It’s not long now until 200 singers unite in harmony at a climax of a countywide project to perform the music of Mozart en masse.

The Sing Mozart! community choir project was announced by Hertfordshire Chorus in November, with the aim of recruiting new voices to create an impressive ensemble for a concert in the historic setting of St Albans Abbey later this month.

Now singers are hard at work rehearsing for their performance on Saturday, February 20.

The programme starts with the Hertfordshire Chorus singing A Child Of Our Time, the oratorio written by Sir Michael Tippett during the Second World War which has become one of the most popular modern choral pieces in the classic canon.

Then it’s time for Mozart to take centre stage, with almost 200 voices uniting to do justice to Mozart’s magnificent Requiem.

The Sing Mozart! choir is a mixture of experienced and new singers – some may never have been on the big stage, others perhaps have not sung since they were at school. Musical director David Temple said of the first rehearsal: “I could not have imagined how brilliantly the rehearsal unfolded. It was a joyous and inspiring occasion.

“The biggest bonus was the standard of the singing.

“I believe we are heading for a magical performance to a full cathedral.”

Pete Murray from Royston is one of those who signed up. He said: “I became aware of the Sing Mozart! event via a circular from my local choral society, where I am a baritone who normally sings bass.

“The Mozart Requiem has, since the first time I sang it many years ago, always been high on my list of favourite large scale choral pieces and an opportunity to sing it in such a location as St Albans Abbey is something I would not wish to miss.”

For details of the concert and to buy tickets visit the website at www.hertfordshirechorus.org.uk.