Messiah at Christchurch Priory

Messiah at the Priory – a Canford Choral Concert 

Canford School’s combined choirs were joined by Dumpton Prep School’s Senior Choir for an impressive rendition of Handel’s Messiah at Christchurch Priory on the evening of Tuesday 4th March. The venue provided a dramatic backdrop to match this glorious, masterful piece, arguably the most performed choral work in history.  Families and staff from both Canford and Dumpton plus many from the wider community of Friends of Canford Music, who supported the event, filled the pews to enjoy what was a truly spellbinding performance.  

Over 120 pupils from both schools have worked hard since November through a rigorous rehearsal schedule.  All these talented musicians raised the bar of what school music can achieve through both enthusiasm and perseverance. Performing The Messiah comes with significant musical challenges, and all involved from both schools did brilliantly.   

Solo movements were shared between Canford pupils and a number of professionals; Jemima Price and Matt Rogers from The Queen’s College, Oxford and Thomas Humphreys from the Royal Academy of Music who teaches at Canford.  

Handel wrote the work in a short timeframe in 1741. It is often performed at Christmas but also very suited to Easter, with much of its text concerning the sacrificial lamb, and then the euphoric Eastertide final Amen sending the audience away with hope and belief.  It was very appropriate that the performance was on Shrove Tuesday, the day before the penitential period of Lent begins and with the promise of Easter not far away. 

Will Ings, Director of Music at Canford, said;

It is my belief that all keen young musicians should experience performing Handel’s Messiah. It is a wonderful and seminal work that mere description cannot do justice. The work, in all its glory, needs to be experienced first-hand. It is therefore very exciting that we were able to bring this piece to the lives of so many young people this evening. The Hallelujah chorus cannot be forgotten once sung and the final Amen is masterful from the opening subject sung by the basses to the final triumphant trumpet-capped close.  

Messiah will provide life-long memories for all our young performers. My thanks go to Dumpton’s Music department, to all Canfordians involved, the wonderful accompanying orchestra, Friends of Canford Music and all the supporting members of our school communities who made this unforgettable event so successful.

Please click the link below to listen to highlights from the performance with accompanying photographs from rehearsals and the evening performance itself: