The Sledge of Glory: Rainbow Chorus

Rainbow Chorus never fail to deliver a heart warming event and this year’s Christmas offering was no exception. At the helm is Aneesa Chaudhry who drives them on in every sense. By this I mean that in the last few years she has pushed them to higher and higher achievements. Not only more challenging music and arrangements but also higher ambitions that have taken them to Amsterdam and some members to Denver for a huge international gay choir festival.

The seasonal programme included a good mix of festive favourites and a smattering of soulful anthems too, all of which they deliver with both precision and power but most importantly with heart. As a non-auditioned community choir this should always be at the core of what they do and what they now achieve in the sense of musicality and professionalism is a massive bonus.

I particularly love to hear them tackling work from the classical repertoire and this time they gave us some Pachelbel in a mash up with The First Noel that featured two excellent string players, a rousing Vivaldi Gloria, again with strings and a very ambitious Va Pensiero from Nabucco by Verdi. The latter was a massive ask and pianist Mojca Monte’s piano accompaniment was stirring stuff. The choir too were pretty impressive and whilst certainly getting all of the notes and in the right order were only floored by the runs of notes which, whilst trying to hold the Italian and the tune, came out a little too staccato. It was still the high point of the whole evening for me.

Hats off also to soloists Paul Shuttleworth and Nick Williams who’s I Love You was beautifully delivered.

My only quibble would be that the whole was just a little too over-amplified which at times means that the chorus sing too hard to balance the solos. It’s a small gripe from me for a choir that never fails to delight and entertain. (PS Great cakes too!)

St George’s Kemp Town

10 December

Andrew Kay

4.5 stars