A CLASSICAL choir is celebrating its 10th anniversary by putting on a special concert.

Members of Vivace, founded in 2002, have spent the last four months in rehearsal as they prepare to perform Brahm’s German Requiem.

The choir was started in Arlesey by musician Kate Elmitt and her husband Bob Wilkins, and current chairman Brenda Sutton says it continues to go from strength to strength.

Brenda said: “When I joined there were probably about 23 people and now up to about 30 to 35 permanent members.

“There’s been a significant increase and interest in singing and community choirs, and while we’re a classical choir we’ve still had more people willing to try it.

“We don’t have auditions so people can come and have a couple of free rehearsals. It’s a mutual thing to see if we’re happy with them and they’re happy with us. It’s about having the right voice for the choir.”

The Comet featured a plea for new members from Vivace last year as the group needed more voices if they were to hold the concert, which comes to Christchurch in Hitchin on Saturday, May 12.

“It’s a big piece and it’s written for a fairly large choir,” said the Letchworth GC resident, who joined Vivace eight years ago.

“We could’ve done it with 40 minimum but we were looking for 45 and we’ve got that which is wonderful.

“It’s a beautiful composition. We’ve got Kate Elmitt as a concert pianist and she was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music. She’s wonderful.

“We also have John Andrews, who has been our conductor for around nine years and has done so much to increase the standard of singing in the choir.

“He is a professional conductor who is also the music director of Stanley Hall Opera and among other things has worked with the English Touring Opera and English Symphony Orchestra.”

Brenda added that members began rehearsing for the concert in January because of the nature of the piece.

“The thing with Brahms is it’s a highly difficult piece so we’ve given ourselves a bit longer to learn it,” she said. “We want to make it a good show.”

The evening, which will also include a performance of Schubert’s The Trout by a piano quintet and singer Isla Dennis, starts at 7.30pm.

Tickets, which are �10, �8 for teenagers or free for children 12 and under, can be bought by calling 01462 490220.

Vivace rehearse on Wednesdays between 7.30pm and 9.30pm at Edgeworth House in Arlesey High Street. For more information email vivace@vivacechoir.co.uk