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Unfortunately, due to the ongoing restrictions applying specifically to amateur choral singing, we are unable to go ahead with our planned services at St. Albans Cathedral this weekend.

As Covid restrictions are gradually lifting, we have started rehearsing again – initially by video call, but all being well, in person from 17 May. We are delighted that St. Albans Cathedral is able to allow us to sing some services in late May.

We are also hoping to put on an outdoor performance in the Harpenden area on Sunday 4 July. Nothing confirmed yet, but we are keeping our fingers crossed.

Thank you so much to everyone who subscribed to our MerriLea digital advent calendar. We were delighted by the lovely messages of thanks you sent to us and were glad we could put a smile on so many faces. We have also raised over £4,000 for our chosen charities. Thank you on behalf of all the organisations that will benefit from this amazing generosity.

Hopefully in 2021 we will be able to perform to you in person. We have a concert at Katherine Warington School in the diary, and a weekend of services at St. Albans Cathedral. Obviously with the current Covid-19 situation, we have no idea if we will be able to meet to rehearse or perform, but do make a note of the dates – we will be thinking creatively of ways to continue bringing you lovely music.

This year, we aren’t able to deliver our usual Christmas concert, but that isn’t going to stop us from putting together something special. We have created an advent calendar filled with 25 digital doses of Christmas cheer, including carols from the whole choir, chamber ensemble pieces and fun weekend treats from Leas & Friends. Each day belongs to a different Lea Singer, and each has chosen a different charity.

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The ongoing situation means we have sadly had to postpone November’s Rachmaninov Vespers concert and cancel this year’s FestiveLea Christmas Concert. We are working on a virtual Christmas treat to bring you some socially-distanced Lea cheer in December – watch this space.

Looking further ahead, we are hoping that we will be able to go ahead with the Vivaldi Gloria concert at St. Nicholas Church in March 2021 and a summer concert with Katharine Warington School in June 2021.

In the light of the current situation with Coronavirus and government advice, the Lea Singers have decided to cancel our forthcoming concert, A Feast of Folk Music, due to take place on 20 June. We have also cancelled our Garden Party Fundraiser on 11 July.

We hope very much that we will be able to open our celebrations for our 60th Anniversary season with Rachmaninov Vespers in St Albans Cathedral in November, but at this stage it is impossible to know if this will be able to go ahead.

Thank you all for your understanding and support.

This week our conductor Tori Longdon is auditioning choir members for solo movements, duets and quartets in the two Glorias for the Vivaldi Squared concert on 21 March.

We often feature choir soloists in carol and summer concerts but this is the first time that all the solos will be taken by Lea Singers (past and present).

The virtuosic opening Jubilate will be sung by mezzo Hannah Bennett, who was a Lea Singers intern before studying at the Royal Academy of Music and embarking on her solo career.

Thank you to everyone who came to FestiveLea! at the Public Halls – we all had a wonderful time and hope you enjoyed yourselves too.

We are now looking forward to our March concert, Vivaldi Squared. We start rehearsals on 8th January so if you are a tenor and interested in joining us, do get in touch.

Also, you can spot some of our singers in Gareth Malone’s Christmas Concert, which was broadcast on BBC2 on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Not long until the big day, and even fewer days until 23rd December when we will be putting on our annual charity Christmas concert. This will be our very last show in the Public Halls before they close for good.

We are supporting The Hospice of St Francis with our raffle, and as usual, the interval drinks and mince pies are included in the ticket price of just £15.

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