to double this
number by 2027.
To donate, to apply for a bursary or for further information see our website
https://www.cherylkingtrust.org.uk
THE MAYOR OF GUILDFORD’S CHRISTMAS CONCERT
with VIVACE CHORUS
Conductor: Barbara Hofling
Organist/pianist: Willow Northeald
2 2K 2 2K ok
Mendelssohn:
From Christus - There shall a star
Welcome by Canon Simon Butler
Audience Carol (arr. Willcocks)
Solo
Bea Atkinson
Once in royal David's city
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her littie child.
He came down to earth from heaven
Choir
Who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable,
And his cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.
>
And our eyes at last shall see him,
Through his own redeeming love,
For that child so dear and gentle
Is our Lord in heaven above;
And he leads his children on
To the place where he is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
With the oxen standing by,
We shall see him; but in heaven,
Set at God's right hand on high;
When like stars his children crowned
All in white shall wait around.
Choir
Gabriel’s Message (arr. Pettman)
God rest you merry, gentlemen (arr. Willcocks)
Welcome by Barbara Hôfling — Favourite Carols
Audience Carol & Rotary favourite Carol: (arr. Willcocks)
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
All seated on the ground,
The angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around.
“Fear not,” said he, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mind;
“Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind.”
“To you in David’s town this day
Is born of David's line
A Saviour, who is Christ the Lord;
And this shall be the sign:
The heav’nly Babe you there shall find
To human view displayed,
All meanly wrapped in swathing bands
And in a manger laid.”
Thus, spake the seraph; and forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels praising God, who thus
Addressed their joyful song:
“All glory be to God on high,
And to the earth be peace;
Goodwill henceforth from heav’n to men
Begin and never cease.”
Choir
The First Nowell (arr. Willcocks)
Reading by Liz Curry-Hyde
"Minstrels" by William Wordsworth
Choir
Lo how a rose e’er blooming (arr. Sandstr6m)
In Dulci Jubilo (arr. Pearsall)
Musical Director’s favourite carol:
Gammel Julesang (Danish, P. E. Larige-Miller)
Audience Carol (arr. Willcocks)
O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the King of angels:
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!
God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God,
Begotten, not created:
O come, let us adore him ....
Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above;
Glory to God
In the highest:
O come, let us adore him ....
Yea, Lord, we greet thee,
Born that happy morning,
Jesu, to thee be glory giv’n;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore him....
Choir
Vivace favourite carol:
O Holy Night (Adolphe Adam)
The twelve days of Christmas (English trad., arr. John Rutter)
3K2K2K OK OK
INTERVAL
Drinks & Mince Pies available
2K OK OK OK OK
Choir
Coventry Carol (arr. Willcocks)
Audience Carol (arr. Willcocks)
Away in a manger
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my side until morning is nigh.
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there.
Social Media favourite carol:
To be revealed tonight!
Audience Carol - Mayor’s favourite carol:
In the bleak mid-winter: (Holst)
Choir
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
All
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.
All
Enough for Him, whom cher:1bim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.
Choir
Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.
All
What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
IfIwere a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
IfIwere a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.
