Peterborough Take Note’s second concert of 2018 saw a change at the top, with a new MD (Robin Norman, Head of Music and Performing Arts at Ken Stimpson school) and accompanist (Adam Wilson, organ scholar at Peterborough Cathedral).  In the week that saw the choir celebrate its fifth birthday, the performance consisted of choir members’ favourites from the repertoire.

The concert began with a rousing ‘surround sound’ rendition of South African folk song Shosholoza, which was followed by songs by composers ranging from Verdi (Va Pensiero) and Mozart (Ave Verum) to Paul Simon (The Sound of Silence) and Labbi Siffre (something Inside So Strong).  The toe-tapping Duke Ellington number ‘It Don’t Mean a Thing’ was a firm favourite, and Robin delighted everyone with a solo Tuba rendition of Oystein Baadsvik’s intriguing piece “Fnugg”.

Also under the direction of Robin Norman were polished performances by The Ken Stimpson School Choir and Ken Stimpson Acappella Group ‘B#’.   The school choirs joined Peterborough Take Note for the final two songs Beautiful Boy (John Lennon) and Sing (written for the Queen’s Diamond jubilee by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Gary Barlow). 

Audience feedback was very favourable – “spine tingling”, “best yet”, “enjoyable”, “fantastic”.