Rainbow Chorus: Songs Without Borders

A poignant title for the Rainbow’s most recent outing and for this LGBT choir a lot of out people and their friends were clearly, for once, unhappy about being out, of Europe that it. Enough politics, more of the music. I see this excellent choir regularly and what truly impresses is this, for a no audition community choir, they are achieving an accomplished sound and presenting an impressive repertoire of music. This time I was thrilled to see that having drilled her charges hard, MD Aneesa Chaudhry is now getting a level of refinement and finesse in their performance. In particular in tuning and timing, an area so often neglected in larger choirs where enthusiasm and volume from the more able members can mask the mistakes of the less able. Enthusiasm is of course great and this is not a criticism of community choirs who have so much to offer for both audiences and members. No, this is praise for a committed and driven choir who get better year on year. This time I was particularly impressed by their delivery of the notoriously difficult “Time To Say Goodbye” which can trip up the most accomplished of singers and I was both surprised and impressed by their rendering of “Send In The Clowns” which can so often be performed as a thunder ballad when in reality it is a sad and resigned number that requires that rare ability to not only hit the notes but to deliver the sense of the words, acting the song. The Rainbows tackled the complex arrangement  with style and delivered it convincingly well.
The Rainbow Chorus
St George’s Church Kemp Town
25 June
Andrew Kay
4.5 stars