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Ipswich Choral Society celebrates 200th anniversary with concert

Jane Kemp Ipswich Choral Society at the Public Hall, Ipswich, in 1909Jane Kemp
Ipswich Choral Society boasted more than 200 members by the end of the 1800s

England's second-oldest amateur choral society will mark its 200th anniversary at a concert alongside the oldest.

Ipswich Choral Society (ICS) will perform at Snape Maltings Concert Hall in Suffolk on Saturday evening.

The group first performed in April 1824, having formed three months earlier, and has since held more than 350 concerts across the globe.

ICS will sing with Halifax Choral Society and be accompanied by the Britten Sinfonia orchestra.

Fenella Andrews, ICS singer and publicity officer, said: "To keep it going for 200 years, it's incredible."

Peter Smith Ipswich Choral Society and Halifax Choral Society singing at Snape Maltings Concert Hall in 2017Peter Smith
The choir performed alongside Halifax Choral Society in 2017, to help it celebrate its own 200th anniversary

Choral societies were a popular past-time in the 1800s and ICS once boasted 264 members.

Speaking about early concerts, Ms Andrews said: "There would be about 200 people on the stage and it was incredibly well attended.

"We've got an old poster from 1867, which [advertises] special late-night trams taking you from the Cornhill to the railway station.

"Then there would be trains going to Felixstowe, Stowmarket and Hadleigh late into the evening to make sure people got home, because it was such a big deal and there'd be loads of people coming in to see the concerts."

Simon Pulham Ipswich Choral Society performing in 1924Simon Pulham
In the 19th Century, concerts were such highly attended events that special late-night trains were put on for attendees

Throughout its 200-year history, the choir has held performances across Suffolk and further afield, including France, Belgium and Italy.

Its anniversary concert will see ICS perform The Creation, which was composed by Joseph Haydn in 1797 and first performed by the choir in 1825.

"It was first performed in England in English in 1800, so in 1824 it would have been a relatively new piece," said Ms Andrews.

The Halifax choir celebrated its 200th anniversary with a series of concerts between 2017-18.

Matthew Clarke Ipswich Choral Society performing at Ipswich Corn Exchange in 2023Matthew Clarke
The choir has performed a range of repertoire, from choral classics to modern-day music

Now consisting of about 80 singers, between 20 and 90 years of age, ICS is hoping to welcome more members.

"I know there's a few choirs who have struggled to maintain membership, so it is something which we're constantly having to work on," said Ms Andrews.

"We'll do choral classics, like Handel's Messiah and Haydn's The Creation, and more modern elements which are more popular with audiences, so it's a balance.

"We always say, 'Come along and give us a try.' It doesn't matter who you are, we all come together and just enjoy singing."

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