Concert for the RNLI
1 July 2025
On a beautiful summer evening, the Choir held its annual concert to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute. This is one of the choir's favourite events of the year. Every year, the concert helps the RNLI by raising money and awareness. The Looe Lifeboat Station (Albatross Boathouse) on the Seafront at East Looe is an unusual venue that offers an extraordinary acoustic experience in a cavernous space that typically houses the lifeboats for the area.
The steel rafters reverberated by the four-part harmonies of arrangements of “What the World Needs Now,” “The Lord is my Shepherd” (the Vicar of Dibley version), “Do You Hear the People Sing” from Les Miserable, and “Love Changes Everything” from Aspects of Love by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The unique venue was filled as visitors were drawn in by the sound of singing at the end of their days. The choir's versatility and strengths were showcased in a program of music that was varied and engaging for this inquisitive audience directed by Trish Rogan, their Musical Director.
Additionally, Trish and Neil Asprey performed an endearing duet of “You're just in love!” from the musical comedy "Call Me Madam". In addition, Trish's solo performance of “Softly, as I Leave You” delighted the audience. A well-known Italian song, “Softly, as I Leave You,” was composed by Tony De Vita and originally titled Piano (“Softly”), with Italian lyrics by Giorgio Calabrese. Hal Shaper, an English songwriter, noticed the song and, in November 1961, composed English lyrics to the melody. He titled the song “Softly, as I Leave You.” In 1962, Matt Monro made one of the most well-known renditions of this song, which peaked at No. 10 on the UK's Record Retailer chart.
With waves lapping gently over the sand and seagulls wheeling and screeching in the sky above, the Boathouse seemed a fitting location for the choir's second performance of Eric Whitacre's sublimely atmospheric “The Seal Lullaby.”
We know that music is more than just entertainment: it has a powerful impact on our emotions and memories and is a universal language that connects people across cultures, generations, and social groups. Therefore, it was only fitting that Whitsand Harmony, a choir that cherishes singing, concluded their concert with “Thank you for the Music” and “As Long as I have Music”. May they always share their passion and love of music.
Singing under the Blossom
3 may 2025
It was a warm afternoon in early May when Whitsand Harmony sang under the blossom at Cotehele. Perfect blue skies topped an idyllic scene amidst the orchard blossom as an eager audience sat in the sunshine before music filled the air along with the scented blossom.
The air resonated with the rich four-part harmonies of compositions including well known favourites such as ‘You Raise Me Up’, ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’, ‘Hallelujah’, and ‘Thank You for the Music’ as well as a new addition to the choir’s musical repertoire of the beautifully atmospheric ‘The Seal Lullaby’ by Eric Whitacre, a simple setting for the accompaniment of Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘The White Seal’.
The audience were also treated to a charmingly delightful duet from Trish and Neil Asprey. ‘You’re just in love!’ a popular song by Irving Berlin published in 1950 and first performed by Ethel Merman and Russell Nype in Call Me Madam, a musical comedy. Trish and Neil delivered a lighthearted and playful interplay between the two vocal parts. It was lovely to see so many people in the audience enjoying the music, and some tucking into a picnic lunch as well. The choir loved the experience of singing among the blossom at Cotehele, and maybe next year will see them singing again in the sunshine under the blossom.