We have learned so much from working with other choirs and musicians in the town - Ledbury Choral Society, Ledbury Community Brass Band and Peter Carter to name just a few - and within the region (the Penyard Singers led by John Frith, the Gotherington Singers, the Brass Consort of the University of the West of England, Hereford Fire Choir, and Colwall Community Choir). Many of our concerts have featured local and international soloists and performers.
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For example, in 2005 we were visited by a choir from the Bohuslan region of Sweden, near to Ledbury's twin town of Strömstad. This choir, Ärter o Fläsk, were relatively small in number, but many have been members for 30 years or more. They have built a large repertoire, perform much of it from memory and with infectious enjoyment. Our return visit to Sweden in July 2006 was memorable. We stayed with members of the choir, went sailing and sightseeing, enjoyed the local cuisine and performed a joint concert in their ‘choir house’. Many of our members have stayed in touch with their Swedish hosts who have become family friends.
The following year members of LCC with friends in Northern Germany put us in contact with a choir called Chornelimünster, a play on the name of their home town Kornelimünster near Aachen. We visited in January 2008, sang a joint concert and in the magnificent Kornelimünster Abbey and hosted a return visit from Chornelumünster the following October. Like Ärter o Fläsk, Chornelimünster had mastered a repertoire of national and local music but were equally at home with pop standards, liturgical music and songs from shows and films.
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In 2016, through our close contacts with Ledbury Twinning Association we were invited back to Sweden to visit and sing with Tontamjarna, a choir based in Strömstad. We travelled with our then new accompanist, Philip Holland, organist at St Michaels Parish Church here in Ledbury, and accompanist of Ledbury Choral Society and the Penyard Singers. Tontamjarna's return visit to Ledbury took place in May 2017 where both choirs enjoyed many a happy social event and performing a joint concert in Ledbury Market Theatre. We continue to develop and learn from local talented musicians and from international contacts and joint performances.
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