Choir
Stille Nacht (German, arr. Gritton)
———
Reading by Mick de Pomerai
Luke chapter 2 verses 8-16
Choir
Winter Wonderland (arr. Tabbush)
Have yourself a merry little Christmas (arr. Shaw)
OK
3K 3K OK KOK
Address by the Mayor of Guildford
Councillor Howard Smith
Introduced by The President cf the Rotary Club of Guildford Wey
Mr Andrew Bowen-Ashwin
KKKKK
Audience Carol (Mendelssohn, arr. David Willcocks)
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled:
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies,
With th’ angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark! The herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
10
Christ, by highest heav’n adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come
Offspring of a virgin’s womb,
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail th’ incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Ris’n with healing in his wings;
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! The herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Encore
We wish you a merry Christmas
(arr. Warrell)
OKOK
2K KK
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ROTARY IN GUILDFORD AND Vivace Chorus would like to thank the following people
and organisations for their help in preparing for and staging this year’s Mayor of
Guildford’s Christmas Concert:
Canon Simon Butler
The Parish of Holy Trinity and St. Mary’s, Guildford
Guildford Borough Council
Barbara Höfling
Willow Northeald
Inner Wheel Club of Guildford
21
VIVACE CHORUS MEMBERS SINGING IN THIS CONCERT
First Sopranos: Sandra Adamson, Amelia Atkinson, Jan Barklem,
Helen Beevers, Mary Broughton, Jo Haviland, Isabel Holdaway, Isobel
Humphreys, Becky Kerby, Claudia Loiacono, Suzie Maine, Fran
MacKay, Michelle Mumford, Sue Norton, Joan Thomas, Jane Thorp,
Hilary Vaill, Barbara Tansey, Georgie von Schweinitz, Miriam White.
Second Sopranos: Jackie Alderton, Sarah Badger, Jane Barnes,
Scarlett Close, Ann Fuller, Isabel Mealor, Alexandra Nash, Alison
Palmer, Kate Peters, Helen Seeley, Mary Somerville, Samantha
Wilkins, Christine Wilks, Eiri Williams, Lesley Worrall.
First Altos: Anna Arthur, Jackie Bearman, Jane Brooks,
Curtis,
Fiona
Davidge,
Lynne
Hargreaves,
Sheila
Philippa
Hodson,
Kerry
Manning, Charlotte Mathieson, Penny McLaren, Rosalind Milton, Lilly
Nicholson,
Jackie
Payne,
Heather Shepherd, Julia
Eleanor
Pinnegar,
Catherine
Stubbs, Valerie Thompson.
Shacklady,
Hilary Trigg,
Susan Vega, Anna Williams, Maggie Woolcock.
Second Altos:
Geraldine Allen,
Evelyn
Beastall,
Sheena
Pauline
Penny
Macfarlane,
Ewen,
Higgins,
Liz Curry-Hyde,
Lois
McCabe,
Pamela Murrell, Sonja Nagle, Joanna Stokes, Rosey Storey, Esther
van Rooyen.
First Tenors: John Trigg, Susie Walker.
Second Tenors: Drew Alcott, Paul Arnold, Stephen Linton, Charles
Martin, Tim Wray.
First Basses: Paul Barnes, Phil Beastall, Richard Broughton, Richard
Dacey, Mick de Pomeral, Martin Harris, Brian John, Jeremy Johnson,
Andrew Linden, Jon Long, Malcolm Munt, Chris Newbery, David
Protheroe, Andrew Skinner, Phil Stanford, Rob Walker, Kieron Walsh.
Second Basses: Peter Andrews, Stuart Gooch, Mike Johns, Chris
Peters.
12
ABOUT VIVACE CHORUS
Barbara Höfling
Francis Pott
Richard Dacey
Music Director
Accompanist
Chairman
aagit
$4
Vivace Chorus at the Royal Albert Hall. July 2025
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pg
ee
Photo: (©) Ash Mills
Vivace Chorus is a flourishing, ambitious and adventurous choir
based in Guildford, Surrey. We enjoy singing traditional choral
classics alongside the challenge of contemporary and newlycommissioned music - there’s something for everyone at Vivace!
The choir began in 1946 as the Guildford Philharmonic Choir and
was rebranded as Vivace Chorus in 2005. We have an enviable
reputation for performing first-class concerts across a wide range of
musical repertoire. Particular successes include a sell-out
performance in May 2011 of Mahler’s Symphony No._8, the
"Symphony of a Thousand", at the Royal Albert Hall, a highly
acclaimed performance in November 2012 of Britten’s War Requiem
and another Royal Albert Hall success in May 2014 when we
performed the Verdi Requiem. In 2017 we celebrated our 70th
birthday with the Philharmonia Orchestra in the Royal Festival Hall
and 2018 sawa sell-out performance at G Live Guildford for our
"Concert for Peace".
In July 2025, we returned again to the Royal Albert Hall, where
we were joined by other local choirs, the Royal Philharmonic
Concert Orchestra and internationally renowned soloists Nicky
Spence and Lucy Crowe, to perform Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé
Suite No. 2, Poulenc’s Gloria, and the spectacular Te Deum by
Hector Berlioz.
3
That concert marked the end of an era, as it was our last with
Jeremy Backhouse, who has now retired after 30 years of
dedicated service to Vivace - his passion for choral music and
sheer enthusiasm for music-making were evident at every
rehearsal and performance.
We are delighted now to welcome Barbara Hôfling as our new
Music Director, and look forward to working with her over the
years to come, to build on Jeremy's legacy, and take Vivace on
to new heights. She is supported by Francis Pott, who is an
academic and composer of international repute and an
accomplished concert pianist - who better to accompany our
rehearsals?
We have also enjoyed successful European and UK tours, including
trips to France, Italy, Germany, Austria, the Baltic states and, most
recently, northern Spain.
:
We are always happy to welcome new members, so if you would like
to try us out, do come along to any of our regular rehearsals on
Monday evenings at 7.15 in the Guildford Baptist Church, Millmead,
Guildford.
Just
contact
our
membership
secretary
Becky
Kerby
at
membership@vivacechorus.org or pay a visit to our website,
vivacechorus.org. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram
(@Vivace_Chorus) and X (Twitter) - @VivaceChorus.
Vivace Chorus is a Registered Charity No. 1026337
14
Barabara Höfling
Barbara grew up in Hanover, Germany
and studied violin, singing and choral
conducting at the Hochschule für Musik
und Theater.
She then split her career equally into solo
singing work, including recording 3 solo
CDs with Lied and Chamber Music, which
won her a Supersonic Award for best Lied
recording; and Choral singing, working for some of the best Choirs
in the world, including RIAS Chamber Choir, BBC Singers, Berlin
Radio Choir and the Monteverdi Choir with conductors such as
Claudio Abbado, Bernhard Haitink, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, J.E.
Gardiner and Simon Rattle.
Throughout her career she has directed choirs and orchestras in
Germany and later in the UK. She is the founder and MD of the
German Choir of London, which she took to perform at St. Peters
Basilica in Rome, Notre Dame Paris, and Sagrada Famillia in
Barcelona to name just a few.
In 2022 she was appointed Associate Chorus Director and Head of
Vocal Development of the London Symphony Chorus. In this
capacity she worked regularly with LSO conductors such as Simon
Rattle, Lionel Sow and Francois Xavier Roth.
Barbara has worked with numerous choirs in the UK and abroad,
including the London Philharmonic Choir, Chineke Voices, Coventry
and Canterbury Cathedral Choirs, CBSO Chorus and Cologne Radio
Choir.
She runs regular Workshops and Masterclasses on Choral
Repertoire, Consort Singing and Vocal technique.
Barbara is a keen supporter of contemporary music and has to date
commissioned more than 80 choral and solo works.
When it comes to Christmas, Barbara has tried to convince her
British friends of the benefits of German traditions, such as
Feuerzangenbowle or watching ‘Dinner for One’ on New Year's Eve.
The former with great success, the latter less so.
#5
Vivace Chorus future events - Come and Sing:
Come and sing: Join Vivace Chorus for a day of a cappella
singing!
Saturday 24" Jan 2026 10.00am Guildford Baptist Church
Come and experience a day of singing with Vivace Chorus and Barbara
Hofling, our new Music Director.
Barbara is both a conductor and highly
experienced vocal health specialist and will bring her unique perspective to
a selection of secular and sacred motets, including Schumann’s beautiful
songs for double choir. You'll be part of creating a warm, blended sound
that’s perfect for the lush harmonies of Bruckner, the crunchy cluster
chords of Eric Whitacre and the ethereal story-telling of Esenvalds.
