events

A Selection of past and future events

Next Concert

Parenthesis Summer Concert

The title A Sprig of Thyme for this concert reflects the theme: Rutter used it as the title of a collection of arrangements of folk songs, one of which is indeed A Sprig of Thyme, a pun on the name of the herb and the ticking of the clock that forms the background to our lives and loves. Our poster tries to capture this…

Our inspiring new musical director, Gerard Lim, has selected a wonderful collection of short pieces from around the world, both secular and sacred, both familiar and new, including:

Oscar Ahnfelt, Day by Day: a haunting setting of a hymn by Carolina Berg, wallowing in Victorian sentimentality
Thomas Attwood, Teach me O Lord, a beautiful anthem from 1797
Samuel Barber
- Sure on this Shining Night, a 1938 setting of James’ Agee’s evocative poem, and
- The Monk and his Cat, a witty blend of the sacred and secular as translated from an 8th or 9th century source by W. H. Auden
Amy Cheney Beach (aka Mrs H. H. A. Beach) Peace I Leave with You: a gentle and uplifting hymn tune that deserves to be better known
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor The Lord is my Strength: an anthem very different from his Hiawatha which we sang a few years ago under Valerie Hoppé
Aaron Copland Long Time Ago, a lovely 1950 setting of this familiar folk song
Howard Goodall The Lord is my Shepherd: a setting of Psalm 23 that is much more serious and beautiful than its use in Vicar Of Dibley might suggest
Marten Lauridsen Sure on this Shining Night, a 2005 take on the same James Agee poem
John Rutter The Sprig of Thyme: a cycle of folk song settings
John R. Sweney Sunshine in my Soul: 1970s gospel rock to send you away with a spring in your step

We look forward to seeing you there!

Recent Events

Parenthesis Spring Concert 2025

Saturday April 5th at the Abbey School, Reading

Our soloists after the concert: Robert Murray John (Tenor), Jack Redman (Bass), Mia Serracino (Alto), and Natasha Costa (Soprano), with Gerard Lim and Martin Jones.

Program includes:

Michael Haydn: Tantum Ergo, Requiem Solemne
Franz Schubert: Salve Regina, Mass in G

Conductor: Gerard Lim

Past Events

Autumn Concert 2024

Conductor: Tristan Weymes

Guest Pianist: Jason Tang

Our Musical Director Richard Harker is on paternity leave, so we are delighted to welcome Tristan Weymes as guest conductor.

Tristan graduated with Distinction and DipRAM from the Royal Academy of Music’s prestigious Choral Conducting MA course, studying under Patrick Russill, where he earned the Thomas Armstrong Award, and a Regency award for all-round excellent studentship during his time there. Prior to this, he graduated from Trinity College, Oxford University, in 2021, where he conducted Trinity College Chapel Choir, the Oxford University Chorus, and the Turl Street Arts Festival Orchestra. In 2024, he placed 2nd in the ‘Magister Inside’ International Choral Conducting Competition (Arezzo, Italy), and won the ‘Special Prize from the Choir’ in the final of the 2024 ‘Gheorghe Dima’ International Conducting Competition (Cluj-Napoca, Romania).

Summer Concert 2024

A joint concert of Parenthesis and La Stephanelle was held in The Abbey School, Thursday 11th July at 7pm.

Programme included:
Mass Breve, Theodor Dubois
International choral selection including Italian, French, Korean, Corsican, Welsh, Ukrainian, Italian, Hebrew pieces and some Rodgers and Hart songs

Free Entry: Donations to Médecins Sans Frontières

Parenthesis Spring Concert 2024

Spring concert 2023.
Duruflé Requiem – This is built upon chant melodies taken from the Gregorian Requiem Mass. It is dedicated to the memory of his father.
Poulenc Gloria – The Gloria is a setting of the Roman Catholic Gloria in excelsis Deo text, one of his most celebrated works.
Lotti Crucifixus- The programme is completed by Antonio Lotti’s famous 8 part setting of the text Crucifixus est pro nobis (he was crucified for us).

Christmas Concert 10th December 2023 Caversham Heights Methodist Church Ralph Vaughn Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols

Sunday 16th july 2023 - a summer garland

A large and appreciative audience came to the Abbey School for a relaxing evening of music including English folk songs and many other well known pieces. The programme included old favourites such as My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean, Early One Morning, Loch Lomond and Oh No, John! Composers ranged from Purcell to Warlock with many different arrangements of well known songs. (Click the picture for a sample)

Sunday 26th March 2023 - 30th Anniversary Concert

Accompanied by a professional orchestra and soloists, Parenthesis presented their 30th
anniversary concert in the Abbey School.

Sunday 11th December 2022 - Parenthesis Carol Concert

A Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten, with many other pieces and audience carols
There was a full House at the Abbey School with free entry for Under 18’s
Drinks and mince pies were enjoyed during the interval

France 2022

We visited our friends in La Stephanelle, our twinned choir from St Etienne de Crossey in South France.

9th april 2022 - reading town concert hall

We joined five other choirs to celebrate the life of Gwyn Arch. It was a truly wonderful evening. More photos and videos are available on the Concert website at: http://www.villageroadrunners.com/gwyn/index.html

2nd april 2022 - reading town concert hall

Together with South Chiltern Coral Society and the Reading Symphony Orchestra we performed Gabriel Faure’s Requiem and Debussy La Mer.

12th December 2021 - Abbey school

Vivaldi’s Gloria, Durante’s Magnificat and a selection of Christmas Carols.

Selection Here

26th June 2021 - abbey school

Haydn – Missa Brevis No 7 and other short pieces, including Mozart – Ave Verum Coprus & Laudate Dominum, Franck – Panis Angelicus, Mendelssohn – Verleih uns Frieden (an absolute delight of German romanticism) & Hear my Prayer. Sublime music to celebrate being back together.

5th September 2020

The day we started to sing again, Oh Happy Day!

After a lot of hard work, encouragement and wholehearted cooperation from our wonderful hosts – The Abbey School, we will take a gentle breath and quietly sing together for the first time in nearly six months. It will be different, all spaced out and reduced in numbers but it will be very special – Enjoy!