Concert Reviews

- Comments from our guests

• I really enjoyed the Come and Sing today. Andrew was very informative, humorous and educating. All the solos were excellent. Thank you to Howard for the gluten free orange cake. I don’t very often eat cake but enjoyed the treat. It was good to talk to strangers and choir members.
  
  
• I just wanted to say thank you for a lovely singing day yesterday.  It was well organised and all went very smoothly - it's always nice when someone else is organising it and not me!  The church venue is perfect for such a day, with great facilities and easy parking.  Thanks to everyone.
   
• It was a truly wonderful day yesterday – I can’t think of enough good things to say about it!!. I am a professional musician and have been part of Andrew’s musical world for 40 years, and it never fails to impress me how he cleverly manages with good humour and musical “nous” of course (!!) to bring out the very best from everyone of all ages and abilities.  Lauren too is a fantastic accompanist and with that solid foundation big works grow.  It was over all too soon and I now look forward to the next time.  I will not make any suggestions; anything will suit me! Thanks too to the organisers and all the people who made us so welcome at the church.
   
• A lovely day in every way - powerful choral directed, soloist, and keyboard support underpinning a wonderful memorable and poignant Requiem in a homely Church of a size for best sound effects. 
  Well done the FDCS team and especially choral director Andrew Millinchip for his relaxed style.  All of your hard work was much appreciated!  And always a friendly welcome with a scrumptious cake table!
  Thank you for your kind invitation to one of my favourite Requiems.
   
• Thank you FDCS. I had a fantastic time
   
• Huge thank you for a very enjoyable Come and Sing da. Particular thanks to Andrew for leading us so well, challenging us but with good humour and patience.
   
• Thank you so much for yesterday! I enjoyed it so much. You all provided a great welcome and hospitality, and it was great to sing under Andrew’s leadership. I would very much like to come to future workshops.
  
  
• I thought the whole day was organised so well.  From receiving our music in the foyer to the presentation of daffodils. I needed a seat with arms, and straight away a gentleman brought it. The dining area, drinks section was superb. My only observation, ( I don't want to call it a criticism, and nothing you could do. ) I purposely went to the disabled toilet as I have no strength in my knees and I need a high toilet. How disappointed when I found it so very low.
   

• My friend, my daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday’s singing day.  I think the choice of music helped as most people knew the works and many had sung them before. This helped in the quality of the performance. I did feel that perhaps we had too many and perhaps too long breaks Mr Millinchip is a very good conductor, and we could all appreciate his skills as a former teacher.
  Thanks again.
• Another wonderful day - the group is so inviting and it's a great venue. The cakes were awesome as usual! For future events, what about some Ole Gjeilo and Eric Whitacre?
   
• I thoroughly enjoyed the “Come & Sing” day yesterday. It’s the first time I’d done anything like that before and it was lovely to spend the day with so many accomplished singers. A good number of people who already knew the piece was important for me and I was lucky enough to sit between two other experienced altos.
  The Fauré was a great choice and I’d be happy to try other works as I’m sure the leader of the workshop would always have a good idea of what is do-able within the day, as Andrew Millinchip clearly had yesterday.
  I thought the organisation and the general atmosphere on the day was excellent.
• I really enjoyed the day enormously.  I think the idea of focusing on Fauré really worked - doing the Requiem, the Cantique, the Pavane and Emma's solo drew everything together in a very varied but cohesive way.
  I always think workshop days with the FDCS are excellent - just the right length of time, breaks at sensible intervals, good dynamic, looking forward to the next one already!
  If I had one criticism it would be that sitting near the back, I found it very difficult to see the conductor even when he eventually stood on the stage.  I don't know what the answer is to that so maybe it is not a very constructive comment!
  Many thanks for running these workshops, glad you raised a good sum for Marie Curie as well as providing us with a great day!
   
• We enjoyed the day and thought it was well organised. Husband knows the Requiem but had never sung it before so found it a little challenging as most people knew it well and he would have benefitted from going over the part in more detail. Maybe you could direct novices to view the part online beforehand.
  I was a little disappointed to finish rehearsing at 3.15 I think we could have sung things through again.
  The concert was very good with a good range of Faure works. We enjoyed it very much. Lunch was a great social time.
  The cakes were lovely.
   
• …. thoroughly enjoyed our day on Saturday, but we always do enjoy your workshops. Please keep them coming!!
  
  
• I thoroughly enjoyed the Come and Sing on Saturday. It was well organised not too tiring. Plenty of time to meet old friends. Andrew was brilliant as were the soloists. Great to raise so much money for Charity too Thank you to everyone concerned.

• Many thanks to the committee for a wonderful workshop. we really enjoyed it.
  
  
• Very enjoyable day, as well as the singing I caught up with a few old friends unexpectedly.
   
• Loved every minute and was being picked up so didn’t have time to thank everyone. When can we do it again??
   
• My daughter really enjoyed it - two of her favourite pieces of music - she came up specially for it and wasn't disappointed.  I enjoyed it too!
   
• I enjoyed the day even though I was in a great deal of pain, but I love to sing.
  It was great to hear so many singers in our church, what a sound.
  I feel the warm up was a bit long as we didn’t start singing for half an hour, and if I am honest some of us thought Andrew talked a little too much.
  Maybe the last teabreak could have been 15 minutes longer and the final break 15 minutes shorter??
   
• FDCS do a really great job and everyone seems to enjoy the days we put on.
  We heard one lady say she comes for the cakes!!
   
•  I thought Saturday was really good and enjoyable, and the standard of singing, to my untrained ear, was outstanding.  3 of my friends came and were delighted and found it very moving at times.  Andrew's leadership, conducting and time keeping were impressive, very ably supported by Lauren and the two soloists.  All in all it was a very successful and enjoyable day.  Well done committee, helpers and cake makers. and thank you everyone.   Here's to the next time!!