As always, our popular Come and Sing days are held in our regular,
rehearsal venue at Guildford Baptist Church in central Guildford, and music
hire and our famous lunch is included in your ticket.
A Symphony of Voices
Saturday 21st March 2026 7:30pm Holy Trinity Church, Guildford
There’s something about the sound of voices that’s uplifting for the soul.
Our spring concert is a programme of beautiful a cappella (unaccompanied)
songs from a wide range of composers — from Schumann to Whitacre.
We'll be joined by internationally renowned organist, Stephen Farr. Stephen
has held a number of cathedral appointments, including at Guildford
Cathedral, where he was Organist and Master of the Choristers from 1999
to 2007. He has also held positions at Worcester College, Oxford and
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
Gershwin Galore
Saturday 20th June 2026 7:30pm Holy Trinity Church
The songs and music of George Gershwin have a universal and enduring
appeal. Alongside his brother, Ira, Gershwin created music for a new age,
with endlessly toe-tapping tunes and lyrics that captured an age and have
lasted more than a lifetime.
Join us for a delightful summer celebration of his work, with all your
Gershwin favourites, including Summertime, The Man I Love, and I Got
Rhythm. As Gershwin says: “Music has the power to make us feel alive, to
remind us of the beauty in the world.”
Tickets for all events can be obtained from vivacechorus.org
16
ey
BARCHESTER HEALTHCARE
Care as unigue
as you are
Making the move into care doesn’t mean you have to lose who you are.
We'll spend time getting to know your loved one, and the people and
things that are most important to them, so we can put the right
care in place.
By gaining an understanding of their interests and passions too, we can
support them to live happily, comfortably, and just the way they choose.
Call 01483 314 102 to arrange a visit
or scan the QR code to find out more.
www.barchester.com/SilverbirchLM
So, who are Rotary?
Founded 120 years ago, Rotary is today the world largest humanitarian
organisation with 1.4 million members globally.
Rotary’s biggest claim to fame is probably our continuous drive to eradicate Polio,
today only found in remote parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Here are some of things Rotary in Guildford get up to:
_ Gardening:
We clear and tend to the gardens at Gosden House School.
Green-fingered volunteers on select Saturdays from 10-12 are
very welcome to join. Perfect location for our annual,
charitable Gosdenberry Live Music Festival
For schools, we:
|
Do mock interviews preparing Year 11s for work scenarios
Help at schools’ “Business Morning” Q&As
Arrange Youth Speaks, a debating competition among schools
Arrange the annual “Schools Got Talent” concert at G live in Guildford
Arrange participation in Rotary Youth; Leader Awards, a 5-day residential course
For good causes and with selected Charities, we: ©
Arrange collections of e.g. Wi nter clothes for Ukraine;
100+ black bin bags were shipped in Dec. ‘22
!
Help with arrangement, marshalling
and marquee setup
Help running the Guildford Repair Workshop at The Hive by i
Run the Guildford Mayor’s Christmas Carol concert
Offer a fundraising platform to all charities and their supporters. Next
Mayor’s Charity Walk is on May 17th ‘26 , all funds you raise go to your
chosen charity. Come and join for a 2, 6 or 10 mile walk in Shalford Park.
Tools with a Mission, where “experienced” garden and other tools, sewing
machines ++ are collected, refurbished and shipped overseas in a new
lease of life
For Guildford companies, we:
*
Offer a platform for your Corporate Social Responsibility efforts to have an
enhanced impact. Your employees can join for any of our activities.
We are always seeking new worthy projects,
and we seek the volunteers to help us deliver them.
Please make contact!!!
Email: rotaryinguildford@gmail.com
www.fa
facebook.
cebook.com/RotaryiInGuildf
n
ord/
18
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is Gulldterd
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